Key Actors in Public Policy-making for Quality of Life: Facilitators and Obstacles (Human Well-Being Research and Policy Making)

This book analyzes how quality of life research results can be transferred to policy making, and considers the role of actors in this process---researchers, policy makers, and citizens---as well as their interrelationships. This book points to the need to include actors other than the state in public policy-making related to quality of life and well-being issues, in defining problems and formulating alternatives. It identifies obstacles and facilitators in the process and offers a review of different types of aid that affect well-being and quality of life. Finally, it shows possible pathways for various stakeholders in policy-making to interact with one another in the building of good societies. Prologue Interview Script Acknowledgments Contents List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1: The Role of the Actors in the Process of Transmitting Research Knowledge to the Public Policy Field to Improve peop... 1.1 The Theoretical Proposal References Chapter 2: Rethinking the Concepts of Quality of Life and Public Policy 2.1 Quality of Life: The Genealogy of the Concept 2.2 Public Policy: Evolution of the Concept throughout the Times and the Role of the Actors 2.2.1 The Genealogy of the Concept 2.2.2 The Actors in the Public Policy Field 2.3 Conclusions References Websites Chapter 3: The Production of Quality of Life Knowledge 3.1 The Characteristics of the Process of Production of Quality of Life Research Results 3.1.1 The Process of Knowledge Production 3.1.2 Quality of Life Knowledge Production 3.2 Power in the Research Field 3.3 The Importance of the Quality of Research Results in the Quality of Life Field for their Use in Policy Making 3.4 International Collaboration Between Researchers for the Production of Knowledge: The Creation of International Research Ne... 3.5 The Production of Knowledge in Times of COVID-19 3.6 Conclusions Cases Case 1. When a University Professor Holds a Political Office: The Case of Secondary Education Curriculum Design by Marina Paul... Case 2: The Creation of an International Research Network by Tobia Fattore Case 3: An Online Course on Quality of Life and Happiness for the Building of Better Societies by Graciela Tonon References Documents Chapter 4: The Actors in the Process I: Researchers and Policy Makers 4.1 The Possibilities of Researchers to Decide their Research: Is Freedom Possible? A View from the Capability Approach 4.2 The Possibilities of Policy-Makers to Decide and Design Public Policies 4.3 The Characteristics of the Relationship Between Researchers and Policy Makers 4.4 Conclusions Cases Case 1: The Granting of Research Funds by Christopher Wrathall Case 2: The Relationship Between Research and the Courts in the Field of Housing by María Laura Zulaica References Chapter 5: The Actors in the Process II: Citizen Participation in Public Policies 5.1 The Place of Citizens in the Policy Circle 5.2 About Citizenship and Social Citizenship 5.3 Citizens as Protagonists of Public Policies 5.4 Citizens ́ Participation 5.5 Conclusions Case Case 1: Working with Citizens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Response to the SDGs by María Laura Zulaica References Chapter 6: The Relationship between Aid and Quality of Life 6.1 Current Societies 6.1.1 The Characteristics of Current Societies 6.1.2 Social Support 6.2 The Concept of Aid 6.2.1 Aid from Organizations 6.2.2 Aid from Religious Associations 6.2.3 Aid from Informal Groups, Individuals and Families 6.3 The Relationship Between Aid and Well-Being for the Actors Involved in the Process 6.4 Aid in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic 6.5 Conclusions Cases Case 1: Online Religious Services Within the Framework of the COVID-19 Sanitary Emergency as a Social Communication Project by... Case 2. Fellows for Peace Program by Stacy Kosko References Chapter 7: The Contribution of Quality of Life Research to Policy Making 7.1 The Impact of Research Results on Policy Making 7.2 Methods and Techniques 7.2.1 The Use of Mixed Methods 7.2.2 The Techniques 7.2.2.1 Observation 7.2.2.2 Interview 7.3 Funding 7.4 Overcoming the Obstacles. Strategies to Improve the Use of Research in Policy Making 7.5 The Communication Between Researchers and Policy Makers 7.5.1 The Importance of Dialogue 7.5.1.1 Epistemic Communities 7.5.2 When Researchers Write to Policy Makers 7.6 Summing Up: The Transmission of Research Results to the Public Policy Cycle 7.7 Conclusions Cases: Using Quality of Life Theory and Methodology for Policy Making Case 1: Quality of Life in Economics and Public Policy by Paul Anand Resources and Possible Barriers Case 2: The Luxembourg Index of Well-Being (LIW) by Francesco Sarracino Case 3: The Work of the Social Weather Stations in The Philippines by Mahar Mangahas Case 4: How Can Policymakers Use Indicators of Multidimensional COVID-19-Related Risk Factors to Inform Emergency Intervention... Case 5: Communication for Public Policy by Francisco Lavolpe Case 6: The Criteria for a Successful Project by Christopher Wrathall References Chapter 8: Final Remarks for a New Proposal References