Social love in the study of poverty: a microsocial perspective
In every-day life there many social phenomena based on un-conditionality, disinterestedness, over abound. Such phenomena remain outside the field of explanation of approaches such as rational choice theory or neo-utilitarianism, being described as paradoxes of social action. Drawing from critical theories, we propose to (re)introduce the sociological concept of agape-love as a theoretical frame for those social mechanisms that elude reification, quantifiability, instrumental thinking. We present the case of “suspended goods” and read it with the look of agape.