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Romantic suffering and morality: Love for Illouz

Carter, Julia; Smith, Daniel

Authors

Profile image of Julia Carter

Julia Carter Julia.Carter@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology

Daniel Smith



Contributors

Emiliano Bevilacqua
Editor

Mariano Longo
Editor

Michael Hviid Jacobsen
Editor

Abstract

In the sociology of love and romance, love often serves as either a source of salvation or damnation for modern individuals, prompting sociologists to scrutinise society’s moral fabric. Late twentieth-century theorists of individualisation like Bauman, Beck and Beck-Gernsheim and Giddens diagnosed a decline in morality, an erosion of moral centres and the personalisation of moral norms, resulting in fragile and contingent bonds. However, these influential theories have been critiqued for their limited applicability to contemporary love relationships.

Eva Illouz’s sociology of love engages with theories of individualisation while historicising the discourse and addressing ongoing gender inequalities. Illouz argues that suffering characterises modern love, attributing this to the loss of moral communities and the rise of individual reflection in decision-making. This chapter outlines Illouz’s key contributions to the social theory of love and intimacy, exploring her connections with individualisation theorists and offering new insights into phenomena like commitment phobia, moral communities and the dynamics of choice.

Additionally, the chapter situates Illouz’s theory within a tradition of cultural criticism and pessimism, drawing comparisons with Simmel. Morality emerges as a central theme in Illouz’s and others’ contemporary constructions of romantic relationships, echoing writers like Seebach who argue that love can embody morality through the recognition and appreciation of the unique other, transcending mere possession.

Online Publication Date Nov 27, 2024
Publication Date Nov 27, 2024
Deposit Date Jan 7, 2025
Pages 254-264
Book Title Love and Sexuality in Social Theory
Chapter Number 15
DOI https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003396932
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13595051