Soundscapes and the Rural: a Conceptual Review from a British perspective

This paper explores how British rural space is variously constructed through the sonic-aural realm. Through a review of literature from the social scientific and artistic domains, the article proposes a typology of approaches and conceptual frameworks to illustrate the processes and actors involved in a sonic geography / rural aurality. Tranquillity / pastoralism, acoustic ecology, quotidian lives / local speech, artist creativity and consumer technology, in their different ways, drive or are driven by discourses and aesthetics within society. The article is offered as a foundation stone on which an integrative analytical framework might be built.