Emotion governs truth: New perception of politics based on Semmelweis's dispute about hygiene
Tuesday, December 18, 2012 - 09:01
in Psychology & Sociology
Emotions frame the establishment of "truth". This is the central hypothesis of a new project supported by the FWF. The object of the study is a dispute about hygiene during childbirth, which took place in the middle of the 19th century between Viennese gynaecologist Ignaz Semmelweis and his colleagues. While his views were considered to be very questionable at the time, they are now deemed to be standard practice in every hospital. An evaluation of current and historic literature will now show how discourses on establishing this "truth" were informed by emotions. The aim of the project is to develop a new theory on the poststructuralist perspective of politics.