The CRC asks which specific affective and emotional dynamics are linked to the diverse mobilities and dissolutions of borders in contemporary societies and what significance to these dynamics is developed for actors and for their coexistence in both communities and societies. The title Affective Societies particularly emphasizes that new forms of “Vergemeinschaftung” (communitarization) in all their diversity, transnationality, and mediality are contributing significantly to the formation and change of social structures and thereby affectively shaping processes of “Vergesellschaftung” (sociation) in a multitude of ways.

The long-term goal of the CRC is to develop an understanding of societies as Affective Societies that provides a systematic and future-oriented account of the significance of emotions and affective dynamics for the heterogeneities and pluralities of societal coexistence in the 21st century. It recognizes emotionality and affectivity as central elements of sociality that need to be acknowledged appropriately and informed scientifically, not just in the sciences and the arts but in all social and sociopolitical fields.

To succeed in pursuing its ambitious agenda the CRC relies on various formats of cross-project activities complementing the research conducted in the sub projects. This is the purpose of the CRC’s integrated Theories and Methods Workshop that will make innovative contributions to developing theories and methods in various cooperative formats throughout the entire period of funding. All researchers involved in the CRC will be actively integrated in the workshop on a regular basis.

The core of activities planned under the aegis of the Theories and Methods Workshop are the following means and modes of cooperation that are the Tandem Cooperations, the project nomad and the working groups.