Overview

This timely and important book presents a unique study of happiness from both economic and political perspectives. It offers an overview of contemporary research on the emergent field of happiness studies and contains contributions by some of the leading figures in the field.General issues such as the history and conceptualization of happiness are explored, and the underpinning theories and empirics analyzed. The ways in which economic and political factors - both separately and interactively - affect the quality of human life are examined, illustrating the importance of a self-consciously multi-disciplinary approach to the field. In particular, the effects of consumption, income growth, inequality, discrimination, democracy, the nature of government policies, and labor organization on happiness are scrutinized. In conclusion, the contributors prescribe what can and should be done at individual and societal levels to improve human well-being and happiness. This wide-ranging and interdisciplinary book makes a unique contribution to the literature. As such, it will prove a fascinating read for students and scholars of economics, political science, psychology, sociology, and of course, to those with a special interest in the analysis of happiness and human well-being.

Full Product Details

Author:   Amitava Krishna Dutt ,  Benjamin Radcliff
Publisher:   Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Imprint:   Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
ISBN:  

9781848440937

ISBN 10:   1848440936
Pages:   384
Publication Date:   30 October 2009
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
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Table of Contents

Contents: Preface Introduction: Happiness, Economics and Politics Amitava Krishna Dutt and Benjamin Radcliff PART I: HAPPINESS 1. The History of Happiness and Contemporary Happiness Studies Darrin M. McMahon 2. On the Measurement and Mismeasurement of Happiness: Contemporary Theories and Methodological Directions Anthony D. Ong 3. How Do We Assess How Happy We Are? Tenets, Implications and Tenability of Three Theories Ruut Veenhoven 4. Happiness and Domain Satisfaction: New Directions for the Economics of Happiness Richard A. Easterlin and Onnicha Sawangfa PART II: HAPPINESS AND ECONOMICS 5. Happiness when Temptation Overwhelms Willpower Alois Stutzer 6. Happiness and the Relative Consumption Hypothesis Amitava Krishna Dutt 7. The Easterlin Paradox Revisited Robert H. Frank 8. Does Inequality Matter to Individual Welfare? An Initial Exploration Based on Happiness Surveys from Latin America Carol Graham and Andrew Felton 9. Perceptions of Discrimination, Effort to Obtain Psychological Balance and Relative Wages: Can we Infer a Happiness Gradient? Arthur Goldsmith PART III: HAPPINESS AND POLITICS 10. Politics and Happiness: An Empirical Ledger Alexander C. Pacek 11. Democracy and Happiness: What Causes What? Ronald Inglehart 12. The Causal Link between Happiness and Democratic Welfare Regimes Charlotte Ridge, Tom Rice and Matthew Cherry 13. Labor Organization and the Quality of Life in the American States Suzanne M. Coshow and Benjamin Radcliff PART IV: WHAT IS TO BE DONE? 14. Should National Happiness be Maximized? Bruno S. Frey and Alois Stutzer 15. Change your Actions, Not Your Circumstances: An Experimental Test of the Sustainable Happiness Model Kennon M. Sheldon and Sonja Lyubomirsky 16. What is to be Done? Toward a ‘Happier’ World Amitava Krishna Dutt and Benjamin Radcliff Index

Reviews

'This volume presents a unique and interesting study of happiness from both economic and political perspectives... This interdisciplinary volume represents a distinctive contribution to the relatively large and clearly increasing literature of the subject. It will prove a worthy reading for all those, students or researchers, with a special interest in the analysis of happiness and human well-being.' -- Elena E. Nicolae, Journal of Philosophical Economics 'For those already drawn by the allure of happiness studies, Dutt and Radcliff here provide a rich tour of the frontier in the field. And for curmudgeons, this work goes far to defuse the skeptical reflex. It is subtle, intelligent, wide-ranging, informative and even readable throughout.' -- James K. Galbraith, The University of Texas at Austin, US

Author Information

Edited by Amitava Krishna Dutt and the late Benjamin Radcliff, formerly University of Notre Dame, US

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