RN11 - Sociology of Emotions

RN11 - Sociology of Emotions

Coordinators:

• Yvonne Albrecht, Humboldt-University of Berlin,Germany, y.albrecht[at]hu-berlin.de
• Natàlia Cantó-Milà, University Oberta de Catalunya, Spain, ncantom[at]uoc.edu
• Nina Margies, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Germany, nina.margies[at] sowi.hu-berlin.de 
• Rotem Leshem, (leshem.rotem[at] gmail.com), Tel-Aviv University,Tel-Aviv-University, 
• Cecile Vermot, (cecile.vermot[at] supbiotech.fr), Sup'Biotech Paris

CALL FOR PAPERS:
10th MIDTERM CONFERENCE OF ESA-RESEARCH NETWORK 11 “SOCIOLOGY OF EMOTIONS”, UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURG,
AUGUST 31st- SEPTEMBER 2nd, 2022

This is the Call for Papers for the 10th Midterm Conference of the European Sociological Association’s Sociology of Emotions Research Network (RN11). The Midterm Conference will be hosted in 2022 by the University of Hamburg, Germany, at the chair of Social Analysis and Social Change (Sighard Neckel) and is jointly presented by the DFG-Collaborative Research Center "Affective Societies" at Freie University Berlin (www.sfb-affective-societies.de/en/index.html). The Conference will take place from
August 31st– September 2nd, 2022.

Keynotes: Olga Sabido Ramos (Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana - Azcapotzalco) Sighard Neckel (University of Hamburg)

With regard to the pandemic situation, in-person- and online-solutions will be planned.

Important: Please mention already in your submission if you will attend in person or online at the conference in Hamburg.

As in previous years, we will take all high-quality abstracts with a substantial focus on emotions under serious consideration. At the same time, we would like to offer several focal areas of investigation in which abstracts are particularly welcome.

Abstracts not exceeding 300 words should be send by March, 15th 2022.

rn11midterm2022[at] protonmail.com

There will also be a Workshop for PhD-Students which will take place on 30th of August, 2022, held by Swen Seebach (Universitat Abat Oliba CEU) and Poul Poder (University of Copenhagen). If you would like to participate, clearly indicate this in your proposal and send a short (max. one page) description of your doctoral research project. Notifications about the abstracts and the PhD-proposals which will be selected for presentation at the Midterm Conference will be send by the mid of April 2022.

Proposed Sessions

Emotions, Climate Change and Sustainability. Fridays for Future, Glasgow, Greta Thunberg – climate change and questions of sustainability concern many people. “How dare you?” asked Greta Thunberg when she was speaking in front of the United Nations. How are emotions like guilt and fear involved in those questions and which effect do they have – or not have – in contributing to the fight against climate change? By analyzing emotions, which possible gaps between generations become obvious – or maybe emotions are able creating new forms for intergenerational solidarity? All contributions which deal with the relation between climate change, sustainability and emotions are welcome here.

Emotions and Awareness. The concept of awareness is currently a very popular one – especially in dealing with self-feelings and questions of identity. We are interested in contributions which analyze special meanings and definitions of this concept in different contexts and from different point- of-views. What are reasons why “awareness” became an important idea in the last years? Is the importance of the concept internationally comparable? Which functions does awareness have

analyze awareness in different contexts are very welcome. Also concepts like reflexivity and mindfulness can be discussed here.

Theoretical Considerations of Affect, Feeling and Emotions. Theoretical frameworks for the sociological analysis of emotions, feelings and affects have persisted the test of time for more than thirty years. Nevertheless, the potential for the sociological theorizing of these concepts is far from exhausted. As sociological interest in emotions, feelings and affects is swiftly growing, we would like to encourage the development of innovative concepts as well as theories that demonstrate how they can be integrated in social and interdisciplinary theorizing in general. Furthermore, also theoretical approaches about the connection of emotion, status and power are welcome in this session.

Collective Emotions, Identity and Solidarity. In what ways and by what means do groups and collectivities emerge and are maintained – paying particular attention to the role of emotions, affects and feelings in those processes? What does the concept of “collective identity” imply and how is it related to affects, feelings and emotions? And what is a still strongly discussed additional value of the term collective emotions in explaining processes of solidarity?

Emotion, Protest, Opposition and Social Movements. The most recent expressions of worldwide social mobilizations show the importance of emotions, affects and feelings for the understanding of protest. The formation of opposition and social movements is not thinkable without considering emotionality which is why the Sociology of Emotions is very important for understanding those phenomena adequately. Furthermore, other forms of civil society action need additional research – especially in explaining social change. Comparative approaches on such political expression of emotions are specially invited.

Emotions in Family and Intimate Lives. Intimate and family life may seem like the primary sphere of emotions. While this notion could be contested on other grounds, closer analysis also shows how emotions in intimate spheres are complexly embedded into larger social processes and macro- sociological structures. Research on love and friendship is particularly welcome within this topic.

Migration, Globalization and Emotions. With reference to the term globalization, emotions have not been particularly prominent in global analysis. The role of emotions, feelings and affects in transnational and supranational organizations, international NGOs, transnational migrant communities and global networks of mobile professionals is still understudied. What challenges and opportunities for individuals, groups and organizations are involved in these formations? And how are they linked to emotionality?

Methodologies for Researching Emotions and Digital Methods. We would like to continue the thread from several previous meetings and ask how emotions can be researched empirically – qualitatively and quantitatively. This remains an emerging subfield of the Sociology of Emotions and calls for expanded inquiry and debate about how emotions function in the research process; how to analyze emotions in empirical data; how to gather relevant data; how to device methodologies for specific theoretical concepts, etc. Particularly interesting – especially in times of a worldwide pandemic – is the link between digital methods and the Sociology of Emotions.

Emotion, Discourse, Media and Literature. Discourse theory contributed a lot to dismantle personal attitudes, attributes, stereotypes and identities as dependent on discourses and highly situated features of social interactions. However, there are still not too many works addressing emotions in social discourse. Included here might be literature, media and social media which can also be a valuable resource for emotion research and discourse analysis.

Emotion, Reason and Law. The idea of rationality as unemotional has persisted within legal theory for a long time. However, research in law and social sciences has paid increasing attention to emotional patterns in legal practice. How can a sociological perspective contribute to this trend? What role do emotions play in everyday law practice? How are emotions integrated in constituting laws and in laws themselves? Can a view which focuses emotions in this field broaden our understanding of the role of law within contemporary societies?

Emotions in Organizations. An important development of emotional labour studies has been the examination of emotions within organizations – focusing how organizational norms and regulations can both further and hinder emotions and their management at work. Empirical studies as well as theoretical considerations are welcome here.

Emotion and Religion. Some classics of sociology analyzed religion with an eye for emotions. Yet, the Sociology of Emotions has paid little attention to religious affairs. What is the role of emotions in religion? How can contemporary religious life be understood in new ways through the analysis of emotions, affects and feelings? How can we use different sociological theories of emotions for analyzing religion?

Emotions, Morality and Normativity. Current research on the relationship between morality and emotions is dominated by the disciplines of psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy. How can a sociological perspective contribute to these topics? How does sociology conceptualize the relationship between morals, norms and emotions? What do we learn about the normative constitution of groups and societies if we look at their emotional lives and dynamics?

Emotions, Finance and Political Economy. The development of the global capitalist economy and the growth of inequalities have increased the interest of social sciences in political economy. Yet the role and place of emotions need further investigation. Within both the economic and financial systems recurring speculation, economic/ financial crises and growing inequality call for a more critical view on the capitalist world. What role or function does emotionality hold for the construction of such inequalities, and what are the (emotional) costs? How could emotions, affects and feelings contribute to change in these areas?

Emotions, Politics and the State. In recent years there has been an upsurge in work exploring the connections between emotions and politics. Yet, while great strides have been made in both the political sociology of emotions and political psychology to understand and explain the ‘politics-emotion nexus’, less attention has been paid to the relationships between emotions, state power and legitimacy. In this session, we seek papers that address these issues that relate to emotions, power and politics, broadly conceived, including those relating to post-conflict and post-traumatic societies.

Submission: Deadlines 2022 15th March

Mid-April

May
30th August
31st Aug. – 3rd Sep.

Useful Links:

Abstract submission deadline (via Email to rn11midterm2022[at] protonmail.com)

Notification of acceptance (sent to abstract submitters via Email)

Opening of Participant Registration
PhD-Workshop
10th Midterm Conference of RN 11 “Sociology of Emotions”, University

of Hamburg

• ESA website: https://www.europeansociology.org/

• Research Network 11 “Sociology of Emotions”:

  https://www.europeansociology.org/research-networks/rn11-sociology-emot… (also if you

  would like to become member of ESA RN 11 “Sociology of Emotions”)

• RN 11 “Sociology of Emotions”: https://www.socemot.com

  If you would like to be informed about the network’s activities please write an Email to Nina Margies (nina.margies[at] sowi.hu-berlin.de).

  We hope to see you soon in Hamburg.

  Yvonne Albrecht, Natàlia Cantó Milà, Nina Margies, Rotem Leshem, Cécile Vermot (Board of RN 11) and Elgen Sauerborn and Sighard Neckel for the organizing-team at the University of Hamburg