Measuring Wellbeing

"Improving wellbeing and sustainability are central goals of government, but are they in conflict? This book reviews that question and its implications for public policy through a focus on indicators. It highlights tensions between various constructs of wellbeing and sustainable development, and between current individual and societal notions of wellbeing. Recommending a clearer conceptual framework for policy makers regarding different wellbeing constructs which would facilitate more transparent discussions, it argues against a win-win scenario of wellbeing and sustainability but advocates a power sensitive trade off approach based on debating values. Measuring Wellbeing is divided into two clear parts; the first part provides a critical review of the field, drawing widely on international research but contextualised within recent UK wellbeing policy discourses. The second part embeds the theory in a case study based on the author's own experience of trying to develop quality of life indicators within alocal authority, against the backdrop of increasing national policy interest in 'happiness'. This book will help shape debates in newly developing wellbeing policy arenas. Through a consideration of discourse, politics and power, it addresses the disciplinary gaps in current wellbeing policy debate. This accessible and informative book will appeal to students, academics and policy makers interested in wellbeing, sustainable development, indicators, public policy, participation, localism, community, powerand discourse"--

Karen Scott is a research fellow at The Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University, UK. Her professional experience in social care, community planning and environmental fields underpins her academic research interest in the politics of human wellbeing and sustainable development at the local level.