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A new framing for an old sociology of intimacy
Author(s) -
Forstie Clare
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
sociology compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1751-9020
DOI - 10.1111/soc4.12467
Subject(s) - sociology , framing (construction) , epistemology , respite care , confusion , social psychology , psychology , psychoanalysis , medicine , philosophy , nursing , structural engineering , engineering
The concept of intimacy has long permeated theories of social life, and its use within sociology has produced conceptual confusion rather than coherence. Overlapping with concepts of emotions and communities, intimacy both binds modern life together and offers a respite from its affective “coldness.” This paper offers a framework for the concept of intimacy and outlines the dimensions along which to organize future empirical work. Building on sociological, psychological, and queer theoretical approaches, I propose four such dimensions: affect, knowledge, mutual action, and norms. The degree of overlap between these four dimensions suggests a continuum between “strong” and “weak” intimacies. These conceptual refinements enable empirical specification, particularly in the study of close relationships like friendships.