Relationships, happiness and well-being: insights from Bangladesh

Although Bangladesh is known as one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in the world, its people seem to enjoy levels of happiness that are higher than those found in many other countries. This includes ‘developed’ countries where people have larger per capita incomes and can access...

وصف كامل

التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
المؤلفون الرئيسيون: Camfield, L, Choudhury, K, Devine, J
التنسيق: Working paper
اللغة:English
منشور في: Wellbeing in Developing Countries Research Group, University of Bath 2006
الموضوعات:
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author Camfield, L
Choudhury, K
Devine, J
author_facet Camfield, L
Choudhury, K
Devine, J
author_sort Camfield, L
collection OXFORD
description Although Bangladesh is known as one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in the world, its people seem to enjoy levels of happiness that are higher than those found in many other countries. This includes ‘developed’ countries where people have larger per capita incomes and can access a wider range of public services and goods. The paper explores this apparent paradox by analysing primary quantitative and qualitative data, and engaging with existing literature on happiness and objective wellbeing in Bangladesh. The data and analysis presented here contributes to the limited knowledge we have of the construction and experience of happiness and life satisfaction in contexts of extreme and persistent economic poverty. It identifies and offers insights into the ‘personal’ as well as social or ‘relational’ values and goals that people in Bangladesh consider important to achieve happiness in life. This, we argue, leads to a better understanding of the role of social and cultural context in the construction of people’s happiness. In the conclusion, we reflect on the policy implications of our findings.
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spelling oxford-uuid:e70643cc-c49d-4008-bd4f-3d4042d4559b2022-03-27T10:35:21ZRelationships, happiness and well-being: insights from BangladeshWorking paperhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_8042uuid:e70643cc-c49d-4008-bd4f-3d4042d4559bPovertyDevelopment and Refugees (see also Sociology)EnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetWellbeing in Developing Countries Research Group, University of Bath2006Camfield, LChoudhury, KDevine, JAlthough Bangladesh is known as one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in the world, its people seem to enjoy levels of happiness that are higher than those found in many other countries. This includes ‘developed’ countries where people have larger per capita incomes and can access a wider range of public services and goods. The paper explores this apparent paradox by analysing primary quantitative and qualitative data, and engaging with existing literature on happiness and objective wellbeing in Bangladesh. The data and analysis presented here contributes to the limited knowledge we have of the construction and experience of happiness and life satisfaction in contexts of extreme and persistent economic poverty. It identifies and offers insights into the ‘personal’ as well as social or ‘relational’ values and goals that people in Bangladesh consider important to achieve happiness in life. This, we argue, leads to a better understanding of the role of social and cultural context in the construction of people’s happiness. In the conclusion, we reflect on the policy implications of our findings.
spellingShingle Poverty
Development and Refugees (see also Sociology)
Camfield, L
Choudhury, K
Devine, J
Relationships, happiness and well-being: insights from Bangladesh
title Relationships, happiness and well-being: insights from Bangladesh
title_full Relationships, happiness and well-being: insights from Bangladesh
title_fullStr Relationships, happiness and well-being: insights from Bangladesh
title_full_unstemmed Relationships, happiness and well-being: insights from Bangladesh
title_short Relationships, happiness and well-being: insights from Bangladesh
title_sort relationships happiness and well being insights from bangladesh
topic Poverty
Development and Refugees (see also Sociology)
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AT choudhuryk relationshipshappinessandwellbeinginsightsfrombangladesh
AT devinej relationshipshappinessandwellbeinginsightsfrombangladesh