Happiness Riddle and the Quest for a Good Life

Mark Cieslik is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Northumbria University, UK. He established the British Sociological Association Happiness Study Group in 2009.

“First, it will stimulate some critical thinking in anyone who is embarking on an undergraduate or Master’s level course in positive psychology (or thinking of doing so). Second, it gives a good overview of the study of well-being for students of other social sciences. Third, it would be useful reading for public policymakers who wish to counterbalance some of the rather simplistic messages that are occasionally used to promote the ‘happiness agenda.’” (Nicholas J. L. Brown, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 62 (38), September, 2017)

• 1. Making Sense of Happiness.- 2. A History of Happiness.- 3. Happiness in Contemporary Societies.- 4. Happiness and the Individual: Positive Psychology and Subjective Wellbeing.- 5. Happiness and Psychoanalysis.- 6. Happiness and the Self-Help Industry.- 7. The Rainbow of Happiness: Sociology and Happiness Research.- 8. Sociological Tools for Understanding Happiness Today.- 9. Growing up with happiness.- 10. Young Adults and happiness?.- 11. A mid life crisis?.- 12. Happiness in later life?.- 13. Lessons from Life: How Sociology Can Help Us To Be Happy Today.- 14. The Politics of Happiness