Commentators: Gaia Giuliani and Rita Alcaire (CES)
 

Abstract 

In this seminar I will present some theoretical premises and some preliminary results of my PhD project, that focuses on the exploration of narratives of people who live multiple intimate relationships at the same time and with the consent of all the people involved, in the geographical context of Italy.

The analysis is based on 60 qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted in person in different Italian cities/regions (Turin, Milan, Veneto region, Genoa, Bologna and Ravenna, Tuscany region, Rome, Sassari, Palermo) from October 2017 to July 2018. My main reference points for the recruitment of respondents were the national and local polyamorous Italian groups, but I included in my sample also people who do not define (or do not define anymore) themselves as polyamorous but who have relational practices that are similar to the polyamorous ones.

The project started from an inductive approach and an insider perspective, since I was already familiar with the Italian polyamorous “community”, both at local and national level.

My perspective, influenced by theories of relationalities and queer studies, tries to underline the social actors’ effort to conciliate the tension that emerge in (late) modern societies between the social drive towards personal autonomy and the need of emotional stability. Methodologically, my approach follows the line of interactionism, that helped me to focus on the efforts of negotiation of meanings through social interaction by people who adhere to relational models alternative to the dominant one and to alternative ways to conceive love.
In this presentation I will concentrate exactly on the narratives about the (re)definition of the concept of love and of the boundaries of intimate relationships of the people interviewed, trying to highlight some “queering tendencies”, in particular concerning the definition of their relationships, their sexual and affective orientations and, in some cases, their gender identity, as well as their rejection of some “social scripts” for how people are supposed to behave in intimate relationships.

At the same time, I will suggest a critical reflection on some “polyamorous ideals”, beginning with the doubts, contradictions and critical issues emerging from my respondents’ narratives.

Bio Note

Nicole Braida is a PhD Student in Sociology and Methodology of the Social Research at the NASP (Network for the Advancement of Social and Political Studies) between the University of Turin (Italy) and the University of Milan (Italy). At the moment, she is a Visiting PhD Student at CES (Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra), where she is completing a six-months (September 2018-February 2019) PhD stage. Her PhD project, followed by prof. Monica Santoro (University of Milan), is dedicated to the qualitative exploration of theories and practices of consensual affective non-monogamies in the Italian context.