Gefuhlskulturen in der aubenpolitik.
"Feeling culture" in foreign policy.

To emotionality in international relations (the case of Germany since 1945)

Summary/Abstract: The author tries to define the intanglements between emotions and foreign policy in international relations. Starting with a theoretical framework presenting the key-concept of "emotional culture" through an approach inspired by newer cultural studies as well as constructivist theories of International Relations, he shows first the link between emotions and remembrance in emotional communities. Furthermore, he underlines the stabilizing function of a given emotional regime, but also the possibility of its political instrumentalization and the risks of manipulation. He takes then the example of how some European emotional cultures have evolved concerning Germany after 1945 (from fear to confidence). Some final comments evoke successful and less successful forms of reactivation of the former emotional norm in relation with Germany in the past years since the beginning of the financial crisis in the Euro-zone. This shows the still dominating heterogeneity of emotional cultures in Europe.

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