"The Politics of Emotion: Affect, Identity and Power"

International Conference

21-22 March 2026 – London / Online

organised by

London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research

 

Emotions shape the way individuals and communities navigate their personal and collective lives, influencing decisions, relationships and the structures that govern societies. They are deeply embedded in social, cultural and political contexts, acting as both a personal experience and a force that drives public action. This conference seeks to examine the central role of emotions in shaping identity, power relations and societal structures. By exploring how emotions are experienced, expressed and manipulated, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of their impact on contemporary social and political realities.

We invite scholars, researchers and practitioners to contribute papers that critically analyse the intersections of emotion, identity and power. This conference will foster a multidisciplinary dialogue on how emotions are experienced, represented and mobilised across diverse social and political contexts.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

  • The politics of managing emotions in professional, social and domestic contexts.
  • The role of emotions in protests, demonstrations and public rituals.
  • Philosophical and theoretical implications of affect in shaping human experiences.
  • Emotional branding, consumerism and the marketing of affective states.
  • How emotions are constructed, manipulated and consumed in digital and traditional media.
  • How emotions are expressed and represented in language and literature
  • Gender-based critiques of emotional expectations and the politics of emotional expression.
  • The role of emotions in shaping historical narratives and collective memory.
  • Emotions at the intersections of race, sexuality and social hierarchies.
  • Emotional responses to injustice, inequality and systemic oppression.
  • How different cultures understand, express and value emotions.
  • Emotional connections to environment and how space shapes emotion.

We invite proposals from various disciplines including political sciences, history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, architecture, literature, linguistics, etc.

Paper proposals up to 250 words and a brief biographical note should be sent by 15 December 2025 to: emotions@lcir.co.uk. Please download Paper proposal form.

Registration fee (online participation) – 90 GBP

Registration fee (physical participation) – 150 GBP

Provisional conference venue: Birkbeck, University of London