Listening

Abstract

This editorial examines the critical importance of listening as a fundamental social art, as much in global and everyday politics as within anthropology and other academic discourses. Herzfeld argues that true listening – beyond mere turn-taking – is increasingly endangered by polarization, institutional legalism, and self-censorship. Drawing on examples from anthropological fieldwork, recent academic controversies, and global political tensions, he advocates for a ‘militant middle ground’ that embraces disagreement as essential for knowledge creation and mutual understanding. This position rejects both extreme relativism and rigid scientism, instead promoting a dynamic engagement with different viewpoints while acknowledging the inherent partiality of all human knowledge. He thereby argues that anthropology's experiential approach through fieldwork offers a model for cultivating the humility and the willingness to embrace uncertainty necessary for productive dialogue in a world that has increasingly forgotten how to listen.