Title: Love, Intimacy and relationships – The structural and cultural processes of change in contemporary societies.

Course Description:

This course examines the intersection of economics, politics, and the theory of love, intimacy, and relationships, focusing on how these are shaped by cultural and structural transformations in contemporary society.

By examining works from leading scholars such as Eva Illouz and bell hooks, alongside other key theorists, the course explores the ways in which modern capitalist economies, media, and evolving social norms influence romantic love, intimacy, and interpersonal relationships.

Through a critical lens, students will investigate how neoliberalism, consumerism, and identity politics impact emotional life, and consider the role of race, gender, and class in shaping personal connections. Themes such as the commodification of love, the politics of desire, and the power dynamics within relationships will be explored, allowing students to reflect on the broader societal changes that are redefining what it means to love and be intimate in today’s world.

The seminar is a participatory reading course and students will be given the opportunity to co-design and (co-)moderate sessions in consultation with the course lecturer. More details in the first session.

Key Topics Include:

• The commodification of love and intimacy (Eva Illouz)
• The intersection of love, race, and gender (bell hooks)
• The impact of capitalism and consumer culture on romantic relationships
• Structural inequalities and emotional life
• Changing norms in intimacy (and the family)
• Political dimensions of desire, attachment, and selfhood

The course focuses on theoretical readings and is very open for participatory engagements by students in order to combine the readings with case studies, films, and interactive discussions, encouraging students to critically analyze love and intimacy not just as personal experiences, but as deeply interconnected with social and political structures.

 

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the relationship between love, intimacy, and broader cultural and economic processes;
• Critically engage with theoretical texts from authors such as Eva Illouz and bell hooks;
• Analyze contemporary changes in relationships through the lens of politics and economics.
• Explore how identity, race, gender, and class influence experiences of intimacy.

This interdisciplinary and openly participatory course is ideal for students interested in sociology, political theory, gender studies, and cultural studies.

 

 

The grading criteria are as follows:

1. group presentation of a book chapter/text (group work) (40%)

2. written assignments (40%)

3. participation in class (20%)

All partial assessments must be positive (>50%).