Deconstructing Happiness

Deconstructing Happiness

Author: Jordan McKenzie

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-03-10

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 1317565452

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This book offers an original account of the good life in late modernity through a uniquely sociological lens. It considers the various ways that social and cultural factors can encourage or impede genuine efforts to live a good life by deconstructing the concepts of happiness and contentment within cultural narratives of the good life. While empirical studies have dominated the discourse on happiness in recent decades, the emphasis on finding causal and correlational relationships has led to a field of research that arguably lacks a reliable theoretical foundation. Deconstructing Happiness offers a step toward developing that foundation by offering characteristically sociological perspectives on the contemporary fascination with happiness and well-being. In doing so, it seeks to understand the good life as a socially mediated experience rather than a purely personal or individually defined way of living. The outcome is a book on happiness, contentment and the good life that considers the influence of democracy, capitalism and progress, while also focusing on the more theoretical challenges of self-knowledge, reason and interaction.


The Happiness Equation

The Happiness Equation

Author: Manfred Kets de Vries

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2007-12

Total Pages: 85

ISBN-13: 0595458955

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For most of us, the pursuit of happiness is the ultimate goal of existence: it gives us hope and a reason for living, motivating us to go on in spite of life's setbacks. In his coaching work with senior executives, Manfred Kets de Vries, concluded that self-knowledge and happiness are inextricably linked and that in the absence of self-knowledge, true happiness will always elude us. He believes that we need to reflect on what is important to us and set our priorities accordingly to be able to live life to the fullest. The Happiness Equation is a stimulating read with inspiring thoughts and ideas on how to become happier and live a more fulfilling life.


Researching Happiness

Researching Happiness

Author: Cieslik, Mark

Publisher: Policy Press

Published: 2021-05-25

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 1529206162

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In the past, happiness studies has been dominated by the work of philosophers, economists and psychologists, but more recently there has been a growing interest from social scientist into the natures of happiness and wellbeing. This original collection draws on the latest empirical research to explore the practical challenges facing happiness researchers today, such as how to conduct happiness research in different cultural contexts, how to theorise wellbeing or how to operationalise definitions of happiness in qualitative and biographical research. By uniquely combining the critical approach of sociology with techniques from other disciplines, the contributors illuminate new approaches to the study of happiness and well-being.


Thinking about Higher Education

Thinking about Higher Education

Author: Paul Gibbs

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-12-18

Total Pages: 197

ISBN-13: 3319032542

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With higher education around the world in a period of extreme flux, this volume explores its underlying philosophy, a core element of the ongoing debate. Offering a diverse range of perspectives from an international selection of renowned scholars of higher education, the book is full of imaginative insights that add up to a substantive contribution to the discussion. As universities attempt to adapt to a new environment characterized by stiff international competition, networked remote learning, burgeoning student numbers and comparative performance assessment, how we conceptualize the purpose and ethos of our higher learning institutions is more important than ever. This publication features a multitude of distinctive approaches that illuminate potential solutions to the complex issues universities must grapple with in these uncertain times. Rather than espousing a singular philosophical approach, the editors have assembled views from across the spectrum and from differing national contexts, representing a multidisciplinary response to the situation. This collection of papers aims thus to inspire fresh developments in the way we think about the complexities of and options available to, higher education.


The Summit Mindset

The Summit Mindset

Author: Scott Miller

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group

Published: 2023-09-12

Total Pages: 219

ISBN-13:

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Find Your North Star What stops us from succeeding? Do we not believe in ourselves? The most critical part of achievement might be perspective. Creating self-confidence takes focus and determination. But accomplishing great ambitions is possible. We can become the people we want to be and have our dream careers. The first step is to embrace change. Next, is to examine our lives. What do we truly want? When you have answered this question, you have found your North Star. Follow it and you will evolve—personally and professionally—while you climb to the Summit. The Summit Mindset is based on insights the authors have acquired through experience and study. They developed a methodology to guide careers, grow revenues, exercise positive influence, and deliver happiness. In business, this increases productivity by improving the lives of employees, who become a part of something greater than themselves. The authors share stories of their experiences while providing examples and understanding of what made companies and individuals excel when others faltered. ​No matter who you are or what you do, you can increase performance by using the processes and perspective outlined in these pages.


Deconstructing Anxiety

Deconstructing Anxiety

Author: Todd E. Pressman

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2019-07-24

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 1538125412

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In Deconstructing Anxiety, Pressman provides a new and comprehensive understanding of fear's subtlest mechanisms. In this model, anxiety is understood as the wellspring at the source of all problems. Tapping into this source therefore holds the clues not only for escaping fear, but also for releasing the very causes of suffering, paving the way to a profound sense of peace and satisfaction in life. With strategically developed exercises, this book offers a unique, integrative approach to healing and growth, based on an understanding of how the psyche organizes itself around anxiety. It provides insights into the architecture of anxiety, introducing the dynamics of the “core fear” (one's fundamental interpretation of danger in the world) and “chief defense” (the primary strategy for protecting oneself from threat). The anxious personality is then built upon this foundation, creating a “three dimensional, multi-sensory hologram” within which one can feel trapped and helpless. Replete with processes that bring the theoretical background into technicolor, Deconstructing Anxiety provides a clear roadmap to resolving this human dilemma, paving the way to an ultimate and transcendent freedom. Therapists and laypeople alike will find this book essential in helping design a life of meaning, purpose and enduring fulfillment.


The Emerald Handbook of the Sociology of Emotions for a Post-Pandemic World

The Emerald Handbook of the Sociology of Emotions for a Post-Pandemic World

Author: Paul R. Ward

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing

Published: 2023-04-14

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 1803823232

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The Emerald Handbook of the Sociology of Emotions for a Post-Pandemic World offers a sociological examination of the lived impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through culture(s) of emotion, offering a refreshing contribution to a new and exciting sub-discipline.


Passed Down From Mom

Passed Down From Mom

Author: The Unapologetic Voice House

Publisher: The Unapologetic Voice House

Published: 2020-05-05

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 1734569336

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All mothers hear this: "Tell me a story." The greatest stories they have to share are the ones about being mothers. Mothers have lessons to share with their children, their friends, spouses and even strangers. This collection of short stories is told from the viewpoint of more than a dozen different mothers from all backgrounds: they were born in different countries, with different traditions, different paths to motherhood, and different advice. The common theme they all share is their motherhood. The stories include: •Birthing from the Heart, the adoption memory of Alison Rand; •A Love Letter to My Daughter about becoming a mother for the first time, by Brita Moe; •All Little Ants Need Their Mother, about Valerie Nifora's Greek immigrant mother and a world of possibilities; •Creando Una Casa, Nancy Brooker's memories of the food and smells of her Italian mother's home; •Share, where a medical diagnosis gifted Cori Edwards with her mother's stories of growing up; •Motherhood Awakens Divine Power, Intuition and Consciousness, where Whitney Mullings transforms her family from the rigor of her Chinese roots to something that nurtures them all; and more. The advice of these authors works for new moms and mothers ready to share their memories alike; they cover topics like adoption, blended families, immigration stories, and post-partum depression. The stories inside touch on acceptance, worthiness, struggle, triumph, love, family and peace. Whether you are a mother yourself or have a strong bond with your own mother, the memories within this collection will resonate with you and inspire you.


Deconstructing Popular Culture

Deconstructing Popular Culture

Author: Paul Bowman

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2017-09-16

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 0230229247

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Popular culture permeates every aspect of our lives: from the music we listen to, the films and television shows we watch and the books we read. But who decides what counts as popular culture? Why is it so important? And how do we go about studying it? This book provides a comprehensive introduction to popular culture and examines the problems and possibilities of studying this fast changing field. Employing a unique approach, Bowman uses techniques of deconstruction to unpick, analyse and deconstruct contemporary examples of popular culture. The book looks at music, Hollywood film and the self-help movement to question claims behind the importance of popular culture and encourage readers to form their own interpretations of the culture they experience every day. With theory interwoven throughout, but in a way that is barely noticeable to the reader, the book provides covers the important theoretical work in the field, whilst directing the reader through ways to avoid common pitfalls in studying theory. An innovative user guide and glossary explain essential terms and ideas, making difficult concepts relevant, accessible and interesting. This witty, thought-provoking book provides a clear, novel introduction to popular culture for all students of cultural studies, media studies and sociology.


Deconstructing Imperial Representation: Tacitus, Cassius Dio, and Suetonius on Nero and Domitian

Deconstructing Imperial Representation: Tacitus, Cassius Dio, and Suetonius on Nero and Domitian

Author: Verena Schulz

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2019-06-24

Total Pages: 422

ISBN-13: 9004407553

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What literary strategies do Tacitus, Cassius Dio, and Suetonius apply in portraying Nero and Domitian? This book argues that the three authors respond to and deconstruct the positive accounts of imperial representation that were prevalent during the lifetimes of the two controversial emperors. They take up motifs from these earlier accounts, which they re-interpret to construct their own negative portraits. Although Tacitus, Cassius Dio, and Suetonius discuss the same historical figures and events of early imperial Rome, they are rarely examined together in one volume. Verena Schulz offers the first combined reading of their works from a philological viewpoint, analysing the various rhetorical techniques and narratological devices that they display, and the different literary and historical discourses in which they are embedded.