Sound and Social Conflict - with Jan Doering
Thu Nov 27 2025
Jan Doering, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto explores the complex relationship between sound, behavior, and social conflict, unpacking the social, cultural, and neurological dimensions of sound, and discussing how we can move toward a more considerate coexistence in our shared environments.
Sound that delights one person can deeply distress another. Clare and Jan explore how our appreciation of sound is deeply subjective and why this gap often turns into tension in urban life. Through examples from everyday environments, they discuss how noise reflects culture, how it can become a form of power and resistance, and why some people respond to it with frustration or even aggression.
The conversation challenges policymakers, urban planners, and designers to take sound seriously as an issue of well-being issue and accessibility, highlighting how neurological safety and collective responsibility can help create more peaceful and inclusive soundscapes.
Clare and Jan also reflect on the deeper psychological and emotional layers behind how we relate to sound, revealing that finding peace in a noisy world might start with changing how we listen.
Jan Doering is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto. His research explores social control and conflict in urban neighborhoods, as well as how individuals experience and respond to discrimination. He has received research funding from the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Commission, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Councils.
His first book, “Us Versus Them: Race, Crime, and Gentrification in Chicago Neighborhoods” (Oxford University Press, 2020), examines the dynamics of community conflict and identity during the era of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown.
Key Takeaways
Hearing is a sense we cannot turn off, making sound a constant, shared experience.Noise is not just about volume - there are more elements to consider Urban “vibrancy” often comes at the expense of rest and recovery, highlighting a policy blind spot.Municipalities, designers, and leaders can promote neurological safety by designing environments that support well-being and reduce sensory stress.
CHAPTERS
03:00 Introduction
06:05 Tension Around Noise
09:10 Defining Noise and Perception
12:16 Reframing Noise Experiences
18:05 Joy in Noise: Machines and Gender
22:18 Noise and Cultural Responsibility
29:08 Government and Policy Failures
36:50 Consequences of Noise Stress
45:50 Allergic to Peace?
51:31 Sadism, Pleasure, and Noise-Making Behavior
58:45 Emotional vs. Intellectual Arguments for Quiet
01:04:40 Density, Well-being, and Cultural Vision
01:08:00 Creative Solutions and Happy Spaces
Sources
Clamor by Chris Berdik — https://www.chrisberdik.comGolden: The Power of Silence in a World Full of Noise by Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz — https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Power-Silence-World-Noise/dp/0063027607Just Think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind – Wilson, T.D. et al., Science (2014) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4330241Epstein, M. J. (2020). Sound and noise: A listener's guide to everyday life. McGill-Queen's Press-MQUP....
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Jan Doering, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto explores the complex relationship between sound, behavior, and social conflict, unpacking the social, cultural, and neurological dimensions of sound, and discussing how we can move toward a more considerate coexistence in our shared environments. Sound that delights one person can deeply distress another. Clare and Jan explore how our appreciation of sound is deeply subjective and why this gap often turns into tension in urban life. Through examples from everyday environments, they discuss how noise reflects culture, how it can become a form of power and resistance, and why some people respond to it with frustration or even aggression. The conversation challenges policymakers, urban planners, and designers to take sound seriously as an issue of well-being issue and accessibility, highlighting how neurological safety and collective responsibility can help create more peaceful and inclusive soundscapes. Clare and Jan also reflect on the deeper psychological and emotional layers behind how we relate to sound, revealing that finding peace in a noisy world might start with changing how we listen. Jan Doering is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto. His research explores social control and conflict in urban neighborhoods, as well as how individuals experience and respond to discrimination. He has received research funding from the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Commission, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Councils. His first book, “Us Versus Them: Race, Crime, and Gentrification in Chicago Neighborhoods” (Oxford University Press, 2020), examines the dynamics of community conflict and identity during the era of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. Key Takeaways Hearing is a sense we cannot turn off, making sound a constant, shared experience.Noise is not just about volume - there are more elements to consider Urban “vibrancy” often comes at the expense of rest and recovery, highlighting a policy blind spot.Municipalities, designers, and leaders can promote neurological safety by designing environments that support well-being and reduce sensory stress. CHAPTERS 03:00 Introduction 06:05 Tension Around Noise 09:10 Defining Noise and Perception 12:16 Reframing Noise Experiences 18:05 Joy in Noise: Machines and Gender 22:18 Noise and Cultural Responsibility 29:08 Government and Policy Failures 36:50 Consequences of Noise Stress 45:50 Allergic to Peace? 51:31 Sadism, Pleasure, and Noise-Making Behavior 58:45 Emotional vs. Intellectual Arguments for Quiet 01:04:40 Density, Well-being, and Cultural Vision 01:08:00 Creative Solutions and Happy Spaces Sources Clamor by Chris Berdik — https://www.chrisberdik.comGolden: The Power of Silence in a World Full of Noise by Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz — https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Power-Silence-World-Noise/dp/0063027607Just Think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind – Wilson, T.D. et al., Science (2014) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4330241Epstein, M. J. (2020). Sound and noise: A listener's guide to everyday life. McGill-Queen's Press-MQUP....