The research group explores the sociocultural dimensions of sweating, with a focus on thermal inequalities in the context of the climate crisis. Using a qualitative research design that combines social-theoretical, sensory-sociological and cultural-historical perspectives, the researchers analyse the ambivalence of sweating between devaluating, aestheticising and politicising.
Elena Beregow’s research focuses on the relationship of temperature and society, particularly in the context of the climate crisis. The sociologist has taken up one of three junior professorships at the College for Social Sciences and Humanities and will establish a research group on the ‘Sociology of Transpiration’.
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UDE, Fabian Strauch
The research group investigates sweating as an everyday process, which is at the same time highly contested in social and political regards. While heatwaves resulting from the climate crisis make sweating more ubiquitous, but also more precarious, a cultural aversion to sweat characterises modern societies – at the same time, it is cultivated in sports and wellness and is being politicised in pop culture. The research group analyses this ambivalence between devaluating, aestheticising and politicising. It takes a look at thermal inequalities from an intersectional perspective and understands sweating as a sensual process that connects bodies, things and environments.
Using a qualitative research design that combines social-theoretical, sensory-sociological and cultural-historical perspectives, the research group sheds light on four central topics:
1) the history of knowledge and of science in regard to sweating and deodorising
2) sweating, work and technology
3) wellness and sports cultures
4) pop culture and politicisation
Prof. Elena Beregow has taken up the position of the junior professorship in April 2025. She leads the research group 'Sweat – Sociology of Transpiration in the Age of Global Warming'.
Detailed information about the staff members of the research group is available on the team website.
A list of publications will be available soon.