Passion, Politics And Parliament

Passion is often viewed as being synonymous with parliamentary politics: in the ardour with which voters attach themselves to a political faction or party; the robustness of parliamentary debate; the zeal of political actors; and the frustration of those excluded from participation. Passion may be categorized as a positive or negative influence. An emotion which when stirred can lead to people literally losing their mind or one that may be harnessed to the demands of the changing political context. The emotion is often gendered with passionate, irrational women contrasted with the fervent reason of political men. This volume seeks to explore the multifaceted and often contradictory perceptions of passion in parliamentary politics, as well as highlighting some of the key methodologies to approach this fascinating