5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

In contemporary society, empathy and love are often relegated to the private sphere. However, emerging research sheds light on their inherent public dimension and their capacity to foster social cohesion among diverse individuals, groups, and cultures. Studies on social empathy, exemplified by the groundbreaking contributions of Segal and Jang, unveil an intricate art of understanding others that transcends individual capability, resisting reduction to mere soft skills in the marketplace. Similarly, research on social love, as articulated by the works of Honneth, Boltanski, and scholars like Iorio and Cataldi, among others, underscores its critical dimension, challenging prevailing quantification paradigms and nurturing compassionate societies.

In this context, we invite submissions that explore social empathy and/or social love, as forces capable of fostering inclusive and solidarity-driven connections across nations, races, cultures, genders, and beyond.