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