Hilke Brockmann - Böcker

This comprehensive Encyclopedia delves into the underpinnings, approaches, and recent advancements in the dynamic global landscape of happiness and wellbeing research.Laying out the foundational concepts and disciplinary perspectives in the field, international leading and diverse authors survey the determinants and mechanisms which are associated with and cause happiness, quality of life and subjective wellbeing. They cover wellbeing variations across populations worldwide, looking closely at the different methods and measures used to carry out this research. With a focus on emerging research, this Encyclopedia discusses trending topics such as animal happiness, big data, genetic engineering, eco-anxiety, war, and working from home. Ultimately, it fosters a sophisticated discourse on both individual and societal wellbeing.With its concise summaries, this informative Encyclopedia of Happiness, Quality of Life and Subjective Wellbeing is an essential read for scholars anthropology, biology, demography, economics, ethics, intercultural studies, medicine, neuroscience, pedagogy, psychology, public policy, social work, and sociology. It will also be a valuable reference to policymakers and practitioners involved in business consulting, education, public health, organizational design, social work, or urban planning.Key Features:Transdisciplinary contributions on the past, present and future of happiness, quality of life, and subjective wellbeing researchOpen Access contribution written by the six editors of the UN's World Happiness ReportOver 60 entries from 100 emerging and established experts across multiple scientific domains, diverse origins and different countries.

This book tests the critical potential of happiness research to evaluate contemporary high-performance societies. These societies, defined as affluent capitalist societies, emphasize competition and success both  institutionally and culturally. Growing affluence improves life in many ways, for a large number of people. We lead longer, safer, and more comfortable lives than previous generations. But we also live faster, and are competition-toughened, like top athletes. As a result, we suspect limits and detect downsides of our high-speed lives. The ubiquitous maximization principle opens up a systematic gateway to the pleasures and pains of contemporary life. Using happiness as a reference point, this book explores the philosophical and empirical limits of the maximization rule. It considers the answer to questions such as: Precisely, why did the idea of (economic) maximization gain so much ground in our Western way of thinking? When, and in which life domains, does maximization work, when does it fail? When do qualities and when do quantities matter? Does maximization yield a different (un)happiness dividend in different species, cultures, and societies? ​