BOOKS

Le coût environnemental du bonheur

A life goal for everyone, a demonstration of power for the state, happiness is the subject of numerous rankings. The indicators used, however, are the result of constructs based on different ideas of happiness, including, to varying degrees, the preservation of living things. The well-being of Western societies, in particular, is based on a consumerist imaginary that has little in common with ecological concerns. But is it possible today to be happy without worrying about planetary limits? Is it possible to base happiness on other narratives, based more on emotion than on possession, comparison and their deleterious effects?

This book examines the role played by these well-being rankings and the measures on which they are based in taking the environment into account. By examining the links between measures of happiness and ecological footprints, it probes our relationship with the living world where we least expect it, at the very heart of our quest for happiness.

Brulé, G. (2024) Lausanne: Episteme.

Happiness, technology and innovation

This book asks what kind of impacts innovations and technology have on subjective well-being and happiness. It presents the state of the art both in terms of results and theoretical questioning on these topics.
It proposes a new concept : innovation that leads to greater happiness, and highlights new research in this area. In so doing, it addresses a less researched area in the field of well-being research. It highlights the fact that despite the indisputable positive contributions of innovation and technology, there are also drawbacks, which must be given equal attention in research.

This book is of interest to students and researchers of quality of life and well-being, as well as innovation research.

Brulé, G. & Munier, F. (2021) Cham: Springer.

Petites mythologies du bonheur français

What if our happiness was sculpted, tapped, facilitated or on the contrary prevented by the cultural maps (imaginary, preferences, values) within which we evolve?

What role does culture play in the emergence of our happiness?

What about France?

Brulé, G. (2020) Paris: Dunod.

Wealth(s) and Subjective Well-being

This volume examines the impact of wealth on quality of life and subjective well-being (SWB). As wealth is related to economic, environmental and social features of societies, this volume serves as an important resource in understanding economic and SWB.
It further discusses a variety of experiences and consequences of inequalities of wealth. Through the availability of wealth data in recent international surveys, this volume explores the multiple relations between wealth and SWB.
Structured around four main pillars the book presents analysis of the topic at various levels such as theoretical and conceptual, methodological and empirically, ending with a section on distribution and policies.

Brulé, G. and Suter, C. (2019) Dordrecht: Springer.

Le bonheur n’est pas là où vous le pensez

Happiness is at the center of our lives, whether we welcome it or deplore it. It has become an ultimate value over the centuries and especially since the Second World War.

But what is it really made of? What do the studies tell us about it? Can we be happier without understanding its sources?

Brulé, G. (2018) Paris: Dunod.

Metrics of Sujective Well-Being: Limits and Improvements

This volume analyses the quantification of the effect of factors measuring subjective well-being, and in particular on the metrics applied. With happiness studies flourishing over the last decades, both in number of publications as well as in their exposure, researchers working in this field are aware of potential weaknesses and pitfalls of these metrics. Contributors to this volume reflect on different factors influencing quantification, such as scale size, wording, language, biases, and cultural comparability in order to raise awareness on the tools and on their conditions of use.

Brulé, G. and Maggino, F. (2017) Dordrecht: Springer.