9:30 – 10:00 Registration and coffee
10:00 – 10:15 Welcome and overview of the day by PhD organiser
10:15 – 11:00 Keynote by Professor Claire Wallace (University of Aberdeen) 'What is Quality of Life? Theories and Measurements'
This lecture looks at various approaches to quality of life that have become popular in the last few years, including measurements of happiness and wellbeing, social constructionist, dashboard approaches and social indicators approaches. It makes the argument that whilst it is important to go beyond GDP, other measures of social progress can also be problematic. It suggests a way forward through the idea of Social Quality.
Claire Wallace is Professor of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen. She is currently writing a book “The Decent Society” with Pamela Abbott and Roger Sapsford, (Routledge forthcoming) about approaches to, and measurements of, the quality of society. Claire Wallace was formerly President of the European Sociological Association. She has carried out research both qualitatively and quantitatively on these issues and recent publications are: 'Beyond GDP: Happiness is about more than just individuals' and 'The Networked Community'.
11:00 – 12:30 Panel Session 1
Matt Jenkins Economising existence: 'well-being' and cost-benefit analysis
Deniz Sevinc Multidimensional Inequality in the United Kingdom: Just how unequal we are?
David Tross Should measures of national wellbeing include perceptions of national well-being?
Sophie Coco Jones Defining Happiness: A Qualitative Approach - An Exploration of Happiness Definitions from the Perspective of Young Adults in Bristol
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 15:30 Panel Session 2
David Bayliss Work, worklessness and well-being: a disaggregated analysis of the impact of recession in the UK
Neel Sagar Personality Mismatch in the Labour Market, and Subjective Wellbeing
Panka Bencsik Burning inside – The effects of the 2011 riots on the well-being of Londoners
Dr Anil Gumber Happiness and Wellbeing Inequalities by Ethnicity in the UK: Corrected for Differences in Socio-demographic, Economic and Contextual Factors
Eilis Lawlor GDP Growth and Well-Being: Ireland Before and After the Crisis
15:30-15:40 Coffee and tea
15:40 – 16:10 Open discussion with participants: What other terms should we use to evaluate our societies if well-being is not enough? The contribution of sociology and other academic disciplines
16:15 – 17:00 Keynote by Professor Andrew Oswald (University of Warwick) 'Happiness around the World: The Current Scientific Evidence'
Andrew Oswald is a Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick. His work lies mainly at the border between economics and behavioural science, and includes the empirical study of human happiness. He serves on the board of editors of Science. Previously at Oxford and the London School of Economics, with spells as Lecturer, Princeton University (1983-4); De Walt Ankeny Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College (1989-91); Jacob Wertheim Fellow, Harvard University (2005); Visiting Fellow, Cornell University (2008); Research Director, IZA Bonn (2011-12). He is an ISI Highly-Cited Researcher.
17:00 – 17:15 Closing remarks and reflections
17:15 – 19:00 Wine Reception
10:00 – 10:15 Welcome and overview of the day by PhD organiser
10:15 – 11:00 Keynote by Professor Claire Wallace (University of Aberdeen) 'What is Quality of Life? Theories and Measurements'
This lecture looks at various approaches to quality of life that have become popular in the last few years, including measurements of happiness and wellbeing, social constructionist, dashboard approaches and social indicators approaches. It makes the argument that whilst it is important to go beyond GDP, other measures of social progress can also be problematic. It suggests a way forward through the idea of Social Quality.
Claire Wallace is Professor of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen. She is currently writing a book “The Decent Society” with Pamela Abbott and Roger Sapsford, (Routledge forthcoming) about approaches to, and measurements of, the quality of society. Claire Wallace was formerly President of the European Sociological Association. She has carried out research both qualitatively and quantitatively on these issues and recent publications are: 'Beyond GDP: Happiness is about more than just individuals' and 'The Networked Community'.
11:00 – 12:30 Panel Session 1
Matt Jenkins Economising existence: 'well-being' and cost-benefit analysis
Deniz Sevinc Multidimensional Inequality in the United Kingdom: Just how unequal we are?
David Tross Should measures of national wellbeing include perceptions of national well-being?
Sophie Coco Jones Defining Happiness: A Qualitative Approach - An Exploration of Happiness Definitions from the Perspective of Young Adults in Bristol
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 15:30 Panel Session 2
David Bayliss Work, worklessness and well-being: a disaggregated analysis of the impact of recession in the UK
Neel Sagar Personality Mismatch in the Labour Market, and Subjective Wellbeing
Panka Bencsik Burning inside – The effects of the 2011 riots on the well-being of Londoners
Dr Anil Gumber Happiness and Wellbeing Inequalities by Ethnicity in the UK: Corrected for Differences in Socio-demographic, Economic and Contextual Factors
Eilis Lawlor GDP Growth and Well-Being: Ireland Before and After the Crisis
15:30-15:40 Coffee and tea
15:40 – 16:10 Open discussion with participants: What other terms should we use to evaluate our societies if well-being is not enough? The contribution of sociology and other academic disciplines
16:15 – 17:00 Keynote by Professor Andrew Oswald (University of Warwick) 'Happiness around the World: The Current Scientific Evidence'
Andrew Oswald is a Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick. His work lies mainly at the border between economics and behavioural science, and includes the empirical study of human happiness. He serves on the board of editors of Science. Previously at Oxford and the London School of Economics, with spells as Lecturer, Princeton University (1983-4); De Walt Ankeny Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College (1989-91); Jacob Wertheim Fellow, Harvard University (2005); Visiting Fellow, Cornell University (2008); Research Director, IZA Bonn (2011-12). He is an ISI Highly-Cited Researcher.
17:00 – 17:15 Closing remarks and reflections
17:15 – 19:00 Wine Reception