Quality of Life: Concept, Policy and Practice

by Phillips; David

• ISBN13: 9780415323543
• ISBN10: 0415323541
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781134349333
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-03-15
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Quality of life is one of the most important issues facing the world today and is central to the development of social policy. Very little, however, has been written on this crucial topic.Quality of Lifeexplores two key questions: which societies offer the best quality of life and how can we enhance it globally? This innovative book discusses the criteria by which we can judge attempts to raise quality of life, thinking about concerns such as the satisfaction of basic and social needs, autonomy to enjoy life and social connectivity, and considers topics such as: individual well-being and health related quality of life human needs - what makes us happy poverty and social exclusion within communities social solidarity, altruism and trust within communities. Quality of Lifeis the first systematic presentation of this subject from both individual and collective perspectives. It provides a powerful overview of a concept which is becomingincreasingly prominent in the social sciences and is essential reading for students of social policy, sociology and health studies.

Author Biography

David Phillips is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy in the Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	ix
Acknowledgements	xi
Introduction	1	(1)
A first view of quality of life	1	(2)
Overview of the book	3	(12)
Quality of life and the individual	15	(25)
Happiness, life satisfaction, subjective well-being	15	(16)
From subjective well-being to quality of life	31	(5)
Models of quality of life	36	(2)
Conclusion	38	(2)
Health-related quality of life	40	(22)
The health-related quality of life of individuals	41	(13)
The health-related quality of life of communities	54	(6)
Conclusion	60	(2)
The social context: utility, needs, prudential values and capabilities	62	(42)
Happiness and utilitarianism	62	(8)
Prudential values	70	(10)
Needs	80	(6)
Doyal and Gough's theory of human need (THN)	86	(5)
Capabilities	91	(6)
Conclusion	97	(7)
Poverty and wealth, inclusion and exclusion: social processes and social outcomes	104	(28)
Poverty and quality of life	104	(12)
Social exclusion	116	(13)
Poverty, social exclusion and quality of life	129	(3)
Communities and quality of life: social capital and social cohesion	132	(26)
Social capital and social cohesion - overview	133	(8)
From social capital to social cohesion: a stepped aggregation	141	(10)
Bringing social cohesion and social exclusion together	151	(7)
Societal quality of life constructs	158	(33)
Overarching quality of life constructs	158	(3)
Bernard's democratic dialectic	161	(5)
Berger-Schmitt and Noll's overarching quality of life construct	166	(9)
Social quality	175	(14)
Conclusion	189	(2)
Healthy societies: quality and quantity of life	191	(26)
Hancock's public health model	191	(2)
Healthy communities - a case study	193	(3)
Why are some societies healthier than others?	196	(21)
Conclusion	217	(731)
Resume and identification of cross-cutting themes	218	(14)
Major themes: from the individual to the societal	232	(6)
Principles of quality of life	238	(10)
Appendix: ENIQ Indicators of social quality	248	(5)
Bibliography	253	(14)
Index	267