EU feels presented a paper about emotions and Othering dynamics in the Conference organized by the Research Network on Sociology of Emotions of the European Sociological Association (ESA) in Hamburg in September 2022.  

Current academic studies about Othering dynamics in foreign policy do not discuss explicitly the role of emotions in Othering processes. To fill in this gap, EU feels’ paper proposed an original theoretical framework showing how emotions play a key role in the most typical Othering dynamics. This analytical framework was applied to two different cases studies: international policy on climate change and Defense policy.  

EU feels paper showed that Othering processes are very prominent in existing policy frames on those two policy areas, and that their influence on policy making is better understood by paying attention to the emotions that make these Othering process possible. Emotions in Othering processes shape policy by reducing the options available, contributing to the legitimation of certain policy solutions.  

The EU feels team will continue working on this paper following the interesting comments from the scholars present at the conference.  

For more information on this paper, you can contact Rosa Sanchez Salgado: r.m.sanchez@uva.nl