The Psychology and History of Emotions
Examining emotions through psychological science and historical analysis — bridging empirical research with cultural theory for scholars, students, and the curious reader.
Paul Klee, Angelus Novus, 1920
“His face is turned toward the past… where we see a chain of events, he sees one single catastrophe.”
Reading Emotion Across Disciplines
The Academy investigates the concept of emotion at the intersection of psychology, history, philosophy, and linguistics.
Selected Articles
About Us
Who we are and why we founded this platform
Why this academy?
Emotions have been a subject of scholarly inquiry for millennia. Aristotle's Rhetoric and De Anima laid the first systematic groundwork for understanding how emotions function in human reasoning and social life. The Stoics theorized that emotions were judgments, while Descartes identified six 'primitive passions' in his 1649 treatise. These early frameworks shaped centuries of philosophical reflection on what we feel and why.
With the emergence of modern psychology in the 19th century, the study of emotions underwent a scientific turn. William James and Carl Lange proposed that physiological reactions precede conscious feeling (1884); Charles Darwin linked emotional expression to evolutionary history. In the 20th century, Paul Ekman's research on universal facial expressions dominated the field — until it was challenged by constructionist theories advanced by Lisa Feldman Barrett and Barbara Rosenwein.
In recent decades, a new interdisciplinary field has emerged: the history of emotions. Pioneered by William Reddy, Barbara Rosenwein, and Rob Boddice, this field investigates how emotions are shaped by historical context, cultural norms, and language. The Academy of Emotions was founded in 2026 to bring these two streams — psychological science and historical inquiry — into productive dialogue.
Where are we going?
Here, our goal is not just to produce academic data; we aim to go beyond articles, cultural norms, and historical regimes to make this complex world of emotion more understandable for everyone.
Our main goal is to provide a methodological guide for students and researchers from all fields interested in emotion studies, and to establish an interdisciplinary emotion research ecosystem by bringing them together.
The Angelus Novus is not an arbitrary symbol: like Benjamin's angel surveying the wreckage of history, we believe that understanding the emotional fabric of the past illuminates the present.
The Academy aims to establish connections with scholars working across psychology of emotions and history of emotions — welcoming researchers from social psychology, cognitive science, cultural history, literary studies, and adjacent fields.
Research Members
Videos & Press
Talks, interviews, and press coverage
Publications & Scientific Research Links
Articles, books, book chapters, and curated research resources
A selection of foundational and emerging scholarship in the history and psychology of emotions — curated for students, researchers, and the curious reader.
Projects
Ongoing and completed academic work
The Academy aims to establish connections with scholars working across psychology of emotions and history of emotions. For joint project proposals and collaboration offers, please contact us.
Emotion Dictionary
Emotional concepts across languages, cultures, and centuries
Suggest an Emotion Term
Do you know an emotion word from any language that deserves a place in our dictionary? All submissions are reviewed by our team before publication.
Blog
Research notes, book reviews, and short essays
Research Members
Founding researchers and collaborators
Join the Network
We welcome researchers from psychology of emotions, history of emotions, cognitive science, cultural history, literary studies, and adjacent fields. Fill in the form below to connect with us.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 2026
1. Data We Collect
Academy of Emotions collects only the information you voluntarily provide through our forms: your name, email address, institutional affiliation, field of research, and any files you choose to upload (CV or profile photo). We do not collect browsing data, cookies, or any tracking information.
2. How We Use Your Data
Information submitted through the 'Join the Network' form is used solely for academic network coordination. Information submitted through the Emotion Dictionary suggestion form may be published on this platform (with or without attribution, according to your preference). We will never sell or share your personal data with third parties.
3. Data Retention
We retain submitted data only as long as necessary for the stated purposes. You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at [email protected].
4. Contact
For any privacy-related questions, please contact: [email protected]
Terms of Use
Last updated: April 2026
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing and using Academy of Emotions (academyofemotion.org), you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the platform.
2. Intellectual Property
All content published on this platform — including articles, dictionary entries, blog posts, and research links — is the intellectual property of Academy of Emotions and its authors. Content may not be reproduced without prior written permission, except for brief quotations with proper attribution.
3. User Submissions
By submitting a suggestion to the Emotion Dictionary, you grant Academy of Emotions a non-exclusive right to publish, edit, and attribute that content on this platform. You confirm that your submission is your original work and does not infringe on any third-party rights.
4. Limitation of Liability
Academy of Emotions provides information for academic and educational purposes only. We make no warranties regarding the completeness or accuracy of the content and accept no liability for any decisions made based on the information provided.
5. Contact
For questions regarding these terms, please contact: [email protected]
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