Unusual emotions and awkward feelings in contentious politics

Emotions have become a popular research area in the study of activism. Notably, in the field of social movements, extensive research and theories have been developed on the emotional and affective aspects of their formation, dynamics, and impacts. Anger, love, joy, mistrust bewilderment, fear, sadness and indignation have been discussed in various perspectives in works on contentious politics. However, less attention has been given to emotions and feelings, which are usually not expected to be found in activism and protests, such as awkwardness, embarrassment, discomfort, confusion, ambivalence, boredom, and regret.

In this workshop, we will focus on these unusual and awkward emotions and feelings that are commonly silenced or ignored both by the interlocutors and the researchers. What can we learn by focusing on these under-examined aspects of activism? Why these unusual and awkward emotions and feelings have been left unacknowledged? How do they affect the participants and the dynamics of events and in what way are they (or not) intertwined with gender? We warmly invite scholars to ponder on these questions and bring forward other queries related to the affective aspect of contentious politics, which engages the unusual and the awkward.

This one-day, online workshop will take place on the 15th of September and is organized by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. To propose a paper, please send a 200-300 word abstract to the organizer by the 30th of July 2021.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions:
petra.andits@unive.it