Politics and Policy of Wellbeing

Ian Bache, Professor of Politics and Co-Director of the Centre for Wellbeing in Public Policy (CWiPP), University of Sheffield and Louise Reardon, Associate Professor in Governance and Public Policy, Department of Public Administration and Policy, University of Birmingham, UK

• Contents: 1. Wellbeing in Politics and Policy 2. Theorising Agenda-setting and Policy Change 3. Two Waves of Wellbeing 4. A Comparative Analysis of the UK and EU 5. Wellbeing in Policy 6. The ‘Wicked Problem’ of Wellbeing 7. Conclusions Index

'The study of wellbeing is arguably the most vibrant and compelling multi-disciplinary research program in contemporary social science. Beyond the academy, wellbeing research is increasingly coming to inform the making of public policy across the world. This beautifully written and meticulously researched book provides a much needed assessment of the promise and problems of wellbeing as a scholarly and policy phenomenon. Thoughtful, authoritative and engaging, it is necessary reading for anyone wishing to understand the new politics of wellbeing.' --Benjamin Radcliff, University of Notre Dame'Politicians have re-discovered quality of life as the purpose of politics, policymakers look through the lens of wellbeing and national statistical offices are publishing new measures. In this timely, wide-ranging and insightful book, Bache and Reardon help us make sense of all of this using the discipline of political science. This is a must-read for all of the above-mentioned actors, as well as researchers, students, commentators, business leaders and everyone with an interest in wellbeing.' --Paul Allin, Imperial College London and Former Director of the ONS National Wellbeing Programme, UK'I have never seen a book like this. The authors seem to me to be ahead of their time: they are the first to try to explain the gradual rise and rise of ideas about 'wellbeing' in modern society. At the time of writing, nobody knows where this intellectual current will end, but it will probably be several oceans away. The book should be read by economists, psychologists, political scientists, historians and policy-makers. It is a prescient and wickedly interesting read.' --Andrew Oswald, University of Warwick, UK