Simon Koschut: Passionately aligned: NATO as an emotional community

Emotional communities encompass various spheres of our lives, whether we consider a religious congregation, fervent supporters of a specific sports team, or even military personnel. What binds these diverse communities together on a conceptual level is their collective grasp of fundamental emotional assessments and the suitable modes of their manifestation. Within a church congregation, individuals share positive sentiments like generosity and empathy, while striving to conquer detrimental feelings such as avarice or self-centeredness. Devotees of Manchester United unite through their spirited display of affection and esteem for their team, alongside an occasionally intense aversion to rival factions. Al Qaeda forms an emotional community where its members exalt and grieve for martyrdom, finding cohesion in their forceful expressions of anger and animosity towards Western liberal principles. The members of the EU bear a shared emotional legacy of sorrow and trauma stemming from the ruinous consequences of two major conflicts. All these social groups can be interpreted as emotional communities, wherein individuals adhere to shared norms for articulating and appreciating, or belittling, akin or interconnected emotions. Within NATO, members actively promote and prioritize affirmative emotions such as compassion, pride, gratitude, and empathy, while diminishing adverse sentiments like fear, anger, and hostility. In contrast, beyond the transatlantic security framework, participants might openly exhibit unfavorable emotions when confronted with perceived dangers.

Emotion norms, which refer to the culturally and socially accepted ways of expressing and managing emotions (for example, one should feel sad at a funeral or happy at a wedding), can have implications for various aspects of NATO, including its decision-making processes, member interactions, and overall cohesion. Here is how emotion norms might matter for NATO:

• Interpersonal Relations and Trust: Emotion norms play a significant role in building and maintaining trust among NATO member states. Effective communication and understanding of each other's emotions can enhance cooperation and collaboration. Misunderstandings or misinterpretations of emotions could potentially lead to strained relationships and reduced cooperation.

• Decision-Making: Emotion norms can influence how member states express their opinions, concerns, and preferences during NATO discussions and decision-making processes. Different emotion norms might impact how assertive or diplomatic member states are in presenting their viewpoints, which could affect the outcomes of negotiations and agreements.

• Conflict Resolution: Emotion norms can influence how conflicts and disagreements are managed within NATO. Cultural variations in expressing and handling emotions could impact the effectiveness of conflict resolution strategies, such as mediation and negotiation.

• Crisis Response: During times of crisis, effective emotional communication and understanding are crucial for swift and coordinated responses. Emotion norms can influence how member states convey their urgency, commitment, and willingness to cooperate during crises. For example, in the event of an outside attack against a community member, all members expect each other to react with the appropriate emotional expression (sympathy with the ‘attacked’/anger at the ‘attacker’).

• Public Perception and Support: Emotion norms can shape public perceptions and attitudes towards NATO actions and initiatives. The emotional tone and messaging used by NATO leaders can impact public support or opposition to various policies, operations, or engagements.

• Alliance Cohesion: Emotion norms can contribute to or detract from the overall sense of unity and cohesion within the NATO alliance. Members who feel their emotional fears or concerns are not being understood or valued might feel marginalized or less committed to the alliance’s goals.

• Cultural Sensitivity: NATO is composed of member states with diverse cultural backgrounds. Emotion norms can help facilitate cultural sensitivity and understanding among member states, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings or conflicts arising from cultural differences.

• Public Diplomacy: Emotion norms can affect how NATO communicates its mission, values, and achievements to the public. Emotionally resonant messaging can enhance public support and bolster the alliance's image.

It is important to note that while emotion norms can influence NATO’s dynamics, they are just one of many factors that shape the alliance’s functioning and interactions. NATO’s primary focus is on matters of security, defense, and political cooperation among member states, but cultural and emotional considerations can still play a significant role in shaping the overall environment within which these activities take place.