The sociology of emotions has grown since the 1970’s to become a vital and dynamic field within the discipline of sociology. With strong roots in the classical tradition, it has taken an increasingly central place within contemporary sociology and makes important contributions to general sociological theorizing, as well as to specific sub-fields such as the sociology of culture, politics, organizations, social movements, intimate and family life, the body, the economy, technology, social change, migration, and more. The Sociology of Emotions Research Network (RN11) brings together researchers from across Europe and the world with an interest in affect and emotions, deploying a range of methodologies to explain and understand a – perhaps the – fundamental feature of our shared social lives: our emotions.

The Network was formed in May 2004 and has grown significantly in terms of members, published and planned outputs, and various research activities. While the aim and focus of the Network remain the sociological study of emotions (and more recently affect), the diversity of themes and the range of theoretical and methodological approaches to the topic attest to the vitality of the field across the globe. Recent work has addressed the links between emotions and new forms of social inequality, the increased importance of ’emotional capital’ in organizations and work, as well as the role of emotions in politics and the judiciary—all traditionally perceived to be ‘rational’ domains; and the conceptualization of emotion not as ‘natural’ and biological but primarily social and constructed.

In particular, the Network aims to support and encourage PhD and early career researchers through targeted workshops and reduced conference fees. It is linked with other groups and networks focused on emotions across the globe, and remains a vibrant contributor to the work and mission of both the ESA and more broadly, sociology.

2017-2019

Coordinators:

Coordinator: Jonathan G. Heaney, (j.heaney [at] qub.ac.uk)
Vice-Coordinators: Monika Verbalyte (monika.verbalyte [at] fu-berlin.de) and Alberto Martin Perez (amartinperez [at] ub.edu)

Board Members:

Advisory board

Stina Bergman Blix (stina.bergmanblix [at] soc.uu.se)
Nathan Manning (nathan.manning [at] york.ac.uk)
Katarina Scherke (katharina.scherke [at] uni-graz.at)
Sylva Terpe (sylvia.terpe [at] posteo.de)

External Representative

Juha Klemelä (jklemela [at] utu.fi)

14th Conference of the European Sociological Association, 2019

August 20-23, 2019

Manchester, UK

Information:

RN11 - Sociology of Emotions

Coordinators: Jonathan G. Heaney, Queen’s University Belfast, UK, j.heaney[at]qub.ac.uk

Monika Verbalyte, Freie Universität Berlin and Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, monika.verbalyte[at]fu-berlin.de

Alberto Martín Pérez, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain, amartinperez[at]ub.edu

Call for Papers:

While the study of emotion continues to expand and diversify across the social sciences, the salience of emotions in both the private and public spheres has perhaps never been greater. For this reason, we welcome papers that investigate the role of emotions in all aspects of society and social life, from intimate and family relations to global politics, and all points in between. While all high-quality papers with a central focus on emotions will be considered, we also suggest several topics of particular interest, listed below. We primarily wish to showcase sociological approaches; contributions from neighbouring disciplines that have significant relevance to (emotion) sociology are also encouraged.

We particularly welcome submissions related to the general conference theme. Emotions are fundamental to the practices and processes of boundary-making, for the construction and deconstruction of barriers, and to feelings of belonging, and of alienation. Indeed, it would be difficult to explain or understand such features of our fractured world without accounting for their emotional dimensions and impacts. As such, we welcome contributions that speak to these themes directly, but also as they are reflected in our sessions on emotions and identity; emotions and civic action or social movements; emotion in organisations; emotions, the state, and politics; emotions and populism; collective emotions; as well as emotions, capitalism, and inequalities. Indeed, perhaps the study of emotions was never more needed in Europe, as emotional politics, bound up with the capitalist (political) economy and globalization’s ‘winners’ and ‘losers’, take centre stage, threatening to undermine the solidarity required for the creation of a truly European ‘imagined community’. Given the rise in relevance of emotional capital and emotional competencies in economic, political, and cultural spheres, including education, emotions are increasingly central to and implicated in contemporary forms of social stratification and social inequality in Europe, and beyond.

Joint Session

JS_RN11_RN13: “Families, intimate relationships and emotions in the making of social worlds” (Joint session with RN13 Sociology of Families and Intimate Lives)

The 8th Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Research Network (RN11), Edinburgh, August 28th – 30th, 2018 (held jointly with the British Sociological Association's Study Group on Emotions). Conference website.

The 13th Conference of the European Sociological Association. Athens, Greece, August 29- September 1, 2015. (Biennial report and minutes from the business meeting.)

The 7th Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Network in Stockholm, Sweden, August 25-27.

The 12th Conference of the European Sociological Association. Prague, Czech Republic, August 25-28, 2015. (Report from the business meeting.)

The 6th Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Network in Rhodes, Greece.

The 11th Conference of the European Sociological Association. Torino, Italy, September 28-31, 2013.

The 5th Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Network in Berlin, October 2012. (Conference report.)

The 10th Conference of the European Sociological Association. Geneva, Switzerland, September 7-10, 2011.

The 4th Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Network in Graz, Austria, September 29-October 2, 2010. (Read the conference report.)

The 9th Conference of the European Sociological Association. Lisbon, Portugal, September 2-5, 2009. ( Report on the conference here; see the bottom of the page.)

The 3rd Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Network in Budapest, Hungary, 2008.

The 8th Conference of the European Sociological Association. Glasgow, Scotland, September 3-6, 2007.

The 2nd Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Network. Karlstad, Sweden, October 6-7, 2006.

The 7th Conference of the European Sociological Association. Torun, Poland, September 9-13, 2005.

The 1st Midterm Conference of the ESA Sociology of Emotions Network. Augsburg, Germany, October 3-4, 2004.

(The Research Network started as a Research Stream (Stream 4: Sociology of Love and Hate: Emotions) at the 6th Conference of the European Sociological Association (ESA) held in Murcia, Spain, September 2003.)

Contribution by RN11 in The European Sociologist, issue 43, 2019

RN11 Biennial Report for 2015-2017

RN11 BIENNIAL REPORT 2015-2017.pdf