ISQOLS 2025 Pre-conference Workshop: A Crash Course on the Economics of Wellbeing

Workshop Title:

A Crash Course on the Economics of Wellbeing

Instructor:  Dr. Martijn Hendriks

Date and Time: Monday 21 July, 9:00am - noon 

Location: University of Luxembourg (room TBA)

Fee: 

• $35 USD (ISQOLS Members)/$20 USD (Student, Retired, Developing Country ISQOLS Members); 

• $50 USD (Non-ISQOLS members)/$35 USD (Student, Retired, Developing Country non-ISQOLS Members)

Workshop Description:

This workshop offers early-career and mid-career researchers and practitioners essential insights into the economics of well-being. The workshop connects economics with its ultimate purpose: understanding and improving human well-being. It is designed for an interdisciplinary audience; the workshop welcomes both economists and non-economists who are eager to explore how economic behavior and phenomena relate to well-being. We will cover some fundamental questions, including:

1.       What are the dominant economic and policy perspectives on well-being?

2.       Do people seek to maximize happiness?

3.       How does happiness shape economic behavior and outcomes?

4.       Why hasn’t economic growth resulted in much greater happiness?

5.       How can organizations foster employee well-being?

Activities and Duration: The 3-hour workshop combines lecturing with interactive discussions, individual exercises, and audiovisual aids. Active participation is expected.

Reading Material: The workshop is based on leading academic studies in the economics of well-being. References will be provided during the workshop.

Workshop Instructor: Dr. Martijn Hendriks is the deputy scientific director of the Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organization (EHERO) based at Erasmus University Rotterdam. He also serves as a visiting associate professor at the University of Johannesburg, associate editor for the Journal of Happiness Studies and Applied Research in Quality of Life, executive board member at the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS), and as a member of the World Wellbeing Panel.