Eva Illouz

Hebrew University of Jerusalem | HUJI

Ζούμε σ’ έναν κόσμο που επιδιώκει πάση θυσία την ευτυχία. Το να είναι κανείς ευτυχισμένος έχει γίνει όχι μόνο σκοπός ζωής για πολλούς από εμάς, αλλά επίσης δικαίωμα και υποχρέωση, άλλη μία εκδοχή του αμερικανικού ονείρου – πράγματι, ποιος θα ισχυριζόταν ποτέ ότι θέλει να είναι και να παραμείνει δυστυχής; Ως αρωγός στην κατάκτηση αυτού του επιθυμητο...

Positive psychologists have spread the assumption that positive emotions stand both as cause and effect for adaptive and functional ‘psyches’, whereas negative emotions would stand for the opposite. From this perspective, positive emotions would advance active citizens, productive workers, and healthy and flourishing individuals, whereas negative e...

Glück lässt sich lernen. Das will uns die boomende Glücksindustrie weismachen. Und so explodiert seit den neunziger Jahren die Zahl der Glücksseminare, Glücksratgeber und Happiness-Indizes. Heute liegt es an uns selbst, negative Gefühle zu blockieren, uns selbst zu optimieren und Achtsamkeit zu praktizieren. Dann – so das Heilsversprechen – kommt a...

The imperative of happiness dictates the conduct and direction of our lives. There is no escape from the tyranny of positivity. But is happiness the supreme good that all of us should pursue? So says a new breed of so-called happiness experts, with positive psychologists, happiness economists and self-development gurus at the forefront. With the su...

Viviamo in un mondo invaso dall’apparente felicità, a un livello tale che essere felici sembra essere diventato non solo un obiettivo di vita, ma un diritto e un obbligo. Non ci è concesso di fallire, e siamo condannati al successo e al benessere. Per aiutarci, alla fine degli anni Novanta è nata una nuova “scienza” dominata dalla psicologia positi...

La felicidad se ejercita, se enseña y se aprende: este es el mensaje que promueve la denominada ciencia de la felicidad. Según estos científicos, bastaría con aplicar sus técnicas para ser más productivos, saludables y crecer como personas, afirmando, además, que la buena vida está al alcance de cualquiera. Algo similar ofrece una multimillonaria i...

Le bonheur se construirait, s’enseignerait et s’apprendrait : telle est l’idée à laquelle la psychologie positive prétend conférer une légitimité scientifique. Il suffirait d’écouter les experts et d'appliquer leurs techniques pour devenir heureux. L’industrie du bonheur, qui brasse des milliards d’euros, affirme ainsi pouvoir façonner les individu...

In this work we analyze some of the economic and organizational conditions that help to understand the cultural pervasiveness of the modern idea of happiness and its inherent intertwining with neoliberal ideology. Specifically, we argue that happiness-based repertoires and techniques provided by positive psychologists are reshaping both the meaning...

In the course of the twentieth century, and especially for the last three decades, medical, pharmaceutical and psychological technologies and repertoires have come to play an increasingly central role in providing explanations and ways of addressing deviant child behavior, mainly but not exclusively through the category of Attention Deficit Hyperac...

This article has three objectives. The first calls on vigorously injecting the notion of emotion in the sociology of consumption. In particular, I show that the former has much to contribute to the latter, especially when consumption is conceived as inherent in the process of identity building and maintaining. In this respect, and this is the secon...

The dichotomy between emotion and rationality has been one of the most enduring of sociological theory. This article attempts to bypass this dichotomy by examining how emotion and rationality are conjoined in the practice of the choice of a mate. We posit the fundamental role of culture in determining the nature of this intertwinement. We explore t...

This paper offers an analysis of the Oprah Winfrey talk show's success as emanating from an ideal typical form of branding that we term “dynamic branding”, in which the gap between production and consumption is almost entirely bridged. Oprah has managed to maintain a dynamic relationship with her viewers based on multiple feedback and feed-forward...

Employing Bourdieu's concepts of field and habitus, this article argues that McDonaldization, and by extension globalization, is a social and cultural practice, implemented by actors, with intentions, motivations, and goals. This analytical approach accomplishes two important objectives: first, it moves away from an agentless view of globalization,...