The Pursuit of Happiness: An Economy of Well-Being

by Carol L. Graham

Overview

In The Pursuit of Happiness, renowned economist Carol Graham explores what we know about the determinants of happiness and clearly presents both the promise and the potential pitfalls of injecting the ""economics of happiness"" into public policymaking. While the book spotlights the innovative contributions of happiness research to the dismal science, it also raises a cautionary note about the issues that still need to be addressed before policymakers can make best use of them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815724391
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	07/25/2012
Series:	Brookings Focus Book Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	164
File size:	607 KB

About the Author

Carol Graham is the Leo Pasvolsky Senior Fellow in Global Economy and Development at the Brookings Institution. She is also College Park Professor at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy. Her previous books include Happiness around the World: The Paradox of Happy Peasants and Miserable Millionaires (Oxford) and Happiness and Hardship: Opportunity and Insecurity in New Market Economies, with Stefano Pettinato (Brookings).

Table of Contents

Preface to the Paperback Edition vii

1 Happiness: A New Science 1

2 What We Mean by Happiness: A "Theory" of Agency and Weil-Being 27

3 Happiness around the World: What We Know 62

4 Adaptation and Other Puzzles 81

5 GNH versus GNP? 106

Acknowledgments 127

Notes 131

Index 153

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"As acceptance of social science research on happiness continues to grow, a new question has naturally surged to the fore: Should happiness be a goal of public policy? In this eloquently written celebration of a new science, Carol Graham provides valuable new insight into the pros and cons of this issue." —Richard A. Easterlin, university professor and professor of economics,
University of Southern California

"Since 1776 the 'pursuit of happiness' has been the great world question. Here, reflecting on modern survey techniques and results, Carol Graham drills deeper.... [She] is opening up a whole new frontier in economic and social policy." —George Akerlof, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics

Jeffrey D. Sachs

"The Pursuit of Happiness is a consummate work of scholarship that adds important insights to the worldwide debate on economic well-being. Around the world, governments and citizens are realizing that the Gross National Product is often failing to steer our economies towards desirable ends. The search is on for more appropriate metrics and goals. Carol Graham, a pioneer in the field of "happiness economics," builds on a decade of her research to offer clear and careful suggestions for policymakers and scholars who aim to make happiness a central and explicit aim of public policy. With great care and judgment, and consistent clear thinking, Graham explains many of the complexities that will arise in defining, measuring, and targeting happiness in economic policy. Yet Graham urges us to persevere, and her new book will help the world to move forward on this new and promising economic course." —Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Special Advisor to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on the Millennium Development Goals

Editorial Reviews

"With great care and judgment, Graham clearly explains the complexities of defining, measuring, and targeting happiness in economic policy while still urging us to persevere.... A consummate work of scholarship."—Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University

"The book is well written and very accessible, and is immaculately researched,
avoiding bias and imbalance.... Far from being a 'dismal science,' Graham provides much reason for optimism for those people involved in this burgeoning field of economics."— World Economics

"As acceptance of social science research on happiness continues to grow, a new question has naturally surged to the fore: Should happiness be a goal of public policy? In this eloquently written celebration of a new science, Carol Graham provides valuable new insight into the pros and cons of this issue."—Richard A. Easterlin, university professor and professor of economics,
University of Southern California

"Since 1776 the 'pursuit of happiness' has been the great world question. Here, reflecting on modern survey techniques and results, Carol Graham drills deeper.... [She] is opening up a whole new frontier in economic and social policy."—George Akerlof, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics

From the Publisher