International Journal For The History And Theory of Emotions

In recent years, the emotions have gained increased attention in a wide variety of disciplines including anthropology, history, sociology, political science, legal theory, criminology, economics, cultural and media studies as well as literature. The attention goes along with a reevaluation. In philosophy for example, a discipline that often not only ignored the emotions, but viewed them with contempt, they are now considered as a positive force. For centuries, reason embodied the philosophical ideal; the emotions were seen as disruptive to the very endeavor of philosophy and were therefore to be combated and overcome. Now this rigid opposition between (good) reason and (bad) inclination is not only abandoned in favor of a view that promotes the rationality of feeling, but emotions are even regarded as something necessary for approaching the world and making moral judgments. This view is supported by recent discoveries in the natural sciences, particularly in neurology. This development has in turn built new bridges between the arts – the traditional representatives of the emotions – and science, with researchers becoming ever more curious about their connection. This growing interest in the history and theory of emotions is now both interdisciplinary and international. In particular in the English speaking world and in Germany are developing special centers for the research in the history and theory of emotions. Until now this interest has lacked a forum where contributions with such a wide orientation can be published. Passions in Context will be such a forum.

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