Founding Sociology of Nostalgia with the Pioneering Work of Fred Davis

Document Type : علمی وپزوهشی

Author

Tehran University of Art

10.22059/jsr.2026.377278.1969

Abstract

The term Nostalgia has gained significant research attention across various academic fields in the 20th century. One of the latest disciplines to integrate nostalgia as a subject of study is sociology, where it has been developing to a considerable extent. Fred Davis was the first to establish the sociology of nostalgia with his seminal book on this topic, linking nostalgia to social affairs. Through typologies, distinctions, references to other studies, and case study analyses, Davis conceptualizes nostalgia as a social phenomenon that interconnects meaning, social contexts, and situations in mutually influential ways. He describes how the experiences of nostalgia among individuals and groups can provide deeper understanding of that individual or group’s "self", sociohistorical conditions, and other aspects of human life.
After a brief historical overview of the term nostalgia, this article summarizes some key highlights from Davis’ book and provides Persian translations of selected sections. It then situates Davis’ approach within the broader sociological literature, tracing its roots to a specific school of thought, and evaluates the insights and impacts of his work. As the first Persian-language publication on this topic, it hopes to introduce Davis’ work to Iranian thought and spark further discussion.

Keywords

References

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Sociological Review
Volume 32, Issue 2
March 2026
Pages 225-242

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