Reading seminar on the dimensions and characteristics of the affective turn

Affective capitalism is a culture, and affect is an essential aspect of economic behaviour. In what dimensions can we think, theorise and explore affectivity in the age of neoliberal capitalism, and in what ways does it manifest itself in practice?

The second meeting of the AFEMED reading seminar series, which took place on April 19, was guided by a reflection on the characteristics and dimensions of the affective turn. Based on the contributions of authors E. Ilouz, M. Wetherell, B. Sauer, B. Hipfl, O. Penz and others, who shed light on the concept of the affective from different research fields and theoretical perspectives, the researchers discussed the main characteristics of the affective turn with the ultimate aim of formulating a definition that will form the basis for understanding the qualitative data generated in the project. Through the discussion, conceptual gaps and associations between the emotional and the affective were highlighted, as well as the ways in which specific affective regimes have formed in particular historical periods of capitalism and in particular geographical areas, and possible approaches to understanding affect in the field of media and communication studies.

Through the literature review and discussion, the researchers identified a central understanding of the concept of the affective within the AFEMED project that will guide future interpretation of the data collected through the analysis of ownership structures and interviews with respondents from the media field. The conclusions of the reading seminar will thus guide future work and make an important contribution to the understanding of new epistemological orientations in the analysis of the affective.