Radiation Sounds

Marshallese music, particularly singing traditions, serves as a powerful medium to express the long-term effects of US nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll. Jessica A. Schwartz's work reveals how these musical practices integrate religious, cultural, and political elements to articulate the consequences of radiation exposure and military silence. The study highlights the literal and metaphorical silencing of Marshallese voices due to radiation-induced health issues and the suppression of information about human radiation studies conducted without consent. By centering the aural and sensorial dimensions, Schwartz offers a novel framework for understanding the intersections of voice, sound, militarism, indigeneity, and geopolitics in the context of nuclear violence.

Schwartz, J. A. (2021). Radiation Sounds. https://doi.org/10.1215/9781478021919