The Emotions Lens and How We Study Societies

Professor Arlie Hochschild will discuss her research that focuses on the relations between politics and the logic of emotions. She will elaborate on her thesis that if we want to understand politics, we have to understand the logic of emotion. Taking emotions as a form of intelligence, as Martha Nussbaum has noted, she will explore Trump’s tacit “emotional politics” as if it were as basic as an economic policy and will look into how he wins adherents by his recognition appeal, his narrative of stolen pride, his rituals and ultimate culture of fear. Professor Hochschild will refer to her two recent books Strangers in Their Own Land (2016) and Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right (2024).

The seminar will also offer an opportunity to discuss Professor Hochschild’s research into the sociology of emotions, and in particular how work is connected with emotions. As she noted in her essay we see the increase in the service sector jobs and many of them require an emotional labor with a higher share of women involved in such jobs. The topic of care work and care workers will resonate with the audience in Ukraine, given the post-1991 history of female labor migration which specifically included care work of looking after children and elderly in countries like Italy, Greece, Poland and others. Furthermore, the consequences of the ongoing war raise the questions of how to provide care for those affected by it.

Urban Seminar will be held in a workshop format. Researchers are invited to discuss scholarly projects, research at various stages of development, and completed research that is being prepared for publication.

Participation in the Urban Seminar requires preliminary reading and discussion of the researcher's text. If you would like to join the Seminar, please email Maryana Mazurak (m.mazurak@lvivcenter.org), and we will send you the materials in advance.