Professor Claire WallaceEuropean Researchers’ Night, September
2015
Monitoring Quality of Life in Italy : Enrico Giovanini
Can we measure happiness?Physiological measuresSurveysInterviewsLooking at conditions of happiness
Comparison of countriesIndicators
Three approaches to measuring happinessHedonic: are you happy?OR: life satisfaction
Eudaimonic: leading a flourishing life (virtuous)
Mental health (not being miserable)
Individual approaches vs social approachesIndividual Wellbeing(e.g. Mindfulness, Positive psychology etc.)
OR
Quality of Life- Conditions that make a good life possible.
But what about the quality of society?It is important to understand not just individual wellbeing but also the social context
Social context explains 25-40 per cent of happiness
What factors are important in the quality of society?
Interaction of a complex set of issues
How to understand this?Can look at societies that work very well with
high life quality (e.g. Sweden/Norway)Can look at where this has broken down (e.g.
Rwanda after the genocide) or former Soviet Union after the collapse of communism
Can look at improvements (Accession countries that joined the European Union)
Can look at community level (city/neighbourhood/village)
The Decent Society – an approach to societal quality
Economic Security Social Cohesion
Social InclusionSocial and Cultural
Empowerment
Socio-Economic SecurityProtection from povertyEconomic security across the life course Having enough to live on appropriate to the
society you live inEnabling people to support themselves and
lead a decent life
Social CohesionGlue that holds society together making it
more than just a collection of individualsShared set of expectations – understanding
the “rules of the game”Managing diversity and tensionsTrust in others and in governmentShared identity and purposeWorking for the common good
Social inclusionMembership of societyAccess to resources and day to day activitiesInvolvement in civil society and decision
makingRecognition and responsibility (rights) for all
peopleAble to have voices heardInclusion in neighbourhood, social networks,
families
Social EmpowermentHaving agency – people able to control own lives and participate in cultural, economic and social opportunitiesBuilding capacities for empowering
individuals and communitiesGood health and educationEnjoying dignity and respectIncreasing range of opportunities for groups
and people – making voices heard
How to implement this vision?International level – framework of
human rights and collective agreements (European Union, United Nations, Council of Europe etc.)
National level – measuring societal quality (Scotland or UK)
City level Community level
(Village/neighbourhood)
ImplementationPromoting participation Promoting connectivityPromoting communicationPromoting belongingPromoting social capital
In ways that are accessible and affordable
Want to know more?Slides, short and long articles, film available on my website : NEW EUROPE CENTRE Aberdeenhttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/socsci/research/new-europe-centre/Scottish Universities Insight Institute website – WELLBEING projects 2014http://www.scottishinsight.ac.uk/Programmes/Wellbeing2014Aberdeen City Project