Crowd Theory and Collective Suggestibility'

  • Christian Borch (Lecturer)

    Activity: Talk or presentationLecture and oral contribution

    Description

    Classical crowd theory as developed under the label of crowd psychology in France in the late nineteenth century came under heavy fire by sociologists and psychologists throughout the twentieth century. Especially the notion that crowds embody irrational, de-individualizing forces of suggestibility that pose a threat to civilizational progress was contested by sociologists who argued for the opposite view: that crowds are made up of rational individuals responding to unjust conditions. In this talk I wish to revisit classical crowd theory (especially the work of Gabriel Tarde) and argue that it deserves renewed attention, as it offers a rich and timely analytical repertoire for understanding subjectivity and sociality in a non-individualist manner.
    Period4 Jun 2015
    Event titleCFS Workshop: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on We-Intention
    Event typeWorkshop
    OrganiserUniversity of Copenhagen
    LocationCopenhagen, DenmarkShow on map