Sonic Materiality and the Ethics of Everyday Listening:  a Review of Marcel Cobussen’s Engaging with Everyday Sounds

Francesco Aletta

Francesco Aletta University college London

Abstract

Book review

Author Biography

Francesco Aletta, University college London

a Lecturer in Building Physics and Soundscape at Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, University College London (UCL). His research focuses on environmental acoustics and soundscape studies. Aletta is committed to advancing soundscape research through his contribution to the ISO 12913 series on soundscapes, which provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and managing urban sound environments. Aletta’s research has informed international policy discussions. He authored a United Nations Environment Programme report in 2022, addressing emerging environmental concerns related to noise and its impact on public health and urban environments. His work is frequently referred to in policy documents and guidelines aimed at promoting healthier and more sustainable sound environments globally. As part of his standardization efforts, Aletta coordinated the Soundscape Attributes Translation Project, an international collaboration of more than 100 scholars worldwide. He is also an active member of editorial boards for leading journals, including the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (Coordinating Editor for TC Noise), and member of the organizing committee of several international conferences, including the Urban Sound Symposium and the Lancet UK Public Health Science Conference. Aletta is a member of the Italian Acoustical Society (AIA), the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), and serves as secretary of the Technical Committee Noise of the European Acoustics Association (EAA). With over 200 publications, 6,000 citations and multiple awards, including the ASA Science Communication Award in 2023, Aletta aims to contribute to the global discourse on soundscape design, urban acoustics, and public health.