Is a Sociology of Hope Possible? An Attempt to Recompose a Theoretical Framework and a Research Programme

Abstract

The societal changes of the last century, especially in the aftermath of World War II, have led thinkers to imagine philosophical anthropology centred on the concept of hope. From very different perspectives, authors such as Ernst Bloch, Erich Fromm, and Hannah Arendt understood that hope is deeply connected with the condition and destiny of humanity. Various sociologists have developed concepts closely linked with hope: action, social change, utopia, revolution, emancipation, innovation, and trust. However, a coherent and systematic analysis is yet to emerge. Taking up the threads of this rich but fragmented reflection, this paper intends to outline the traits of a “sociology of hope” as a tool for critically interpreting today’s society and the processes of change crisscrossing it, starting from some crucial questions: Who are the actors and historical bearers of hope? What are the main socio-historical forms of hope? What social, political, and cultural conditions favour the emergence and strengthening of this disposition? What are the effects and consequences on personal and social life?

World War I as a Cause of Ephemeral Hope in the Artistic Avant-Gardes

“…As Malesêvic (2015) points out, classical Sociology did not place hope at the center of its attention; so it can be said that until relatively recently, Sociology has paid little attention to the study of hope (Gili and Mangone, 2023;McGeer, 2004). Nor had Sociology taken into account the great transforming power of hope, especially regarding its capacity to create social transformation (Lueck, 2007).…”

“…Nor had Sociology taken into account the great transforming power of hope, especially regarding its capacity to create social transformation (Lueck, 2007). The situation changed in the middle of the twentieth century (Gili and Mangone, 2023). In a climate of terminal crisis and radical transformation, apocalyptic visions and messianic enthusiasms were awakened, as research arose after the radical crisis caused by the two wars, the Russian Revolution, the emergence of totalitarian movements, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Auschwitz (García and Gramsci, 2013).…”

“…Hence, hope came to constitute both a disposition of our being in the world and a pressing debate about the human existential condition and its destiny (Bauman, 2004a, b;Naishtat, 2013;Gili and Mangone, 2023). Moreover, this dispute was linked to a modernist utopian discourse that believed in social change (Petersen and Wilkinson, 2015), without forgetting that furthermore, it fostered a self-critical and self-reflexive process of modernity (García and Gramsci, 2013).…”

“…What are its effects and consequences on personal and social life? We will analyze whether hope is an individual or collective fact, whether it turns to the future or to the past, how it is linked to fear, whether it is realistic or illusory-utopian, or whether it is short-or long-term experience (Gili and Mangone, 2023).…”

Listening to, Reconstructing, and Writing about Stories of Violence: A Research Journey Amidst Personal Loss

“…15 My remarks here should not be confused with the major work of the philosopher Ernst Bloch. "The Principle of Hope" is a three-volume compendium in which Bloch sets out multiple ways in which hope and the human desire for liberation and fulfillment appear in our daily lives (Gili and Mangone 2023).…”