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Bramsen on the role of emotions and emotional energy in conflict, repression and violence

Isabel Bramsen, photo.

Isabel Bramsen has published a new chapter on the role of emotions and emotional energy in conflict, repression and violence in The Oxford Handbook of Emotions in International Relations.

Abstract

Emotions play a significant role in shaping human interaction, not least in the context of conflict and violence. This chapter delves into the intricate interplay between emotional energy, protest, repression, and violence. First, the chapter gives the state of the art of how emotions have been dealt with in peace and conflict research, reviewing five academic traditions: psychological approaches, human needs approaches, biological approaches, rational choice approaches, and post-structuralist approaches. While each of these traditions provides valuable insights into understanding the role of emotions in conflict, they often overlook the mechanisms by which emotions emerge in concrete interactions. The chapter subsequently introduces the concept of emotional energy as a force of agency generated in social interaction. It shows how a greater understanding of emotional energy can inform micro-sociological studies of violence, protests, and repression in terms of how individuals are energized or de-energized for action.

Author: Isabel Bramsen

Publication: The Oxford Handbook of Emotions in International Relations. 

Name of chapter: Emotional Energy in Conflict, Repression, and Violence

Link to Oxford Academic: https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/57927/chapter-abstract/481614235?redirectedFrom=fulltext