Magdalena Zorn – This Is Not Music: Acoustheology in Late Modernism

In late modernity, sound has become a central concept: from ASMR and data sonification to ecological and social-theoretical models, the world is increasingly being “heard” rather than merely observed. Music and acoustics promise connection, meaning, and immersion.

In This is not music, Magdalena Zorn examines this development through the lens of “acoustheology”—a way of thinking in which sound takes on almost religious functions and shapes worldviews. Music thus becomes a universal explanatory model, often linked to the celebration of resonance and sonic unity.

Zorn takes a critical look at this euphoria: where sound promises closeness and harmony, it can also give rise to conformity, exclusion, and the loss of distance. The book therefore calls for a thoughtful examination of the power of listening in contemporary culture.