Odor as a medium of cohesion and belonging1

Abstract

Within the social sciences, family research in sociology has in recent years – and for good reason – taken to adopting a “practical turn” to its subject. Drawing on the concepts of doing and displaying family, numerous authors have provided valuable insights into the everyday dynamics of establishing and maintaining personal relationships. However, surprisingly little research can be found on the sensorial foundation of family relationships. The aim of this paper is twofold: (1) It seeks to shed light on the still neglected sensory dimension of family practices by tracing fundamentals of a sociology of the senses in general and of odors in particular. (2) Based on qualitative research on multi-local families after separation and divorce, these considerations will be introduced as a lens helpful in studying current family practices in shared residence arrangements. These families are confronted with the challenge of establishing attachment and a sense of “we-ness” against the background of cyclical growth and reduction of the household community and the changing rhythms and patterns in their everyday lives. Following Goffman’s The Territories of the Self, we will explore how parents and children stabilize and also sensorily experience a local social order and belonging. In this, odors are of particular importance. Beyond verbal communication, they have a potential for merging what is separate and at the same time maintaining distinctions.