A Cultural History of the Emotions in the Modern and Post-Modern Age

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The 20th century, with revolutionary and rapid developments in travel, communications and computerised technologies, offered new and seemingly limitless horizons which accompanied and amplified distinctive experiences of emotions. The birth of psychology and psychiatry revealed the importance of emotional life and that individuals could have control over their behaviour. Traditional religion was challenged and alternative forms of spiritualism emerged. Creative and performing arts continued to shape understandings and experiences of emotions, from realism to detachment, holistic to fragmented notions of self and society. The role of emotions in family life focused on how to deal with modern day freedom and anxiety. In the public sphere, people used emotion to oppress as well as liberate. Countering threats to national security, personal and cultural identity, a range of political motivated activities emerged embracing peace, humanitarian and environmental causes. This volume surveys the means by which modern experience shaped how, why and where emotions were expressed, monitored and controlled.

Author Bio

Joy Damousi is Professor of History and Australian Research Council Laureate at the University of Melbourne, Australia. She has published on various aspects of grief, trauma and loss during the two world wars. She is author of numerous books, including Colonial Voices: A Cultural History of English in Australia 1840-1940 (2010) and Memory and Migration in the Shadow of War (2015). Jane W. Davidson is Deputy Director of the Australian Research Councils Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions and Professor of Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her research interests in emotion are related to conciliation, expression and wellbeing through music performance and listening.