Rate My Professor Seth Mulliken

Seth Mulliken is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northeastern University’s College of Arts, Media, and Design. He is a writer and scholar whose research investigates the intersection of sound, media, and race. Mulliken is particularly interested in the ways that cultural practices of sound—what people do, say, think, and act with sound—engage with media technologies of sound. He examines how these practices and technologies serve to reinforce what he terms the “ambience of white supremacy.” His current scholarly project centers on a series of videos from the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol. Through close listening, he analyzes the overlap between cultural practices of sound, the use of sound technologies, and the resonances of whiteness among the insurrectionists, revealing how the ambience of white supremacy threads through every action and chant of the crowd. At Northeastern, Mulliken teaches courses such as Sound Cultures (MSCR 2450) and Introduction to Film Production (MSCR 1230), where students learn to analyze sound in media and art.

Mulliken earned his Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. His academic journey began with a BA in filmmaking from Antioch College, followed by an MFA in Film and Media Arts from Temple University. While pursuing his master’s degree and living in Philadelphia, he became actively involved in anti-racism activism and organizing efforts to confront white supremacy. Subsequently, he taught media production at Villanova University, where his growing interest in sound intertwined with his activist work. This convergence prompted him to pursue doctoral studies to address critical questions about how white supremacy is perpetuated through sonic practices and technologies. Prior to his current role, Mulliken has served as chair of the search committee for an Open Rank Teaching Professor position in Global Media at Northeastern University.