Lorraine Plourde

Lorraine Plourde is an Associate Professor jointly appointed in the Department of Anthropology and the Media Studies program at the School of Natural and Social Sciences, State University of New York at Purchase. Her interdisciplinary work bridges anthropology, media studies, and ethnomusicology, with a central focus on sensory experiences in urban Japan, particularly around sound and listening.

Her academic background includes a PhD in sociocultural anthropology from Columbia University and an MA in ethnomusicology from the University of Washington. Her research interests include sound studies, the anthropology of the senses, experimental music, animal studies, and Japanese popular culture. She explores how sound shapes urban life, affect, and social relations in Tokyo through ethnographic methods.

Plourde’s publications highlight a consistent trajectory in urban auditory cultures. From experimental music venues to cat cafes and office soundscapes, her work investigates how sound is curated, perceived, and emotionally managed in contemporary Japan. Her research reveals the interplay between ambient sound, comfort, productivity, and cultural aesthetics, contributing significantly to interdisciplinary sound studies.

• Dee and Robert Topol Faculty Development Award, Purchase College, SUNY
• Junior Faculty Development Leave Award, Purchase College, SUNY
• Peter and Bette Fishbein Junior Faculty Research Award in the Liberal Arts, Purchase College, SUNY
• Student Engagement Grant, Purchase College, SUNY
• Faculty Support Award, Purchase College, SUNY
• Short-Term Japan Research Grant, Northeast Asia Council for the Association for Asian Studies
• Social Science Research Council, International Dissertation Field Research Fellowship (SSRC-IDRF)
• Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship

Plourde has secured significant external and internal research funding, demonstrating strong grant-writing capabilities and scholarly recognition. She has advised and mentored students through various research and engagement grants, though specific advisees are not listed. Her academic service includes teaching core courses such as Anthropology of Sound and Listening, Introduction to Ethnomusicology, and Popular Culture in Contemporary Japan, reflecting her interdisciplinary pedagogy.

While no formal lab or research center is mentioned, her long-term ethnographic fieldwork in Tokyo and collaborations with Japanese institutions like Waseda University suggest an active research network. Her work positions her as a leading scholar in the anthropology of sound in East Asia.