Da pluralidade dos afetos: trajetórias e orientações amorosas nas conjugalidades contemporâneas Translated title: De la pluralité des affects: trajectoires et orientations amoureuses dans les conjugalités contemporaines Translated title: Of plurality and affection: trajectories of love and intimacy in contemporary partnerships

Abstract

Num contexto em que a construção do casamento como relação de amor adquire hegemonia nas sociedades contemporâneas, trazemos à arena empírica o debate sobre a sentimentalização da conjugalidade e a crescente complexidade promovida pelos processos de individualização. Analisando discursos de mulheres portuguesas vivendo em conjugalidade, descrevemos a pluralidade das orientações amorosas nas conjugalidades atuais. Observamos o entrecruzamento entre romantismo e aliança, companheirismo e paixão erótica, autonomia individual e fusão amorosa. Revela-se, assim, um cenário heterogêneo, onde o amor adquire múltiplos significados, percorre diversos caminhos e se articula a formas de construir o cotidiano na vida a dois.

Translated abstract

Dans un contexte où la construction de la conjugalité comme relation d'amour est devenu presque hégémonique dans les sociétés contemporaines, on apporte à l'arène empirique le débat sur la sentimentalité moderne de la conjugalité et la croissante complexité engendré par les processus d'individualisation. En analysant les discours des femmes portugaises vivant en couple, on décrit la pluralité des orientations amoureuses dans les conjugalités actuelles. On observe le croisement entre romantisme et alliance, compagnonnage et passion érotique, autonomie individuelle et fusion amoureuse. Ainsi, dans cet article on révèle une réalité hétérogène, d'autant que l'amour recouvre des signifiés multiples et parcourre chemins diversifiés en s'articulant a des formes spécifiques de construire a deux la vie quotidienne.

Translated abstract

In face of the massive historical transformations occurring in family live, which have led conjugal relationships to be constructed upon affection, this article aims to debate the relationship between historical sentimentalization and the growing complexity generated by individualization processes. The analysis of discourses of Portuguese married or cohabiting women enabled us to describe a variety of trajectories and orientations towards love and intimacy, thus showing the plurality of affections in contemporary conjugalities. On the other, companionship seemed to associate with erotic passion. At the same time, highly individualized women always reveal some tension between autonomy and intimate fusion with the partner. Showing the linkages between different conjugal trajectories and the building up of these semantics of affection, we disclose a heterogeneous scenario, where love acquires multiple meanings, follows different pathways and is interwoven with the construction of the couples' daily life.