Historian Ute Frevert: 'Feeling Politics' Is Not a Right-Wing Invention

Historian Ute Frevert asserts that "feeling politics" is not a new phenomenon exclusive to right-wing parties, emphasizing that parliaments have always been emotional spaces. In a June 2024 address at the Max Planck Institute for Educational Research in Berlin, Frevert identified "fear" as a defining emotion of the present era, encompassing anxieties about social decline and the future.

Her insights come ahead of the "Day of Parliamentary Research" on June 16, organized by the parliamentary directorate. Frevert is scheduled to present on the parliament as an emotional arena, exploring the interplay of political passion, resentment, and the essential emotions required for a functioning democracy.

Frevert's work delves into the historical significance of emotions in shaping political discourse and behavior. She highlights how emotions, particularly anger, are effectively utilized by certain political groups, while also cautioning against the risks inherent in manipulating feelings for political gain. Her analysis underscores the complex relationship between reason and emotion in democratic governance.

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The fear. Many fears. Fear of social decline meets fear of loss of future.