Political Agency and the Medicalisation of Negative Emotions

Negative emotions such as anger, fear, and grief are examined as crucial motivators of political action, challenging the trend of medicalizing these feelings. By integrating Hannah Arendt's political thought, the book presents a nuanced view of political emotions as vulnerable to societal dismissal. Through four case studies from the UK, it analyzes the implications of labeling emotions and mental health issues, revealing how these concepts can both empower and disempower individuals in the political sphere. Dan Degerman is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the University of Bristol.