[edit] Progress in the News - February 2010

• Growth and other concerns (The Hindu 14.02.2011)

GNP growth can, of course, be very helpful in advancing living standards and in battling poverty (one would have to be quite foolish not to see that), but there is little case for confusing (1) the important role of economic growth as means for achieving good things, and (2) growth of inanimate objects of convenience being taken to be an end in itself.

• New bid to gauge how happy we are (Witney Gazette 14.02.2011)

The work, by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), is part of Prime Minister David Cameron’s drive to track happiness levels, alongside economic growth measures such as gross domestic product (GDP), as a barometer of national progress.

• Patriotism, well-being linked: Study (PressTV 13.02.2011)

The more satisfied people, especially those with lower incomes and from poorer nations, are with their country, the better they feel about their lives.

• 3 Key Factors for S'pore's wellbeing: MM Lee (Asia One News 12.02.2010)

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said Singapore can expect slower growth this year, but that the 4% to 6% growth forecast is still 'very good'.

• How the Coalition’s Freedom Agenda will promote happiness (The Independent 11.02.2010)

Modern psychology shows that a nation’s happiness is, in part, related to the degree of freedom its citizens are afforded.

• Feeling good about country leads to well being (The Times of India 10.02.2011)

The more satisfied people are with their country, the better they feel about their lives, especially people in low income groups or in relatively poor countries.

• Spread the wealth (The Economist 10.02.2011)

The impressive growth figures of resource-rich African countries are not all good news

• The Shoe Thrower's index (The Economist 09.02.2011)

In this week's print edition we ran a table showing a number of indicators for members of the Arab League.

• Egyptian, Tunisian Quality of Life Drops, But GDP Rises (Arutz Sheva 09.02.2011)

For the past five years the quality of life for Egyptians and Tunisians has deteriorated despite an increase in the GDP, according to the Gallup survey organization.

• Community matters most for well-being (Wales Online 07.02.2011)

A sense of community and family relationships are the things that matter most to people’s well-being, according to the Office for National Statistics.

• Solano County 2010 economic index shows progress (North Bay Business Journal 07.02.2011)

No longer considered to be a rest stop between the Bay Area and Sacramento, Solano County is making its mark as an emerging center for micro business employment and life sciences, although the region faces increasing challenges on education and incomes.

• Free online journal from VUW asks what makes us happy (Wellington Scoop 07.02.2011)

An open access online journal devoted to the study of human wellbeing, co-founded by Victoria University’s Dan Weijers, has been launched to help academics and practitioners’ worldwide better understand what makes people flourish and thrive.

• Quality of life issues have quantifiable economic benefits (GoDanRiver 06.02.2011)

Recently, it’s been announced that Danville may be facing a rather large budget deficit and many people have been speculating on the best way to make those cuts. Some have compared the local city budget to General Motor’s recent turnaround — a turnaround that was actually made possible by a $30 billion federal infusion of bailout funds. Here, locally, we don’t have the benefit of the federal government handouts. We have to make our way on our own.

• Obama measures 'true progress' (CNN 05.02.2011)

President Obama defined the "true measure of progress" for America in his weekly address Saturday. Focusing on his goal to "win the future" for the second consecutive week, he turned his attention to recent unemployment numbers and jobs.

• Norway Number One in Quality of Life, Tech-Savviness (Reuters 04.02.2011)

When it comes to smartphones these days, if you’re somewhere between a Luddite and a technophile then you’re probably doing OK.

• Quality of life study is worth reviewing for Oklahoma policymakers (News OK 04.02.2011)

Albanians live longer than Oklahomans.That's right. The residents of a Balkan state best known to Americans as staunch Soviet allies during the Cold War live longer than the average Oklahoman's 75.6 years.

• When strengthening the state, don’t sacrifice well-being (The Badger Herald 03.02.2011)

Wisconsin’s high quality of life is due in large part to our commitment to providing social services to our citizens.

• Gallup- Egypt, Tunisia Chaos Not Tied to Wealth Rise (NewsMax 03.02.2011)

In the two Middle Eastern countries being rocked by mass uprisings, polling suggests that a general dissatisfaction not tied to economic fortunes might be driving anti-government revolts, the National Journal reports.

• Gross National Happiness (The Daily Princetonian 03.02.2011)

Since the Great Recession, it seems as though political discourse adheres to one simple principle: if it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense

• Egyptians', Tunisians' Wellbeing Plummets Despite GDP Gains (Gallup 02.02.2011)

Traditional economic indicators paint an incomplete picture of life in these countries

• Students Index Corruption (The Prague Post 02.02.2011)

zIndex find two-thirds of contracted money is unaccounted for.

• Taking stock- Alternative indicators of national well-being (Asia Research News 02.02.2011)

Once, GDP was the established benchmark of a country’s progress. Now, new and sophisticated indexes offer a more rounded picture of the condition of society — and IDRC is helping develop them.

• We have to go beyond GDP... to the real opportunities, real freedoms- Amartya Sen (Business Today 01.02.2011)

Amartya Sen, Argumentative Indian, Harvard Professor, Nobel Laureate and formerly Master of Trinity, held forth on the idea of "inclusive growth" in an informal chat with BT several weeks before the CII launched its India Inclusive campaign in Davos.

• Canada's Windsor-Essex Region Collaborates With IBM to Improve Quality of Life for Citizens (PR NewsWire 01.02.2011)

Through the region's innovative use of IBM software and services, asthma attacks have been alleviated, a local automobile manufacturing plant diversified into the aerospace industry and 250 tons of waste materials from a road construction project was made into new housing for those who needed it the most.

• Appreciating Happiness (Bejing Review 01.02.2011)

China Central Television released the results of its recent happiness survey on January 12. The results show that almost 45 percent of more than 80,000 respondents-all Chinese-feel happy or very happy; about 11 percent are not happy.

[edit] News from January 2011

• Vietnam moves up 16 places in quality of life rankings (VOVNews 27.01.2011)

Vietnam has moved up from 77th in 2009 to 61st in 2010 in the quality of life rankings conducted by the London-based Legatum Research Institute.

• President Obama vows to measure success by jobs, quality of life in State of the Union Address (Mlive 26.01.2011)

“We measure progress by the success of our people, by the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer,” the president said Tuesday night.

• Perth behind regional WA for financial well-being (International Business Times 26.01.2011)

Households in regional Western Australia are streaking ahead of Perth residents when it comes to financial well-being, according new data released today.

• One in five UK office workers unhappy with job (HR Magazine 26.01.2011)

Over 20% of UK office workers are unhappy with their job and over a quarter wouldn't recommend their employer, new research has suggested.

• Green Growth, South Korea's National Policy, Gaining Global Attention (Reuters 26.01.2011)

A new economic paradigm is arising out of the ashes of the global financial crises. Could it take hold?

• Happiness - There's something about Northwest communities (25.01.2011)

Open space and education are values that attract people here, and they seem to be factors in our sense of well-being.

• Taking stock- Alternative indicators of national well-being (IDRC Communications 25.01.2011)

Once, GDP was the established benchmark of a country’s progress. Now, new and sophisticated indexes offer a more rounded picture of the condition of society — and IDRC is helping develop them.

• How healthy are the Filipinos? (The Philippine Star 25.01.2011)

When people resolve to work harder, live better, and spend more time on things that truly matter, health and well-being tend to become even more important concerns.

• Belarus Ranks 141th in World Ranking of Life Quality (The Telegraf 24.01.2011)

Belarus ranks the 141th place among 192 countries in the international ranking of quality of life. The experts compiled this rating, assessing the cost of living in the country, the development of culture and education, health care quality, the economy, the environment, the possibility of civil rights' realization, security of life and so on.

• Quality of life: A closer look (Jacksonville 23.01.2011)

A community that assesses its strengths and weaknesses is more likely to make progress than one that doesn't.

• The happiness index (The Star 22.01.2011)

A new metric of human well-being should capture areas such as job security, health and education

[edit] Blogs on Progress - February 2010

• Lawctopus’ Law Student Happiness Index (Bench and Bar 14.02.2011)

Lawctopus through a student poll, in its first week questions law students, “Are you happy with your law school life? 312 students casted their vote, which led to reveal 19 percent were not happy with their life at law school.

• How Happy Can You Be - Economics of Happiness (Just Means 12.02.2010)

To some, the title of the new documentary film, "The Economics of Happiness" is an oxymoron that attempts to reconcile "the dismal science" of economics with the rather upbeat topic of human happiness.

• Can't Buy Me Love... But What about Happiness? (No Invite 12.02.2010)

It was recently announced that Brazil, which is thought to be one of the most cheerful countries in the world thanks to its carnival and beaches and samba spirit, is considering inserting the phrase "pursuit of happiness" into Article 6 of its constitution.

• Personal Well-Being Is Linked to National Satisfaction, Especially When Times Are Tough (Association for Psychological Science)

The country where you live can have a big impact on your life. A new study of people from 128 countries finds that the more satisfied people are with their country, the better they feel about their lives—especially people who have low incomes or live in relatively poor countries.

• Green growth: We must propose an agenda for action (OECD Insights 10.02.2011)

Since the economic and financial crisis, efforts to promote green growth have been intensifying. The crisis provided the impetus, but green growth is not a short-term response.

• Personal well-being is linked to national satisfaction, especially when times are tough (Science Blog 09.02.2011)

The country where you live can have a big impact on your life. A new study of people from 128 countries finds that the more satisfied people are with their country, the better they feel about their lives — especially people who have low incomes or live in relatively poor countries.

• The Economics of Happiness could leave you feeling depressed (Business Green 09.02.2011)

New documentary explores why GDP remains the worst possible measure of economic progress

• GDP Scorecards Still Misleading Government, Banks and Investors as New Survey Shows Disconnect (Chelsea Green 08.02.2011)

The GDP results for the final quarter of 2010 remain unreliable in charting recovery and progress in Europe, the USA, China, Brazil and most other countries.

• Random thoughts on Latest BBC 'Happiness' Programme (Roger Hyam 07.02.2011)

Just listened to Claudia Hammond’s BBC programme on happiness. I like Claudia’s reporting and this is a good programme but it still surfs closed to the edge of the Moral Maze debate I took exception to.

• America should measure progress differently (Kansan 06.02.2011)

In his State of the Union address, President Obama said that we have never measured progress by the yardstick of profits and economy alone, but that we “measure progress by the success of our people, by the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer” and “by the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children.”

• The pursuit of happiness in developing nations (iTelescope 05.02.2011)

This week I read about Brazil wanting to amend its constitution to make happiness a right for its citizens.

• GDP Correlations (Kiwi Blog 04.02.2011)

The PAP Blog has some great charts showing the correlation between high GDP and 17 measures ranging from corruption and poverty to resources and education.

• Should governments measure well-being? (The Politics of Wellbeing 03.02.2011)

I went to a great conference yesterday organized by the Franco-British Council, on the French and British governments' new initiatives to measure well-being, in an attempt to try and broaden policy-makers' focus beyond GDP. Here is a short video of highlights of the conference.

• Elusive Economic Indicator- Quality of Life Gauge (University Neighborhood 03.02.2011)

Money isn’t everything. But in measuring the success of nations, it isn’t easy to find a substitute.

• Beyond GDP – Measuring well being (Corporate Druids 03.01.2011)

In November, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that, to help guide national policy, the British government would begin to measure the subjective well-being of its citizens.

• Over 90 percent of Singaporeans happy with quality of life (My Geography World 01.02.2011)

Singaporeans have higher levels of confidence in the country's future and economy, but a new survey found them concerned about issues such as affordability of public housing and employment opportunities for the elderly and needy.

• America should measure progress differently (Kansan 06.02.2011)

In his State of the Union address, President Obama said that we have never measured progress by the yardstick of profits and economy alone, but that we “measure progress by the success of our people, by the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer” and “by the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children.”

• Time to look beyond GDP (Ruscombe Green 01.02.2011)

The UK’s economy contracted by 0.5% between October and December 2010 ending a year of growth.

• Beyond The Economic Treadmill And Toward True Well Being (Counter Currents 01.02.2011)

Manfred Max-Neef, the Chilean ecological economist, reminds us that the spectrum from penury to wealth cannot be reduced to a single dimension.

[edit] Blogs from January 2011

• The well-being economics debate continues… (Beyond Green 27.01.2011)

A new film, The Economics of Happiness by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Steven Gorelick & John Page puts a new spin on the wellbeing economics debate by looking through the lens of localism.

• How do you measure progress? Say it in a 3 minute video (Moving Images, Moving People 27.01.2011)

How do you measure progress? Count simply the economic growth numbers? Or something more? Are people in richer countries necessarily happier? If not, what’s the key to real progress that makes people better economically, environmentally and socially?

• Our Nation's Gap in Child Wellbeing- a look at the state ranked 5th (Stop the Storm 26.01.2011)

KIDS COUNT overall rank – Massachusetts now ranks #5 in the nation on overall indicators of child well-being. When this report was created In April 2001 the state ranked in the top 10%, yet, according to this 216 page report the problems in the state fall exactly along the lines the United Nations reported in their 2010 report card on child well-being among the globe’s 24 richest nations with the United States having nearly the widest gap between rich and poor.

• GDP not the key to happiness (Sustainable Scotland 26.01.2011)

Public bodies and NGOs, including Forward Scotland (now Future Balance), Friends of the Earth, WWF, Oxfam, RSPB, Scottish Wildlife Trust, and the Scottish Human Rights Commission, unanimously condemn the use of GDP as the primary indicator of prosperity.

• The 2011 Quality of Life Index: The 10 best countries (A View From England Blog 26.01.2011)

The Quality of Life Index results for 2011 via International Living magazine.The countries are chosen by calculating scores using these nine categories: Cost of living, culture, economy, environment, freedom, health, infrastructure, safety and climate.

• Happiness and Data- Somerville's Well-Being Survey (ResiStat 25.01.2011)

We here at SomerStat/ResiStat have been working on a city-wide survey of well being, which will ask some unique questions about happiness.

• Measuring happiness- The GNH (The Examiner 23.01.2011)

The concept of happiness has long been debated. Are there things that actually make us happy? Or is it an attitude or perspective that comes from within?

• Quality of Life Index 2011 ranks Ukraine 73rd among 192 countries (It's Ukraine 23.01.2011)

192 countries ranked and rated to reveal the Best Places to Live. Established at the beginning of each year by Irish magazine International Living, the Quality of Life Index 2011 ranked Ukraine 73d internationally, a slot it shares with South Africa, Botswana, Tunisia, the Dominican Republic, Morocco, Namibia, as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

• Introducing Gross Domestic Happiness (a contender to replace GDP) (Justin Beach 22.01.2011)

Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH) may be the alternative we need to the traditional Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

• The Data is in, More Money = More Happiness (Center for Global Development 18-01-2011)

According to Richard Easterlin, counterintuitively, wealth beyond a certain amount does not make us happier, as once we've achieved a reasonable degree of financial security, our basic needs are met and sense of well-being does not continue to improve with greater income. Justin Wolfers debunks this stating that "the world really is as simple as the rest of us thought all along... rich people are happier than poor people." Wolfers applies these finding to his call for greater economic development of poor countries.

• In search of general wellbeing (Progress Online 13.01.2011)

Challenges lie in store for the government's otherwise welcome drive to measure happiness. Greater consumption is now known not to be the answer, but neither is encouraging a fraught atmosphere in times of austerity.

• Study Finds People are Returning to Previous Happiness Levels Despite Less Income and Wealth (Minyanville 11.01.2011)

Don't believe the Corporatocracy hype: despite lower incomes and wealth, the lower velocity life is leading to richer life experiences and, ultimately, the same level of happiness as before. At least that's part of the findings in a paper recently published by Yew-Kwang Ng, of the Dept. of Economics at Monash University.

• Wealth, Economics and the Attainment of Happiness (Go Articles 11.01.2011)

As 2010 draws to a close, we could safely argue that it has been another economically perplexing year for Australia and the world at large.

• Tim Brodhead - Becoming Visible 2011 - Dethroning the GDP (Al Etmanski 11.01.2011)

Tim Brodhead is one of Canada's intellectual leaders and most accomplished activists. He is also President and CEO of the JW McConnell Family Foundation and co-founder of Social Innovation Generation (SiG). Here is his response to the question: What would you like to become more visible in 2011? You can also Download Becoming Visible - the complete collection of 58 essays including Tim's.

• The Pursuit of Happiness (The Philosophers Eye 11.01.2011)

David Cameron has recently announced and, due to widespread scepticism, defended the coalition government’s decision to introduce a national £2m government funded ‘happiness-index’, to gauge the happiness of the British people.

• Jews Score Highest On "Well-Being" Survey (The Huffington Post 08.01.2011)

American Jews scored the highest of any religious group on a "well-being" index even though more than half of Jews are nonreligious, according to a new Gallup survey.

• The Pursuit of Happiness. America, live up to the ideals of your Declaration of Independence (Open Education 06.01.2011)

Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration of Independence, put the pursuit of happiness as one of the unalienable rights for human beings, on a par with life and liberty.

• Job Growth, Environmental Well-Being Tied to Biotechnology Advancement (Environmental Leader 05.01.2011)

Prospects for adoption of a national Renewable Portfolio Standard appear to have dimmed for the foreseeable future. That is at least the prevailing opinion among respondents to the recent BIO/Biofuels Digest “11 Hot Trends for 2011” survey. Fully 41 percent of respondents predicted that Congress would not bring up a new energy bill in 2011.

• Wellbeing index- Smile please. Happiness is the new GDP -Prime minister acts on pledge to find out what makes the nation content... How happy are you? (Behavioral Health Central 04.01.2011)

In 1991, the author Michael Frayn wrote a book, A Landing on the Sun, about a British prime minister who tasked his advisers with looking into happiness and what the government could do to promote it. The prize proved elusive, the adviser went mad and died.

• The Happy Planet Index (Slow Food 05.01.2011)

We are now beginning to talk about happiness and well-being in their proper sense, and not in the material terms we are accustomed to using. The idea of measuring the levels of happiness in different countries was developed by Nic Marks, a researcher at the NEF (The New Economic Foundation) in London with a degree in management, a passion for statistics, human psychology and the environment.

[edit] Recently released progress papers and reports

• Sustainable Society Index 2010
• Rural Poverty Report 2011 IFAD
• Mashup Indicies of Development Policy Research Working Paper, September 2010, Martin Ravallion, World Bank
• Measuring people's wellbeing: the BCFN Index (Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition)
• Holding G8 Accountability to Account, Institute for Economics and Peace, The Earth Institute Colombia University
• Measuring Governance, Policy Brief No. 39, October 2010, OECD Development Centre, Charles P. Oman and Christiane Arndt
• Role of Culture in African Development, Lambert Uyi Edigin, Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences
• Security Council Endorses Indicators to Measure Progress in Implementing Landmark Text on Women, Peace, Security as Organization Marks Tenth Anniversary, United Nations Security Council

[edit] Call for papers

• Event: Communication - A Tool to Enhance Statistical Culture

The Coucil of the European Union is calling for papers regarding enhancement of statistical culture through statistical literacy and communication. See above event for details. Deadline is 21 March 2011.

• International Conference on Resources, capital or personnel? Perspectives on wellbeing at work
  

Call for abstracts - You are cordially invited to submit abstracts for papers to be presented at the International Conference on “Resources, Capital or Personnel? Perspectives on Wellbeing at Work”, to be held at Bournemouth University, UK 20-22 September 2011. Deadline 31 March 2011. More information here.

• Children's Well-Being: The Research and Policy Challenges

Call for Abstracts - You are cordially invited to submit abstracts for papers to be presented at the 3rd International Conference of the International Society for Child Indicators to be held at the University of York, UK 27-29 July 2011.

• Conference- Rethinking Development in an age of Scarcity and Uncertainty- New Values, Voices and Alliances for Increased Resilience

Over 800 delegates from all over the world will convene in York, United Kingdom for the EADI / DSA conference. Delegates will represent development research institutes, international organisations, the European Commission and bilateral donor organisations. These thinkers, leaders and decision-makers will exchange ideas about new values, voices and alliances for increased resilience.

[edit] Debates

[edit] Ideas Economy: Human Potential 2010 (The Economist 15-16th September)

Debate hosted by the Economist Ideas Economy- Human Potential 2010

[edit] The Multidimensional Poverty Index

This is more of a back and forth than a debate. The subject is the recently launched Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Duncan Green, renowned blogger for the Oxfam blog From Poverty to Power, gives a brief overview of the new index. World Bank research director, Martin Ravallion criticizes the MPI for two key reasons, firstly the aggregation of indicators to a single index and secondly the choice of weights for the index. Finally Sabina Alkire, director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and co-creator of the Index, defends her work and responds to both previous posts. For further background information, see Multidimensional Poverty Index

• How can we improve the way we measure poverty? The UN’s new poverty index (From Poverty to Power 27.07.2010)
  

• Guest Blog: World Bank research director critiques the new UN poverty index (From Poverty to Power 28.07.2010)
  

• The co-creator of the UN’s new Multidimensional Poverty Index defends her new baby (From Poverty to Power 29.07.2010)