Project description
Loneliness, privacy and emotions in public life
Loneliness is an increasingly recognised public health concern, linked to isolation and anxiety, but also to calmness and empathy. Understanding these emotional responses is central to addressing loneliness. The ERC-funded LONERS project aims to explore the relationship between loneliness, privacy, and emotions to help institutions better respond to citizens’ emotional needs. Going beyond conventional views of privacy, it will identify key moments of intervention that respect citizens’ privacy. By examining how loneliness interacts with societal values and norms, the project seeks to outline a framework for balancing privacy concerns with citizens well-being. The research promises to highlight the role of emotions in shaping institutions and managing sensitive information.
Objective
LONERS addresses the growing public health and security concern of loneliness, which often leads to feelings of isolation, anxiety and despair. As loneliness becomes more prevalent in modern society, its social and political implications expand. However, loneliness can also evoke positive emotions such as calm, self-reliance and empathy, highlighting the complexity of this emotional landscape. Understanding this spectrum of emotions is crucial for addressing loneliness effectively in both individual and societal contexts.
LONERS examines the interplay between loneliness, privacy and emotion, with the goal of reconceptualizing how institutions recognize and meet the emotional needs of citizens. The project goes beyond traditional approaches to privacy in data protection and surveillance, identifying key moments where institutions can intervene to support individuals while respecting their privacy. By systematically exploring how personal emotional experiences of loneliness intersect with societal values, norms and expertise, LONERS aims to provide a conceptual framework to better follow the balance between regulating citizens’ well-being and respecting their privacy.
Through an innovative, multi-method analysis—including life-story interviews, a discourse analysis of personal blogs and text-as-data-supported reviews of expert debates and policy discussions—LONERS will bring unique empirical insights about the diverse emotions associated with loneliness. By reframing the scholarly discourse, LONERS will conceptualise the critical role of emotions in shaping institutions. This work will contribute to broader debates about how public institutions navigate the balance between understanding and acting upon intimate information. This research will significantly advance our understanding of loneliness and privacy, while paving the way for future explorations into social cohesion and welfare, opening new avenues for research.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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's classification has been human-validated.
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.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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
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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
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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.
1010 Wien
Austria
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.