Welcome to our blog!

The Queen Mary Centre for the History of the Emotions was set up in 2008 to bring together scholars, writers and artists exploring the ways our feelings have changed over time.

The idea for a blog arose because members of the Centre were keen to find a medium for sharing their ideas with a wider public, responding quickly to current events and inviting the contributions of others.

From reflections on contemporary politics of feeling (Cameron’s Happiness Index anyone?), to quirky microhistories in the Museum of the Emotions, this blog is a collective endeavour in which we put our attitudes towards emotions –  and explanations for why we have them at all – into historical context.

We hope you enjoy reading and participating in it. If you would like to contribute, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thomas Dixon and Tiffany Watt-Smith