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 as in geographical contexts and regions. The chapters cover a wide range of 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 well-being research, to development workers, policy makers and other government officials. The handbook is bundled with an interactive online course.

Auteur

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). She is presently a Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Ai and Analytics Initiative (WAIAI) and the Wharton initiative for Neuroscience (WiN); and an affiliate of the Center for Social Norms and Behavioral Dynamics (CSNBD), as well as MindCORE. 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 the interplay of social transformation and individual transformation, including the exploration of methodologies that influences people towards wanting to get involved in inclusive social change processes. Since 2021 she works primarily on prosocial Artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential of technology to bring out the best in people and planet. 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.