https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840617751008 Organization Studies 2018, Vol. 39(4) 427–443 © The Author(s) 2018 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0170840617751008 www.egosnet.org/os The Valuable, the Constitutive, and the Energetic: Exploring the impact and importance of studying emotions and institutions Charlene Zietsma Department of Management and Organization, The Pennsylvania State University, USA Madeline Toubiana University of Alberta, Canada Abstract Emotions shape our lives and experiences as institutional actors, yet neo-institutional theorizing has paid scant attention to them until recently. In this introduction to the Special Themed Section, we explore why this blind spot has existed in past theorizing and aim to push scholarship further to elucidate the role that emotions play in institutional life. Drawing insights from the emerging literature and the four papers in this issue, we emphasize specific themes of interest for research on emotions and institutions. Specifically, we highlight the need for a focus on the role of emotions as: value-laden, constitutive of institutions, and energetic. We argue that foregrounding emotions promises a myriad of opportunities for future work and promises rich theoretical rewards. Keywords agency, emotional energy, emotions, institutional theory, structure, values Emotions are not abstractions far from our experience, rather they are key components of our eve- ryday lives. We care about, and are invested in, our professions, our families, and many other aspects of our social world. We know how to express and hide emotions for benefit or safety, and we know what it is to be inspired in pursuit of goals, dreams, and objectives that fulfill us and our roles as institutional actors. None of us need to think long or hard to see how emotions affect our existence. Yet, given that emotions are a ubiquitous part of social life, why have we paid scant Corresponding author: Charlene Zietsma, Department of Management and Organization, The Pennsylvania State University, Rm 416 Business Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA. Email: czietsma@psu.edu 751008OSS 0 0 10.1177/0170840617751008Organization StudiesZietsma and Toubiana editorial 2018 Special Themed Section on Emotions and Institutions: Editorial