Society, Happiness and Wellbeing 2009-2010

Syllabus for Semester 1 Instructor: Dr Dena Freeman Time: Tuesday 12.30-14.00 Place: Office: 4516 Office Hours: Monday 15.00-16.00 Email: dena.freeman@huji.ac.il Course Description In this course we will look at the relationship between happiness and well-being and the type of society that we live in. We will question what is a good society and what do we really mean by well-being. We will explore the burgeoning new Science of Happiness, with its contributions from sociology, psychology, economics and neuroscience and consider how insights from anthropology might deepen and enrich our understandings of happiness. Throughout the course we will engage with questions regarding the shared humanity of all people, and the yet the diversity of cultural interpretation and experience. We will also consider how lessons learnt from the study of happiness might be applied, both at a policy level and at the individual level of self-help. The course will be organised around six major themes:

1. Approaches to the Study of Happiness 2. Pleasure and the Senses 3. The Anthropology of Emotions 4. Cross-Cultural Approaches to the Self 5. The Search for Meaning. 6. Assessing Happiness and Applying Happiness Studies.

Class Format Most classes will consist of a lecture, group work and discussions. Films and film clips will be used frequently. Students will be required to read one article or book chapter each week, before class, and use it as the basis for the theoretical discussion. Most of these articles will be ethnographic studies, giving detailed accounts from different parts of the world. Through reading this material students will begin to build up a set of cross-cultural perspectives and broaden their knowledge of anthropological writing and theory. Assessment Final grades will be based on two written papers, one to be prepared at the end of each semester (80%), and attendance (20%).

SEMESTER 1 THEME 1: APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF HAPPINESS Week 1. A Short History of Ideas About Human Flourishing Happiness and the 'good life' has been the subject of much philosophising over the years and in different parts of the world. We will explore these early approaches to human flourishing in order to provide a context to explore the modern post-Enlightenment concept of happiness. Required Reading: Veenhoven, R. (2000) 'The Four Qualities of Life: Ordering Concepts and Measures of the Good Life'. Journal of Happiness Studies vol 1 pp1-39 Further Reading: Ryan R. & E. Deci (2001) 'On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being'. Annual Reviews of Psychlogy, 52, 141-166. Feldman, F. (2004). Pleasure and the Good Life: Concerning the Nature, Varieties and Plausibility of Hedonism. Oxford University Press. [Chap. 1: The Quest for the Good Life]. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zghtAGIBd8MC&pg=PP1&dq=pleasure+and+the+good+life&ei=Xch6SvXtDpHyyAT46JnEDA#v=onepage&q=&f=false Week 2: The Loss of Happiness in Modernity: Social Science Approaches Classical social scientists, such as Durkheim, Weber and Freud, were all concerned with the apparent loss of happiness in modern societies. We explore their different understandings of the connection between social structure and happiness. Required Reading: Izqueirdo, C. (2008) 'Well-Being among the Matsigenka of the Peruvian Amazon: Health, Missons, Oil and 'Progress',' in Mathews, G. and Izquierdo, C. (eds) Pursuits of Happiness: Wellbeing in Anthropological Perspective. Berghahn Further Reading: Freud, S. (1903 ) Civilisation and its Discontents. Hogarth Press. BF 173 F84 U63 Durkheim, E. (1897 / 1952) 'Egoistic Suicide' in Suicide. Routledge. Lasch, C. (1985) ' Consumption, Narcissism and Mass Culture' in The Minimal Self: Psychic Survival in Troubled Times.

Week 3. Anthropology's Engagement with Happiness Happiness and wellbeing have not been traditional topics of anthropological enquiry. We consider why this might be and review some of the small literature. What might an anthropology of happiness look like? Required Reading Mathews, G. and Izquierdo, C. (2008) 'Anthropology, Happiness and Well-Being' in Mathews, G. and Izquierdo, C (eds) Pursuits of Happiness: Wellbeing in Anthropological Perspective. Berghahn. Further Reading Thin, N. (2005) Happiness and the Sad Topics of Anthropology. WeD Working Paper No. 10 (downloadable from http://www.welldev.org.uk/research/workingpaperpdf/wed10.pdf ) Edgerton, R. (1992) Sick Societies. New York: MacMillan Week 4: Happiness Studies: The New 'Science of Happiness' In the past few years a whole new science of Happiness Studies has developed, with inputs mainly from sociology, psychology and economics. We briefly review this new field and consider how anthropology could deepen it. Required Reading: Jankowiak, W. (2008) 'Well-Being: Cultural Pathology and Personal Rejuvenation in a Chinese City, 1981-2005' in Mathews, G. and Izquierdo, C. (eds) Pursuits of Happiness: Wellbeing in Anthropological Perspective. Berghahn Further Reading: Ryan, R. & A. Sapp (2007) 'Basic Psychological Needs: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective on the Promotion of Wellness across Development and Cultures.' in Gough, I. & J. McGregor (Eds) Wellbeing in Developing Countries: From Theory to Research. Cambridge University Press Schwatz, B. (2000) 'Self-Determination: The Tyranny of Freedom.' in American Psychologist, volume 55, January pp 79-88. Inglehart, Foa & Welzel (2007) 'Happiness Trends in 24 Countries 1946-2006' World Values Survey. THEME 2: PLEASURE AND THE SENSES Week 5: Hedonic Approaches to Happiness We consider the sensual pleasures and their role in wellbeing. We consider to what extent these experiences are shaped by culture and how their importance in constructing wellbeing varies in different societies.

Required Reading: Clark, S. (2008) 'Pleasure Experienced: Well-Being and the Japanese Bath' in Mathews, G. and Izquierdo, C. (2008) Pursuits of Happiness: Wellbeing in Anthropological Perspective. Berghahn Further Reading: Goody, J. (2002) 'The Anthropology of the Senses and Sensations'. La Ricerca Folklorica, No. 45, Antropologia delle Sensazioni, pp. 17-28 Frederick, S. & G. Loewenstein. (1999) 'Hedonic Adaptation' in Kahneman, Diener & Schwarz. (Eds) Well-Being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation THEME 3: THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF EMOTIONS Week 6. The Neuroscience of Emotions Neuroscientists investigate the neurological and chemical substrates of emotion. As anthropologists of emotion we need to engage with these positivist approaches to emotion in order to consider (in later classes) where and how culture plays its part. Required Reading: Lysacht, K. (2005) 'Catholics, Protestants and Office Workers from the Town: The Experience and Negotiation of Fear in Northern Ireland' in Milton, K. and Svasek, M. (eds) Mixed Emotions: Anthropological Studies of Feeling. Oxford: Berg. BF 531 M59 Further Reading: LeDoux, J. & J. Armony. (1999) 'Can Neurobiology Tell Us Anything about Human Feelings?' in Kahneman, Diener & Schwarz. (Eds) Well-Being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Davidson, R. (2004) 'Well-being and affective style: neural substrates and biobehavioural correlates'. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (London). 359:1395-411 (downloadable from http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/web/pubs/2004/Well-being_affective_style.pdf) Week 7. How Culture Influences How We Conceptualise, Talk About and Experience Emotions Many anthropologists have argued that emotions are socially constructed rather than biologically determined. We explore how emotions are conceived of, talked about and experienced in different cultures. Required Reading: Lutz, C. (1988) 'Morality, Domination and the Emotion of 'Justifiable Anger' in Unnatural Emotions : Everyday Sentiments on a Micronesian Atoll and Their Challenge to Western Theory. GN 671 C3 L87

Further Reading: Heelas, P. (1986). 'Emotion Talk Across Cultures' in Harre, R. (ed) The Social Construction of Emotions. Oxford: Blackwell. BF 531 S63 Lynch, O. (1990) 'The Social Construction of Emotion in India' in Divine Passions: The Social Construction of Emotion in India. University of California Press. GN 635 I4 D58. Also available at http://www.escholarship.org/editions/view?docId=ft296nb18c&chunk.id=d0e74&toc.depth=1&toc.id=d0e74&brand=eschol Reddy, W. (1997) 'Against Constructionism: The Historical Ethnography of Emotions'. Current Anthropology vol 38, 3 pp327-334 Week 8. Is 'Emotion' a Useful Analytic Category? The English word 'emotion' is generally used in contradistinction to 'thought', such as 'feeling' and 'thinking' are seen as two distinct acts. However many non-Western peoples make no such distinction and instead have one concept of 'feeling-thinking'. Recent Western theorisation of the emotions also gives important place to cognitive appraisal. Can, then, emotion be a useful analytic category? Required Reading: Wikan, U. (1991) 'Towards an Experience-Near Anthropology'. Cultural Anthropology, vol 6, 3, pp285-305. Further Reading: Mesquita and Frijda (1992) Cultural Variations in Emotions: A Review in Psychological Bulletin, vol 112, No.2, pp 179-204. Lazarus, R. (1993) 'From Psychological Stress to the Emotions: A History of Changing Outlooks'. Annual Review of Psychology. Vol 44 pp1-21. Lazarus, R. (1991) Stress and Emotion: A New Synthesis. Springer Week 9: Emotional Management - How Can We Know the Emotions of Others? Diiferent societies have different rules about emotion management, about which emotions may be expressed and which must be hidden, in particular contexts and by specific groups of people. We look at some of these different rules of emotion management and consider to what extent they are cultural and to what extent ideological. We also consider how emotion management rules affect our ability to read and understand the emotions of others. Required Reading: Trawick, M. (1990) 'The Ideology of Love in a Tamil Family' in Divine Passions: The Social Construction of Emotion in India. University of California Press. GN 635 I4 D58. Also available at http://www.escholarship.org/editions/view?docId=ft296nb18c&chunk.id=d0e74&toc.depth=1&toc.id=d0e74&brand=eschol

Further Reading: Wikan, U. (1989) 'Managing the Heart to Brighten Face and Soul: Emotions in Balinese Morality and Health Care' in American Ethnologist 16: 294 - 312 Hochschild, A. (1983) The Managed Heart: Commercialisation of Human Feeling. University of California Press. BF 531 Week 10: Ecstacy What is the role of ecstasy in social life? How are such extreme positive emotional experiences created, interpreted and managed in different cultures. Required Reading: Lewis, I M. (1971) 'Towards a Sociology of Ecstacy' in Ecstatic Religion: The Study of Shamanism and Spirit Posession. Routledge. Further Reading: Malinar, A. and Basum H. (2008) 'Ecstacy' in Corrigan, J (ed) The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Emotion. Oxford University Press. Available at http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kkj3yBwED2IC&pg=PP1&dq=oxford+handbook+of+religion+and+emotion&ei=BFF8SsCPDZKgygS4uYjEDA#v=onepage&q=&f=false Week 11. How Social Structure Influences Emotion: Individual and Community We consider the notion that social connections and relationships are important for happiness. Does that mean that people are happier when living in close-knit communities? Required Reading: Derne, S. (2008) Well-Being: Lessons from India' in Mathews, G. and Izquierdo, C. Pursuits of Happiness: Wellbeing in Anthropological Perspective. Berghahn Further Reading: Myers, D. (1999) 'Close Relationships and Quality of Life' in Kahneman, Diener & Schwarz. (Eds) Well-Being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Bellah, R. et al (1991) 'Individualism' in Habits of the Heart. Harper and Row. Veenhoven, R. (1999) 'Qualilty of Life in Individualistic Society.' in Social Indicators Research 8/2 pp 157-186

Week 12. Inequality, Emotional Stress and Health A range of studies suggest that hierarchical societies foster less happy, less well and less healthy individuals. We explore a range of factors to consider why this might be. Required Reading: Myers, F. (1988) The Logic and Meaning of Anger Among Pintupi Aborgines in Man vol 23, no.4, pp 589-610. Further Reading: Layard, R. (2005) ' If You're So Rich Why Aren't You Happy?' in Happiness: Lessons From a New Science. Penguin. Wilkinson, R. (2005) 'Violence and Inequality: Status, Stigma and Respect' in The impact of Inequality: How to Make Sick Societies Healthier. London: Routledge Sapolsky, R. (1999) 'The Physiology and Pathophysiology of Unhappiness.' in Kahneman, Diener & Schwarz. (Eds) Well-Being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Week 13. Modes of Exchange and the Economy of Regard How do forms of economic exchange affect human happiness? Does capitalism make people more or less happy? How does our economy influence how we think about ourselves? Required Reading: Carsten, J. (1989) 'Cooking Money: Gender and the Symbolic Transformation of Means of Exchange in a Malay Fishing Village' in Parry, J. & M. Bloch (eds) (1989) Money and the Morality of Exchange. Cambridge University Press. Further Reading: Parry, J. & M. Bloch. (1989) 'Introduction: Money and the Morality of Exchange' in Parry, J. & M. Bloch (eds) (1989) Money and the Morality of Exchange. Cambridge University Press. Sahlins, M. (1972) 'The Original Affluent Society.' in Sahlins, M. Stone Age Economics. Chicago: Aldine Altherton Offer, A. (1997) 'Between the Gift and the Market: The Economy of Regard' in Economic History Review, vol 50, no3, pp 450-476. Week 14. Capitalism, Social Relations and Experience How does capitalism change our social relations, experience and concomitant sense of well-being. We bring together the themes of the last few classes. If possible, we will watch the film, 'The Navigators'.