Theoretical work on empathy

[OctaviaButlerfan]

Anyone know of any good theoretical work on empathy?

[discoheat]

"Affect theory" has a lot to say about empathy as a binding aspect of the social sphere. This collection on compassion, edited by Lauren Berlant, might be a good place to start: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415970525/. What context or angle are you coming to empathy from?

[lose one thing]

Megan Boler, Jill Bennett, Alison Landsberg, Roman Krznaric, Suzanne Keen, Dan Zahavi, Carolyn Dean ...to name a few. I'm just finishing an MA thesis on the connection between empathy and material culture, so a couple of these suggestions have more of a visual studies slant.