ungehör

Ungehör is a term used in contemporary discourse to describe the phenomenon in which certain voices or information fail to be heard or acknowledged within public discourse. It is used primarily in media studies, critical theory, and design research to analyze listening gaps that affect who is heard and who remains silent.

Etymology and scope: The term is built from the German prefix un- and the noun Gehör (hearing, being heard). Used metaphorically, ungehör signals a gap in attention rather than a lack of content. Its use has grown in German- and English-language scholarship since the early 21st century to discuss both acoustic non-hearing (signals that do not reach audiences) and metaphorical non-hearing (voices that are ignored or marginalized).

Contexts and examples: In media ecosystems, ungehör captures how algorithmic curation, editorial gatekeeping, and platform affordances shape whose messages reach audiences. In public policy and participatory design, the concept highlights how marginalized communities or local knowledge are neglected in decision-making processes.

Implications and critique: Addressing ungehör involves expanding access channels, increasing reflexivity in algorithms, and designing participatory processes that center diverse listeners. Some scholars caution that the term risks conflating silence with value and emphasize the need to analyze underlying power structures rather than attributing invisibility solely to audiences.