Atmosphere and inspiration in the Soviet Gulag
Author
Faculty Advisor
Date
2023
Keywords
atmosphere, inspiration, Gulag, social psychology, self, memoirs, Sloterdijk, Böhme
Abstract (summary)
In this essay I use Peter Sloterdijk's and Gernot Böhme's theories of atmosphere to describe the production of atmospheres in the Soviet Gulag. I rely on eight memoirs written by Gulag prisoners. I develop the idea that atmospheres are formed out of co-inspirational practices between persons and the objects in their world. The Gulag is an extreme social situation in which these inspirational practices are manipulated and/or destroyed. Nevertheless, I claim that prisoners find opportunities to develop atmospheres that shelter, protect, and uplift them. I describe the practices through which these atmospheres are created and emphasize their relationship to an inspirational approach to social psychological theories of selfhood and social life.
Publication Information
Stepnisky, J. (2023). Atmosphere and inspiration in the Soviet Gulag. Emotion, Space, and Society, 49, 100983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2023.100983
Notes
Item Type
Article
Language
Rights
All Rights Reserved