Affective Methodologies ― Developing Cultural Research Strategies for the Study of Affect

Affective Methodologies reacts to a challenge: How to trace and understand the immaterial forces of affects as cultural researchers? Its aim is thus to contribute to the development of methodologies that enable cultural researchers and students to investigate affective processes empirically. It defines affective methods as innovative strategies for 1) asking research questions and formulating research agendas relating to affective processes, for 2) collecting or producing embodied data and for 3) making sense of this data in order to produce academic knowledge. It furthermore presents affective research using inventive experiments, embodied forms of fieldwork or innovative approaches to the reading for affects in texts and writing. It presents studies of nightclubs, YouTube memes, political provocations, heritage sites, blogging, education development, and haunting memories. In this way, the collection serves as an inspiration for all academics embarking on or developing empirical research strategies to understand affects' predominant role in cultural life.

Britta Timm Knudsen is Associate Professor, Department of Aesthetics and Communication, Aarhus University, Denmark. Her previous books include Global Media, Biopolitics, and Affect (2015), Enterprising Initiatives in the Experience Economy (co-ed, 2014) and Re-investing Authenticity, Tourism, Place and Emotions (co-ed, 2009). Her research interests are difficult heritage, affect, tourism, experience and event-culture.

Carsten Stage is Associate Professor, Department of Aesthetics and Communication, Aarhus University, Denmark. His previous books include Global Media, Biopolitics, and Affect (2015), Fiktionalitet (2013) and Tegningekrisen (2011). He is co-editor of Conjunctions. Transdisciplinary Journal of Cultural Participation. His research interests are affect, participation, online communication and illness blogging.