Durnová, Anna

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a key social challenge—not only as an individual feeling, but also as a factor that influences health, social cohesion, and trust in institutions. In her ERC-funded research project LONERS, sociologist Anna Durnová explores how loneliness is experienced emotionally, how it is negotiated in social debates, and how it is addressed by institutions. To better understand the diverse emotions in this context, the project combines loneliness research with approaches from the sociology of emotions. The goal is to develop a better understanding of how emotional experiences are negotiated socially and politically and what consequences this has for the regulation of privacy. Is loneliness just a temporary feeling that can be overcome through mindfulness or a conscious change of perspective? At what point does it become a risk for the person affected and their environment, justifying outside intervention? The project examines when institutional support might be necessary and how privacy comes into play. The aim is to develop a new understanding of the “politics of privacy” that points to ways in which emotional well-being can be protected in an increasingly individualized society.
LONERS is based on a broad empirical study that includes life story interviews, analyses of personal blogs, and the evaluation of expert debates and political and scientific discourse. The research covers Austria, Slovakia, Italy, and the Netherlands, allowing for an international comparison of experiences and institutional approaches. LONERS thus provides a valuable foundation for developing societal responses to loneliness and gaining new insights into the connection between emotions, social norms, and institutional fields of action in the context of loneliness.