Economics and Happiness

This book is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive overview of the burgeoning field of happiness and economics. The essays collected in this book provide an authoritative and comprehensive assessment of the theoretical applied and partly experimental aspects of the whole field and discusses the economic sociological philosophical and psychological contributions to the field. The book breaks new ground particularly on the more recent directions of research on happiness well-being interpersonal relations and reciprocity. The meaning of happiness is thoroughly explored and the tension between various definitions is discussed. The volume opens with Richard Easterlin''s own assessment of the main issues. Other authors include Robert H. Frank Robert Sugden Bruno S. Frey Alois Stutzer Richard Layard Martha C. Nussbaum Matt Matravers Bernard M.S van Praag Oded Stark You Q. Wang Ruut Veenhoven Charlotte Phelps Stefano Zamagni and Luigi Pasinetti.