Emotions in Politics

Jack Barbalet, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong KongTereza Capelos, University of Surrey, UKBettina Davou, University of Athens, GreeceNicolas Demertzis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, GreeceJonathan G. Heaney, National University of Ireland, Galway, IrelandBert Klandermans, University of Amsterdam, The NetherlandsGeorge Marcus, Williams College, USAWendy Pearlman, Northwestern University, USABarry Richard, Bournemouth University, UKSteven Saxonberg, Masaryk University, Czech RepublicThomas Scheff is, University of California, Santa Barbara, USADennis Smith, Loughborough University, UKJacquelien van Stekelenburg is, VU-University Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDunya van Troost, VU-University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

• Introduction; Nicolas Demertzis 1. The Theory of Affective Intelligence and Liberal Politics; George E. Marcus 2. Understanding Anxiety and Aversion: The Origins and Consequences of Affectivity in Political Campaigns; Tereza Capelos 3. Inside Stories: Oscar Wilde, Jean Améry, Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi; Dennis Smith 4. Repression of Emotion: A Danger to Modern Societies?; Thomas Scheff 5. Feeling the Greek Financial Crisis; Bettina Davou and Nicolas Demertzis 6. Extremem Nationalism and the Hatred of the Liberal State; Barry Richards 7. Trauma and the Politics of Fear: Europe at the Crossroads; Catarina Kinnvall 8. Collective Fear and Societal Change; Jack Barbalet and Nicolas Demertzis 9. Emotions of Protest; Dunya van Troost, Jacquelin van Stekelenberg and Bert Klandermans 10. Revolutionary Potential under Soviet-Type Regimes: The Role of Emotions in Explaining Transitions and Non-Transitions; Steven Saxonberg 11. Affects in the Arab Uprisings; Wendy Pearlman 12. Emotions and Nationalism: A Reappraisal; Jonathan Heaney Conclusion; Nicolas Demertzis

This collection represents the state of the art with regard to the sociology of emotions. The essays, by leading scholars in the social sciences, clearly demonstrate the fundamental importance of affect in the study of political action and institutional behaviour. I know of no better introduction to this growing field. Its publication could not come at a better time. Ron Eyerman, Center for Cultural Sociology, Yale University, USA Emotion in Politics manages in a very successful manner to bring together theoretical issues in the political sociology and psychology of emotions and empirically oriented studies on a variety of recent political developments. This combination clarifies theoretical debates on the micro-macro distinction, the reason-passion or interest-emotion distinction, the shortcomings of the rational choice approach etc. At the same time it shows the importance of taking seriously into account the emotive dimension in dealing with topics ranging from the Arab Spring and the Greek socioeconomic crisis to the analysis of protest movements and the xenophobic practices in several EU countries. On both the theoretical and empirical level the book contributes in an important way to the rapidly growing literature on the emotion-politics nexus. Nicos Mouzelis, European Institute, London school of Economics, UK