We all strive for personal happiness in one way or another, but what about public happiness? What does public happiness mean and what role can governments and public policies play? The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the inadequacies of old governance paradigms and even before this pandemic, increasing inequalities and frustration with the old GDP-centric growth paradigm have fueled dissatisfaction with and distrust of governments. This book suggests a new path towards public happiness as a potential solution. The book builds a theory of public happiness as a distinct concept from individual happiness, borrowing especially from Eastern philosophy. It provides an overview of the efforts so far to go "beyond GDP" - including measurement and exploration of the determinants of happiness - and how these efforts have fallen short of expectation. Lastly, the book sketches out what a public happiness policy might look like and identifies the factors of a successful happiness policy.

This volume brings together multiple diverse perspectives from around the globe on quality of life and community well-being from a place-based perspective. It provides both conceptual and applied explorations across disciplines, ideas and perspectives to foster more interest and research in community well-being. Topics include surveying at the community level, child friendly communities, collective impact, grieving, and happiness. Those working in the areas of public policy, community development, community and social psychology, as well as planning and development will find this volume particularly useful for the array of perspectives, research, and analytical approaches presented.

This book explores social factors that influence well-being, as well as the relationship between these factors. It examines individual areas of social policy from the perspective of children's well-being, gender equity, and the impact of crime and social capital. The book discusses the relationships of well-being with the provision of public services, with developing a sense of community, and dimensions of happiness in nations. Bringing together perspectives from around the globe, the book provides both theoretical and applied explorations. It links the idea of influencing social factors and outcomes to community well-being, thus adding a new perspective. In doing so, it reflects the new and exciting research that is being conducted at the intersection between social factors, policy, impacts, and community well-being.

This briefs provides foundations of both community wellbeing and community development, and the relationships between the two areas, including both similarities and differences. Community well-being encompasses a large array of concepts and disciplines. Community development, as an established discipline, is one framework that can help further understanding of community well-being, and is an allied concept. The interaction between the two areas is worthy of exploration, as both a new way to think about community development as well as a way to understand what community well-being entails. Beginning with a discussion of the foundations, the first and second chapters provide grounding for conceptions and potential theory applications as well as constructs for moving community wellbeing forward. The remaining chapters provide applications of community well-being in the context of community development, with examples from North America and Asia. Community development focused community wellbeing policies and programs illustrate processes and outcomes.

We all strive for personal happiness in one way or another, but what about public happiness? What does public happiness mean and what role can governments and public policies play? The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the inadequacies of old governance paradigms and even before this pandemic, increasing inequalities and frustration with the old GDP-centric growth paradigm have fueled dissatisfaction with and distrust of governments. This book suggests a new path towards public happiness as a potential solution. The book builds a theory of public happiness as a distinct concept from individual happiness, borrowing especially from Eastern philosophy. It provides an overview of the efforts so far to go "beyond GDP" - including measurement and exploration of the determinants of happiness - and how these efforts have fallen short of expectation. Lastly, the book sketches out what a public happiness policy might look like and identifies the factors of a successful happiness policy.