Introduction: Emotions, Society and the Emotionalisation of Society

The introductory chapter sketches some of the main ideas that underpin this book. Firstly, how human beings are sentient and emotional creatures, who to a large degree act, express themselves, connect and live their lives based on emotions. Secondly, another basic premise is that society is also regarded as an emotionally charged entity or container that itself encapsulates, generates and manages a multitude of individual and collective emotions. Thirdly, in addition to this the chapter also outlines the argument that we have witnessed an ‘emotionalisation’ of social life in recent decades culminating not only in a ‘postemotional society’ but perhaps even in a ‘hyperemotional society’.