Emotions in Society

This subject explores the role of emotions in society and introduces students to key ideas in the sociology of emotions. While emotions are often assumed to be personal or psychological, the way we feel is shaped by the structural settings and collective atmospheres that surround us. Elections, public health, consumer confidence, birth-rates, sporting wins, and many other social measures, can all rest on fluctuations in how people feel. The first half of the course sets up a lens for thinking about emotions sociologically, with close readings of both contemporary and classical theories. The second half of the course focuses on the social dimensions of specific emotions, such as love, shame, pride, paranoia, anger, and ambivalence, and explores how they inform diverse aspects of social life.