The rainbow connection: Disrupting background affect, overcoming barriers and emergent emotional collectives at “Pride in London”

Abstract: This article focuses on a large‐scale parade in the UK that is often overlooked in research concerned with the sociology of political emotions and group dynamics; “Pride in London”. This is an annual parade celebrating, and raising awareness about, the LGBTQ+ community and commemorating the Stonewall riots. Following a brief description of the study context, participants and methods, the article illustrates the use of reflexive thematic analysis of 23 interviewee accounts of the parade. Analysis of emotional habitus and affective practices preceding, and on the day of, the parade offer an insight into the manifestation of collective emotion. Three themes are developed exploring the use of recognizable and emotive symbols, physicality of embodied emotion and spatial arrangement and the encompassing nature of group emotion. Finally, the interplay between background and foreground emotion is explored as a way of understanding and demonstrating the fluidity and temporality of affective experience and expression when people are engaged in collective action at a social justice event.