Not only Serotonin. European literature of the 21st century and social hormones
The scientific conference entitled “Not only Serotonin. European literature of the 21st century and social hormones” will be held on 5 and 6 May 2022. The starting point of our reflections comes from the thought of the French sociologist Alain Touraine, who in his book Après la crise (2010), and later in La fin des sociétés (2013), argued that society no longer exists.
This conference aims to generate possible answers to the following question: what role do hormones play in the existence of society after ‘the end of society’? Our inspiration comes from literature. Serotonin – the title of Michel Houellebecq’s novel – is the happiness hormone. Oxytocin – a key substance in Virginie Despentes’ prose – is the hormone of attachment, trust and love. The same oxytocin dominates the work of Olga Tokarczuk. Every writer has his/her favourite hormones – he/she uses some to present social bonds and others to explain conflicts. In this conference we would like to check whether European literature of the 21st century can be read from the point of view of a “hormone game” and whether society can be interpreted in the same way. The speakers will characterise the work of a selected writer (or a period, a group, a generation, a genre) with a focus on the issue of social relations. The event will be enriched by a video performance presenting the emotions of collective life.