A demographic perspective on human wellbeing: Concepts, measurement and population heterogeneity

Spitzer, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2114-7947, di Lego, V., Greulich, A., & Muttarak, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0627-4451 (2021). A demographic perspective on human wellbeing: Concepts, measurement and population heterogeneity. In: Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 2021. Vienna, Austria: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. ISBN 978-3-7001-8707-3 10.1553/populationyearbook2021.int01.

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Abstract

This introduction to the 2021 special issue of the Vienna Yearbook of PopulationResearch explores demographic perspectives on human wellbeing across time andspace. While the idea of relating demographic parameters to wellbeing has beenaround for a while, a more concrete research agenda on this topic has only recentlygained momentum. Reviewing the research presented in this volume, we show howexisting theoretical concepts and methodological tools in demography can be usedto make substantial advances in the study of wellbeing. We also touch upon themany challenges researchers face in defining and measuring wellbeing, with themost important debate being about whether the focus should be on objective orsubjective measures. The studies discussed here define wellbeing as health andmortality; as income, education or other resources; as happiness or life satisfaction;or as a combination thereof. They cover wellbeing in historical and contemporarypopulations in high- and low-income countries, and also point out important barriersto research on wellbeing, including the lack of good quality data in many regions.Finally, we highlight the value of considering population heterogeneities when studying wellbeing in order to identify population subgroups who are likely to fallbehind, which can have important policy implications.

Item Type: Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords: wellbeing; demography; subjective and objective measures; population heterogeneities
Research Programs: Population and Just Societies (POPJUS)
Population and Just Societies (POPJUS) > Migration and Sustainable Development (MIG)
Depositing User: Michaela Rossini
Date Deposited: 18 Oct 2021 13:18
Last Modified: 18 Oct 2021 13:18
URI: https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/17506

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