Emotions in History and Psychology

The project began in 2022 in collaboration with the Center for Hellenic Studies – Harvard University, Washington D.C., and is being conducted in partnership with the American College of Greece (ACG), the Human Relations Research Laboratory (Ch. and L. Kataki), and the Cultural Society Ainos, focusing on exploring parameters such as temporality, gender identity, environment, and society. The longitudinal analysis of emotions from antiquity to the present offers rare cultural and philosophical insights that allow for the study and evolution of emotions historically and thematically. Emphasis on temporality and collective consciousness helps us focus on concepts such as melancholy or timeless mourning and will enable innovative findings with cultural and psychological significance. Following the international meeting in March 2023, the project focuses on investigating emotions, particularly the different forms in which emotions are articulated and represented across various historical periods, from antiquity and Byzantium to contemporary records.

At this stage, the working group concentrates on methodological issues, such as the connection between literary sources and clinical research, exploring contemporary emotions in ancient and Byzantine contexts. Examples include melancholy – acedia – depression, loss (death, mourning, grief), the timeless mourning for individuals and events related to collective consciousness, and grace, which later evolves into joy, playing a significant role in the relationship between humans and the environment, as well as in contemporary theories and practices of well-being. The project will pilot the definition of emotions and their variations over the centuries, drawing material from historical literary sources and contemporary clinical research. The goal of the project is to generate theoretical knowledge, educate professionals, impact psychotherapeutic practices, and shape cultural policy.

Two seminar meetings are scheduled for 2025.