Sociology has a longstanding tradition in describing the emotional regime of modernity as "disciplining" effect, accompanied by an increased demand for selfregulation (Elias). Recently, researchers stressed that we nowadays observe a growing informalization of emotion rules (Wouters) and an increased demand for the emotional labour (Hochschild). The tension between disciplinary limitation of emotions and their informalization is mirrored in the growing necessity to psychologically and chemically alter and optimize emotions (Neckel). Beyond a mere theoretical analysis of this tension, the article empirically explores the selfperceptions and self-management strategies of young women in Sweden in order to cope with felt oppression and stress in relation to the emotional and behavioural demands of their environment.
Keywords: Theories of modernity, emotions, stress, young women, self-regulation, stress.