Emotions and social conflicts: mobilisations against animal husbandry in Brittany, France

Social conflicts have been largely studied according to their rational aspect, looking at arguments and strategies mobilised by rationally engaged actors. However, land-use conflicts over animal husbandry in Brittany have shown that a pre-reflexive element comes into play, motivating action before justification. Emotions are a ‘forgotten variable’ of individual and collective action that can be fruitfully grasped in a relational approach, as a component of any social relations. In this article, we propose a theoretical framework to understand the role of emotions in social conflicts. The focus is on situations where people engage in conflict rather than avoid it. We base our framework on Dewey’s account of emotions as a ‘disruption in routine’ and rational thinking as an effort to readjust. To fully grasp the dynamics of conflict, we also suggest that the processes of emotional revision, routine, trust and values are essential components of collective action in situations of conflict.