Workshop of ACES project ‘Emotions in European Politics’ 

Organizers and chairs: Linda Bos, Hanna L. Muehlenhoff, Rosa Sanchez Salgado and Andrew Telford 

Emotions matter in international politics. For example, fear, anger but also empathy shape European political responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Although scholarship in International Relations and Political Geography has long acknowledged the role of affective dynamics in international politics, research has hardly studied yet how emotions affect the European Union’s foreign and security policy. This workshop brings together scholars working on emotions and affective dynamics in international security, crisis and conflict from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. Our goal is to interrogate how affective dynamics shape EU security and defense policy. More specially, the workshop asks how do emotions shape perceptions and understandings of EU security, crisis and conflict, and how do they constitute EU security and defense policy. The EU is facing multiple crises and considers itself to be in a situation of insecurity in international relations. Emotions and affective dynamics are key to understanding how the EU is approaching this changing world and redefining its own international role as a security actor. 

Date: 19 January 2023, 10.00-17.00 Place: University of Amsterdam, Oudemanhuispoort A0.08 

10.00-10.15 – Coffee & Welcome 

10.15 – 11.45 Panel 1 ‘Theorizing emotions in security policy’ 

11. 45 -13.30 Lunch 

13.30- 15.00 Panel 2 ‘Emotions in EU security policy’ 

15.00: 15:15- Break 

15.15- 16.45 Panel 3 ‘Conflict, crisis and emotions’ 

16.45- 17.00 Conclusion 

Speakers: Simon Koschut, Karen E. Smith; Özlem Terzi, Trineke Palm, Rosa Sanchez Salgado, Andrew Telford & Hanna Muehlenhoff; Seda Gürkan and Olga Eisle