The Pope of Happiness

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

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2. Ruut Veenhoven’s Livability Concept and Children’s Happiness Around the Globe

   • Sergiu Bălțătescu

   Pages 1-13

3. Pursuing Happiness on the Road Less Traveled

   • Ad Bergsma

   Pages 15-21

4. Have the Dutch Become Happier? And What about the Dutch ‘Happiness Professor’, Ruut Veenhoven?

   • Jeroen Boelhouwer

   Pages 23-36

5. The Forgotten Dimensions of Social Capital: Evidence from Quality of Life Studies

   • Gaël Brulé

   Pages 37-48

6. Urban-Rural Happiness Differentials in The Netherlands

   • Martijn J. Burger

   Pages 49-58

7. Happiness or Life Satisfaction? The Case of Children

   • Ferran Casas, Mònica González-Carrasco

   Pages 59-64

8. Ruut Veenhoven: Worthy Recipient of the Golden Triangle of Happiness

   • Robert A. Cummins

   Pages 65-72

9. Our Fearless Leader

   • Edward F. Diener

   Pages 73-74

10. Your Happiness Comrade-in-arms

    • Richard A. Easterlin

    Pages 75-76

11. Il Maestro of Happiness

    • Richard J. Estes

    Pages 77-78

12. On the Scientific Study of Happiness

    • Carol Graham

    Pages 79-80

13. The Social Democratic Agenda: The Impact of Scandinavian Social Democratic Regimes on Income Equality, Economic Security, Gender Equality, Levels and Inequality of Life Satisfaction

    • Bruce Headey, Ruud Muffels

    Pages 81-105

14. Organizations with Virtuous Leaders Flourish More

    • Martijn Hendriks

    Pages 107-117

15. Moving Beyond GDP: Emerging Measures and Findings

    • Mohsen Joshanloo

    Pages 119-128

16. Zest and Adventures in Happiness Research

    • Anna Lau

    Pages 129-130

17. Ruut Veenhoven: A Very Wise Man

    • Kai Ludwigs

    Pages 131-132

18. Unhappiness, Life-dissatisfaction and Economic Deprivation in the Philippines: Three Decades of Survey History

    • Mahar Mangahas

    Pages 133-141

19. Good Societies, Financial Inequality and Secrecy, and a Good Life: From Aristotle to Piketty

    • Alex C. Michalos, P. Maurine Hatch

    Pages 143-190

20. Hamba Kahle, ‘Go Well’, from Africa

    • Valerie Møller

    Pages 191-194

This book honors the work of Ruut Veenhoven, who has been a pioneer and leader in the field of happiness studies for the past 50 years. It brings together experts in the field discussing Veenhoven’s work as well as taking up themes from his workshops over the years to analyze how and where the field has expanded following his research. Veenhoven’s contributions include developing theories and measuring instruments, creating the world’s first and largest database of happiness research, founding the world’s first and most frequently cited Journal of Happiness Studies, and student development in and popularization of the field of happiness studies. He has extensive publications through the International Sociological Association and the International Society for Quality of Life Studies, and the research field of happiness studies would not have become as broad today without his enormous contributions. Friends and former students of Veenhoven provide both academic and anecdotal discussions in this festschrift, which is important for anyone interested in the development of happiness research. 

• Social indicators
• Subjective well-being
• Happiness Studies
• Ruut Veenhoven
• Quality of Life
• Eudaimonia

• (emeritus), University of Northern British Columbia, Brandon, Canada

  Alex C. Michalos

Alex C. Michalos is the founding editor of the journal Social Indicators Research and edited it for 40 years. He is also the series editor of the Social Indicators Research Book Series, which has 79 volumes, the series editor of the Asian Quality of Life Book Series, the founding editor of the Journal of Business Ethics, co-founder of the Journal of Happiness Studies, Applied Research on Quality of Life, Asian Journal of Business Ethics, and editor of the Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. He has authored 23 books and edited or coedited 8 books.

Policies and ethics