10 Quality of life
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Steffen Mau
Abstract
Quality of life has become a popular concept not only in sociology, but also in disciplines like philosophy, the health sciences, psychology and economics (Sirgy et al, 2006). The concept of quality of life encompasses a broad range of concrete living conditions that differ not only across the countries of Europe, but also among social groups within countries. Thus, quality of life is crucial for the stratification of European societies. In particular in studies of Europe, quality of life is a common focus of research (Delhey et al, 2002; Noll, 2002; Alber et al, 2008b; Grasso and Canova, 2008; Böhnke and Kohler, 2010; Drobnič et al, 2010; Präg et al, 2010). This is in part due to the fact that the European Commission funds research in this area (Noll, 2004). As a complement to economic and political integration, the Commission has begun to focus additionally on improving the living conditions of European citizens, and monitors progress herein via social reporting (Alber et al, 2008a).
Research on quality of life has its origins in the social indicators research of the 1960s and 1970s (Noll, 2004). In the economically prosperous Western societies of this period, the quality of life of broad segments of the population had been improved dramatically over the preceding decades. In the wake of this, and in the context of a change in the structures and value systems of European societies (emergence of post-industrial society, rise of post-materialism), scepticism arose as to whether ‘more’ was always ‘better’. People began to question whether economic growth was the sole indicator of social progress (Inglehart, 1990).
Abstract
Quality of life has become a popular concept not only in sociology, but also in disciplines like philosophy, the health sciences, psychology and economics (Sirgy et al, 2006). The concept of quality of life encompasses a broad range of concrete living conditions that differ not only across the countries of Europe, but also among social groups within countries. Thus, quality of life is crucial for the stratification of European societies. In particular in studies of Europe, quality of life is a common focus of research (Delhey et al, 2002; Noll, 2002; Alber et al, 2008b; Grasso and Canova, 2008; Böhnke and Kohler, 2010; Drobnič et al, 2010; Präg et al, 2010). This is in part due to the fact that the European Commission funds research in this area (Noll, 2004). As a complement to economic and political integration, the Commission has begun to focus additionally on improving the living conditions of European citizens, and monitors progress herein via social reporting (Alber et al, 2008a).
Research on quality of life has its origins in the social indicators research of the 1960s and 1970s (Noll, 2004). In the economically prosperous Western societies of this period, the quality of life of broad segments of the population had been improved dramatically over the preceding decades. In the wake of this, and in the context of a change in the structures and value systems of European societies (emergence of post-industrial society, rise of post-materialism), scepticism arose as to whether ‘more’ was always ‘better’. People began to question whether economic growth was the sole indicator of social progress (Inglehart, 1990).
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables v
- List of figures vi
- Acknowledgements viii
- List of EU countries ix
- Introduction and conceptual considerations 1
-
The European social model from a historical perspective
- Commonalities and intra-European exchange 9
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
-
European societies compared
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
- Population and family 87
- Migration 115
- Labour market and employment 135
- Education 173
- Social inequality 193
- Quality of life 225
-
European integration and European society in the making
- Institutional and political aspects of Europeanisation 263
- The dynamics of inequality in Europe 285
- Horizontal Europeanisation 303
- Subjective Europeanisation 329
- Conclusion: rise of a European society? 349
- References 357
- Index 417
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables v
- List of figures vi
- Acknowledgements viii
- List of EU countries ix
- Introduction and conceptual considerations 1
-
The European social model from a historical perspective
- Commonalities and intra-European exchange 9
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
-
European societies compared
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
- Population and family 87
- Migration 115
- Labour market and employment 135
- Education 173
- Social inequality 193
- Quality of life 225
-
European integration and European society in the making
- Institutional and political aspects of Europeanisation 263
- The dynamics of inequality in Europe 285
- Horizontal Europeanisation 303
- Subjective Europeanisation 329
- Conclusion: rise of a European society? 349
- References 357
- Index 417
