Structures of feeling

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Raymond Williams introduced the concept of "structure of feeling" in the 1970s to enhance the historical understanding of the emotional aspects of consciousness and relationships. In today's world of social networking and pervasive media, the urgency to comprehend emotions, moods, and atmospheres as social and historical phenomena has intensified. Affect studies have emerged as a vibrant field within the humanities and social sciences. This volume delves into the importance of affectivity in established areas of cultural analysis, including media studies, memory studies, gender studies, and cultural studies. It is organized into four sections. The first part, Producing Affect, features contributions that investigate how new media generates and amplifies affectivity. The second part, Affective Pasts, examines the role of affect in memory and commemoration, addressing events like 9/11 and the emotional culture of the eighteenth century. The third part, Affective Thinking, explores various concepts and theories, highlighting how these modes of thought are inherently connected to affect. Finally, the section Circulating Affect discusses new social relations and ways of being in a networked world, reflecting on the shared themes present in the essays.