Project description
Exploring joy in times of crisis
Joy, the feeling of happiness and delight, is often overlooked in social science research and discussions. However, joy is very important in today’s world, which is facing complex crises. For instance, joy helps people find resilience. With this in mind, the ERC-funded AnthropoloJOY project will explore the value, experience and expression of joy across cultures in times of crisis. It will gather empirical data on joy from a cross-cultural perspective, develop an innovative theoretical framework, and establish a new paradigm for inclusive, decolonised social science. As the first long-term qualitative study of joy, it will combine innovative research methods while fostering a positive research culture. By challenging the modern crisis narrative, it will highlight the potential for positive change through collaborative research.
Objective
Joy is rarely the focus of the social sciences but is arguably more important than it has ever been. While crisis might be a ‘structural signature of modernity’ the experience of crisis today is characterised by complex systems themselves in crisis, interacting with each other in unpredictable ways. This ‘metacrisis’ is ubiquitous, enduring, and emotionally exhausting. Yet, for people around the world, living in and through the metacrisis requires joy to sustain them: experiences of joyous self-transcendence that support political resistance, psychological resilience and social repair.
AnthropoloJOY is a novel exploratory investigation into the cross-cultural value, experience and expression of joy in contexts of crisis. The project’s research aims are: 1. To gather much-needed empirical and comparative data on the value, experience, and expression of joy in cross-cultural perspective. 2. To develop an innovative, comparative theoretical framework for understanding joy 3. To establish a new epistemological paradigm for collaborative, more inclusive and increasingly decolonised social science. These aims will be achieved by combining four empirically grounded work packages over the first three years of the project with an agenda-setting position piece in year 4 and an ambitious programme of interdisciplinary outreach and collaboration in year 5.
AnthropoloJOY innovates by being the first cross-cultural study of joy grounded in long-term qualitative research methods. Moreover, AnthropoloJOY is rigorously structured around an innovative theoretical approach, a novel combination of qualitative and participatory research methods, and a pioneering commitment to fostering a positive research culture. By modelling new and more expansive ways to conduct collaborative research with participants and communities, AnthropoloJOY boldly challenges academic consensus on the crises of modernity and proposes an intervention that committedly emphasises the possibility of change.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project has not yet been classified with EuroSciVoc.
Be the first one to suggest relevant scientific fields and help us improve our classification service
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-ADG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
WC1E 6BT LONDON
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.