What About Feelings? Elaboration on and Consideration of the Theoretical Construct of Emotions in Practice and Practice Architectures

Abstract

A strength of the theory of practice architectures (TPA) lies in its ability to direct our attention toward certain elements of importance for capturing and understanding the happening of a practice (i.e. what goes on in a specific time and space, and why). When it comes to emotions, however, TPA and the schematic representation designed to visualise its central ideas have hitherto offered little guidance. In this chapter, the contemporary conceptualisation of emotions is elaborated, and a fourth category labelled feelings is tentatively added to the framework of the sayings doings and relatings of a practice and practice architectures. The additional category reflects the view that emotions are practice-constituting events, tantamount to sayings, doings and relatings. Although, at face value, the validity of such a fourth dimension may be strong, the need for further ontological and epistemological consideration is substantial. This also applies to the construction and labelling of the space and medium in which feelings are, or may be, realised, and to the type of arrangements that enable and constrain them. The ideas presented in the chapter build on previous work of researchers who have developed and used the theory of practice architectures. Above all, the chapter builds on a study indicating that emotions are semantic, physical, and social events; and that emotions transcend the three categories of sayings, doings, and relatings.

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