Dear readers,

We are honoured to welcome you to the second issue of Humanities, Arts and Society Magazine.

Our current era seems to be defined by continuous crises. From environmental disasters and the urgency of global warming to pandemics and the rise of nationalism across the world, each crisis seems to uncover or further engender inequalities in wealth, education, and standards of living. The failure to take concrete and effective action against these has put into question relatively longstanding political, economic and social models across the world. In light of this, two mental states in particular appear to capture the spirit of our time: Anxiety and Hope.

Anxiety is a state of mind of worry, nervousness, or unease, characterized by dread over anticipated events (Davison CG, Abnormal Psychology, 2008). Although it is closely related to fear, it is also distinguished from it; while fear is a response to a known threat, anxiety follows from a threat that is unknown, non-specific or expected. Psychologist David Barlow hence proposes the term anxious apprehension, defining anxiety as «a future-oriented mood state in which one is not ready or prepared to attempt to cope with upcoming negative events» (Anxiety and Its Disorders: The Nature and Treatment of Anxiety and Panic, 1988).

Hope is generally an expectation of positive outcome, drawing on our desires for what we would like to happen. The importance of hope has been recognized for long, embodied most famously in the Greek myth of Pandora, evils and afflictions escaped into the world but hope stayed inside. In ancient texts, we find recognition of hope as having the power to heal anxiety and affliction. Although Hope is a positive emotion, it stems from dire circumstances when there is uncertainty about how things will turn out, as argued by social psychologist Barbara Fredrickson. Hope requires us to not only to consider but also to engage with the results we
wish for.

Anxiety and hope incorporate both intuitive and cognitive aspects of the human condition. Yet they are not only attitudes nor cognitive functions – they respond to realities, reflect and draw upon fears and desires, beliefs and longings. Both are thus emotional responses that look to future outcomes in either negative or positive ways. While too much anxiety can be paralyzing and too much hope can be perceived as naïve, both can be productive in igniting creativity.

“Hope literally opens us up,” Barbara Frederickson argues, saying that it allows us to “become creative, unleashing our dreams for the future.” Then, creativity plays a role in apprehension, offering space for new awareness.

Anxiety can also improve performance and motivate action against the anticipated negative outcomes.

Anxiety and hope allow humanity to defend itself in the face of the obstacles it may encounter and to apprehend a future. In the same manner, creativity allows us to explore and innovate.

Scientific and artistic research often diagnoses the present and/or the past while presenting visions of the future. In literature and cinema, the genre of science fiction in particular has merged the two disciplines to imagine possible futures through the prism of our contemporary anxieties and hopes.

In inspiring creativity and action, anxiety has the power to pave the way for hope.

Contributions may include – but are not limited to – investigations of the following questions:

What do anxiety and hope mean in our current societies? How do anxiety and hope affect and influence our present and future actions? How do anxiety and hope manifest themselves today and in relation to what situations or topics?

What is the role of the arts and creativity in situations of anxiety and hope? Can the arts and creativity engender hope to counteract anxiety? Where can expressions of anxiety and hope be found, and do they differ culturally?