Centre for the Politics of Feeling

Description

The Centre for the Politics of Feelings, located at Senate House in Bloomsbury, School of Advanced Study, University of London, was established in September 2021. It aims to comprehensively explore the role of emotions and feelings as active causes and targets of political behaviour across various socio-political contexts. By examining the intricate relationship between affect, emotions, rationality, and politics, the Centre seeks to answer the question of what it means to be a political animal in the 21st century, characterised by "emo-cratic" politics, alternative facts, social media, precarious health, and populism.

Funded by the NOMIS Foundation, the Centre for the Politics of Feelings is a collaborative effort between the School of Advanced Study, the Warburg Institute, the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London, and the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway University of London.

With a long-term vision of becoming a leading research hub at the intersection of politics and emotions, the Centre aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among various fields, including life and social sciences, digital humanities, and media. Given the current socio-political landscape characterised by democratic crises and rising populism, understanding the impact of visceral states, emotions, and feelings on both citizens and policymakers has become increasingly important. However, a critical analysis of the emotional climate in politics based on empirical evidence is lacking. The Centre seeks to bridge this gap by going beyond simplistic dichotomies between reason and social passions to explain political behaviour.

In light of the prevailing consensus that liberal democracies are in crisis, emotions have assumed a prominent role in the public sphere and political arena. Citizens and policymakers alike perceive emotions as influential drivers and targets of politics. The socio-political conditions of the last decade, as well as advancements in sciences and humanities, highlight the need for a deeper understanding of the existence, pervasiveness, and mechanisms underlying such emotional states among citizens. Equally important is investigating how politics impacts embodied affective states. Addressing these pressing questions is crucial not only for the challenges democracies face today but also for forthcoming issues such as climate change, digital welfare, and artificial intelligence.

The Centre's interdisciplinary approach is bolstered by three parallel epistemological changes in history, political sciences, psychology, and neuroscience. Historians now recognise that emotions play an active role as causes of historical events, shaping culture and morality in human societies. Political sciences have shifted from neglecting emotions to acknowledging their influence on political behaviour, incorporating psychophysiology and affective neuroscience. Psychology has moved beyond the dual systems model to emphasize the interdependent relationship between emotion and reason. Advances in neuroscience allow the study of the brain's social cognition and decision-making processes, but often lack historical and cultural context.

The Centre aims to occupy the space created by these epistemological shifts, exploring connections and establishing new ones between disciplines at the intersection of politics and feelings. By drawing on methodologies and theories from cognitive neuroscience, psychology, political science, data science, and media, the Centre seeks to provide fresh insights into the contextual factors, neurophysiological processes, and emotional mechanisms that shape political attitudes, identities, and decision-making. The Centre will house a core team of early career researchers, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and independence, while also hosting established international scientists and scholars to enhance ongoing projects or introduce new ones. The Advisory Board will contribute their intellectual expertise, facilitating the Centre's expansion and international visibility.

Offers funding

Yes, this infrastructure provides funding in the following categories:

Founding year

2021

Contact details

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University affiliation(s)

Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham Hill
Egham
TW20 0EX

University of London
Senate House
Malet St
London
WC1E 7HU

University of London
Senate House
Malet St
London
WC1E 7HU

Partner Infrastructures

Warburg Institute

The Warburg Institute is globally renowned as a leading centre for the study of the interplay between ideas, images, and society. Founded in Hamburg by the eminent historian Aby Warburg (1866-1929), w… read more about Warburg Institute

London
WC1H 0AB
United Kingdom

Institute of Philosophy (IP), School of Advanced Study

The Institute of Philosophy is a member institute of the School of Advanced Study at the University of London. It was established in 2005 through a generous private donation and matching funding from … read more about Institute of Philosophy (IP), School of Advanced Study

University Of London
Senate House
Malet Street
London
WC1E 7HU
United Kingdom

Partner Universities

Royal Holloway, University of London

Additional Partnerships

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, ROYAL HOLLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON