Open AccessA global history of happiness
Author(s) -
Tim Lomas,
Brendan Case,
Flynn J. Cratty,
Tyler VanderWheele
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of wellbeing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1179-8602
DOI - 10.5502/ijw.v11i4.1457
Subject(s) - happiness , scholarship , expansive , phenomenon , perspective (graphical) , psychology , social psychology , positive psychology , epistemology , sociology , aesthetics , environmental ethics , political science , law , philosophy , computer science , compressive strength , materials science , artificial intelligence , composite material
Happiness is an increasingly prominent topic of interest across numerous academic fields. However, the literature can sometimes imply it is predominantly a modern concern. Relatedly, critics have argued that contemporary scholarship on happiness is Western-centric, yet in so doing can appear to suggest that happiness is mainly a Western preoccupation. However, taking an expansive view of happiness – defining it broadly as a desirable mental experience – one can appreciate that versions of this phenomenon have been of interest to humans across cultures and throughout history. To articulate this perspective, this paper offers a brief overview of 14 different eras, spanning a range of global regions, in each case highlighting concepts and concerns that bear some close resemblance to happiness. In so doing, the paper encourages a deeper and more inclusive understanding of this vital topic.