Producing Media Pedagogy: Sound, Listening, and Civic Practice in Polarized Times.

The article focuses on the evolving role of media practice within communication and media studies curricula, emphasizing the importance of practice-based learning as a core pedagogical and civic method rather than a mere technical supplement. It traces this tradition through soundscape studies, a listening-centered approach originating from R. Murray Schafer's World Soundscape Project, which integrates critical listening with social and political awareness. The student-led project The Place of Sound exemplifies how media production can foster civic engagement and critical inquiry, especially in politically polarized contexts, by combining technical skill development with reflective media-making. The article argues that renewing the field's historic civic commitments in media practice is essential for curriculum design and pedagogical priorities, enabling communication and media studies to respond thoughtfully to contemporary institutional and cultural pressures.