Handbook of Quality of Life and Social Change

This handbook provides an extensive overview of the links between quality of life and social change as pursued in not only humanitarian and development work, but also in the private sector and academia. It combines theoretical and practice-focused chapters and addresses socio-economic, environmental, and political/governance aspects as well as communication and human behavioural factors that favour or hamper social change dynamics. The handbook showcases vast diversity both in the authorship---which includes practitioners from a wide range of sectors and academics from various disciplines---as well in geographical contexts and regions. The chapters cover a wide range methods and tools, which facilitate an inclusive understanding of the relationship between quality of life and social change. They show connections between micro (individual) changes and the dynamics that derive from them at the meso (community), macro (country) and meta levels (planet) of quality of life, and the social change processes sustained through time. The chapters demonstrate that quality of life and social change mutually condition and nurture each other. The handbook overall provides a holistic perspective to social change processes that includes both material and non-material aspects relating to quality of life. 

This comprehensive and one-of-a-kind volume is of interest to a wide readership, from students and researchers of social development, quality of life and wellbeing research, to development workers, policy makers and other government officials.  

The handbook is bundled with an interactive online course.

This is a handbook for a committed practitioner interested in connecting with the like-minded. The chapters present a varied collection of learnings from actors working on social change across the globe and in many sectors. Reading it feels like having a conversation with a good friend and mentor, happy to share what they know in the hope it will contribute to the greater good.

Marielle Sander

Representative United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)

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This timely handbook explores strategies for creating positive societal change and improving well-being. Now, more than ever, we need effective strategies to promote social innovation and impact.  In this volume, distinguished authors address fundamental social issues like healthcare, education, sustainability, and economic justice, and provide research-backed insights on empowering marginalized groups and raising standards of living.  Readers will beinspired to advance social change for real and lasting impact.

Sara S. Bachman, PhD

Dean, School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania

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“The Handbook on Quality of Life and Social Change provides an all-encompassing framework and guide to enhance well-being in the world and intuitively shows how individual, community and national well-being are all connected and influence each other. An outstanding resource for scholars and professionals that are striving for greater happiness for a greater number of people”.

Prof. dr. Martijn J. Burger

Academic Director EHERO and Professor of Happiness Economics

Erasmus University Rotterdam and Open University of the Netherlands

President International Society Quality of Life 2022-2023

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“This handbook creatively collects an interdisciplinary group of experts to share their common focus on promoting positive social change. It offers in-depth evidence, both conceptual and empirical, to explain these notions clearly, interestingly and simply.

Quality of life is a relevant and complex concept. It’s relevant because it addresses many different dimensions of individual, collective and planetary aspects of life. It’s complex because its diverse dimensions interact synergistically, with positive and negative results affecting all of us. This thought-provoking handbook will stay with us for a long time.”

Alberto Minujin, Executive Director, Senior Fellow. Equity for Children
Graduate Program of International Affairs, The New School

Dr Cornelia C. Walther combines praxis and research. As a humanitarian practitioner, she worked for two decades with UNICEF and the World Food Program in large scale emergencies in West Africa, Asia, and Latin America. As a senior lecturer, coach and researcher, Cornelia collaborates with various universities, including the Center for humanitarian leadership at Deakins University (Australia), Fachhochschule Münster (Germany), University of Palermo (Argentina) and Aix-Marseille’s Law faculty (France). Since 2023 she is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics (CSNBD) at the University of Pennsylvania, an affiliate of MindCORE and the Wharton initiative for Neuroscience (WiN). Cornelia holds a doctorate in Law and is a certified yoga and meditation teacher. In 2017 she initiated the POZE dynamic (Perspective – Optimization – Zeal – Exposure) in Haiti, which has since grown into a global network of likeminded thinkers and doers around the world. The focus of her work is on social transformation from the inside out, starting with individual aspirations, including the exploration of methodologies that influences people towards wanting to get involved in inclusive social change processes. Recent books include ‘‘Development, humanitarian action and social welfare’; ‘Humanitarian work, social change and human behavior’; ‘Connection in times of Covid’, ‘Technology, Behavior and Social Change’ and Leadership for Social Change and Development. [Macmillan Palgrave/Springer, New York]. In her endeavours POZE represents the dynamic that joins the aspiration for change with pragmatic action.