Abstract
This chapter sets out a way in which an emotion — namely, anxiety — shapes the response to mass crises, such as potential epidemics, threats of terrorism, and influxes of refugees. The sense in which the term ‘anxiety’ is used in this chapter can be defined in relation to fear: fear is said to have a specific object to which it is a reaction, whereas anxiety is defined by the absence of a specific object.1 It often relates to a potential danger. This chapter argues that the anxiety evoked by the threat of mass crisis elicits ‘othering’ or the location of negative aspersions, and often blame, with ‘the other’. The chapter synthesises a number of theories to foster understanding of the exacerbation of ‘othering’ at times of crisis.
Keywords
- Social Representation
- Hate Crime
- Psychodynamic Theory
- Pleasure Principle
- Depressive Position
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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© 2007 Hélène Joffe
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Joffe, H. (2007). Anxiety, Mass Crisis and ‘the Other’. In: Perri Six, Radstone, S., Squire, C., Treacher, A. (eds) Public Emotions. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230598225_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230598225_5
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-28313-2
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