The Sociology of Boredom

A pioneering sociological exploration of boredom as a culturally- and socially-dependent emotion Does boredom have a history? What can hunter-gatherers teach us about boredom? Is boredom experienced differently by those in different socio-economic classes? Is boredom a disease that is now globalized in a world of inequalities and marginalization? Does boredom contribute to political movements, wars, terrorism, or cultural revolutions? What does boredom have to do with power? How do high expectations contribute to being recurrently bored? In The Sociology of Boredom, Mariusz Finkielsztein provides a new approach to conceptualizing, interpreting, and perceiving one of the most widespread, yet neglected, human emotions. Investigating boredom at both the macro- and micro-sociological level, Finkielsztein develops an original relational-expectational theory as he explores boredom through the lenses of different social structure theories, interactionist theory, historical sociology, sociology of emotions, essentialism and constructivism, and social anthropology. Eight in-depth chapters examine the social production of boredom in modernity and late modernity, addressing topics such as the boredom of marginalized groups, the concepts of busy boredom and consumer boredom, the characteristics and consequences of workplace boredom, the notion of smart boredom in the information society, and more. Containing detailed analyses of the nature of boredom and its connections to various spheres of social life, The Sociology of Boredom is essential reading for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, university lecturers, and academic researchers in sociology and similar disciplines, particularly those involved in studies on emotions or boredom studies.