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Congratulations to Masood A. Badri on the completion of the ISQOLS Certification in Quality-of-Life Research: Related to Community Indicators Projects!
Learn more about the Certification program: Certification Program
What made you decide to pursue the Community Indicators Researcher Certificate course?
I think this course is the only one that I found that focuses on the process of planning, developing, and implementing community QOL indicators from start to finish. I could not believe it that I could get such a rich experience (online) and at my pace. Having an engineering background, but currently serving as Advisor to the Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development (DCD) Chairman, my role requires to be close to towns, cities, and regions with all their specific categories. Reading through the mission of the Community Indicators Researcher Certificate, I was certain, I found what I am looking for.
How would you describe the course experience?
Reading through the cases, was the richest experience. The cases were picked so intelligently. They covered the whole spectrum of QOL. I though after analyzing the first case, that the second one would be same and easier to analyze; but the second one was (another world) completely different. It required a completely different way of thinking. To be honest, I could not wait for the third case; I was write, it was a movie full of drama, mystery, and action. totally amazing. It enforces the notion that you cannot just copy what other countries or cities have done. It requires looking at unique settings to design QOL indicators.
How long did it take you to complete this certificate program? How many hours per week (on average) did you dedicate to the program? Were you able to balance your normal work/life activities alongside this certificate program?
I do not think it is a matter of how many hours per week it took me to complete the course. Reading the manual took me only few hours, and reading each case took me like 2 hours on the average. However, I was stopping even after each paragraph to see the insights presented. It becomes a matter of passion, and hence, you lose counting hours. For example, I was working on the second case, and suddenly my daughter told me, "you have been with this case the whole day". Honestly I lost the perception of time completely. I missed a very important meeting, but I am not to blame. Reading and analyzing each case required that I live the circumstances and the facts. Time had no significance in my case. I need to add too that reading each case gave more passion to dig deeper into the web searching for related sources. Time had no value, especially when land on a (specific site) related to the case but with more details and insights. Such experience lets a person forget about time completely.
How did this certificate program impact and/or increase your knowledge of your field of study?
I have attended many conferences, and workshops around the world on QOL. Usually, the sessions or presentations reflect a specific part of the project or outcome. But each of the cases presented in the certification program provided the whole picture from start until end. Each case posed questions of (why?), and (why not). Each case made me go deeper into the (circumstances) and the (realities). The cases presented (hard) realities that copying the best of what other countries or cites have done is not the way. The cases force the (dedicated) analyst to look deeper into the communities with its unique features and settings. I am in charge of the QOL survey in Abu Dhabi, this unique experience gave the in-depth understanding of the whole process. It gave me many ideas that I would implement to enrich my understanding of the whole process.
Would you recommend this certificate to others? If yes, why?
The ISQOLS Certification in Quality-of-Life Research program is designed to enrich researchers to better grasp the full understanding of their specializing in community indicators projects. I consider my experience in this program as additional rich training in all aspects of the matter. Now, and with complete pride, I say that I AM OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED IN QOL. I always wanted to say that. But I say it now with PRIDE.
Scope Book 2 (Springer/Palgrave Macmillan. Publication June 2020)
‘Humanitarian Work, Social Change and Human behavior’. Compassion for Change
https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030458775
This Book ‘Humanitarian Work, Social Change and Human behavior’ is based on the understanding that human existence is a composite of four layers: mind, heart, body and soul. These four elements are constantly interacting with each other. Each chapter component reflects one of these four layers of human existence, which underpin an innovative methodology that will be introduced in these pages. By combining theory and praxis the objective is to make the reader understand (thought), feel (emotion), experience (sensation) and share (aspiration) the content of ‘Humanitarian work, social change and human behaviour’ first-hand.
The book points out some of the reasons for the insufficient progress made by development and humanitarian aid. It offers arguments why non-profit institutions whose justification is to help, must begin by help their staff help themselves. Organizations with an inspiring social mission must practice internally what they preach internally. Whether these organizations life up to the inspirational potential that goes with their mandate, is conditioned by their ability to place the aspiration of their staff for meaning at the center of action, internally and externally. It is shown how the proposed paradigm shift can be started, expanded and maintained, from individuals to institutions and vice-versa. The outline of Compassion for Change (C4C), proposes a concrete way for using the paradigm-shift that this book is based up to transform the internal culture of humanitarian and development organizations; in order to reanimate and expand their external influence.
The first chapter illustrates the inside-out logic that this book is based upon, while also introducing the story of the author. This chapter will demonstrate the causes and consequences of a novel approach whose logic and added value is presented in the subsequent chapters. Chapter two introduces the theoretical underpinning of the approach, and its benefits. Chapter three focuses on the outside-in dynamic. This chapter offers links to the status quo of the humanitarian and development aid sector, with proposed elements for change. The fourth and final chapter summarizes the principle of the continuum between, and within, the four layers that the methodology is based upon; it facilitates the practical application through schematization and hereby rationalization. Each chapter includes exercises for the reader to apply the proposed theoretical insights in their own context, and to share what they have acquired with others.
Cornelia C. Walther, PhD
Tel + 1 347 845 37 90
Affiliations: Deakin University, UNICEF, POZE Network
Location: New York
Synopsis of upcoming books
Scope Book 1 (Springer/Palgrave Macmillan. Publication May 2020)
Development, Humanitarian Aid and Social Welfare. Social Change from the inside Out
https://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9783030426095
This book seeks to examine the way in which human behavior is shaped by our emotions, thoughts and aspirations, and vice-versa, how the resulting experiences impact ourselves, others and the World.
Based on an analysis of these interactions, it seeks to offer practical solutions to systematically induce social change dynamics, which are sustainable overtime. With a case study from Port-au-Prince (Haiti) as illustration, this book also examines the interplay of the individual with the culture, socio-economical and political context of his/her environment, and the causes and consequences that these factors engender along the path of personal and collective evolution. Put another way, this book sheds light on individual aspirations as the core of personal empowerment, which in turn lies at the center of community, national and, by consequence global, prosperity.
The book explains how social change, in addition to economic and political transformation at the macro-level, begins with a mind-shift at the micro-level. National resilience is anchored in individual resilience; which is rooted in the individual’s personal aspiration to meaning. Connecting to this aspiration unlocks the person’s ability to overcome political and economic challenges, violence and poverty, and to thrive despite them, by proactively taking charge. The book establishes the missing link between investments in personal empowerment and collective welfare. One nurtures the other once they are pursued in a holistic understanding of shared value, and shared responsibility. Thus, individuals who consciously seek the best interest of others end up benefiting from better quality of life, physically, mentally and emotionally.
The theoretical foundation of this book is the concept of a ‘body-mind-heart-soul connection’, collected from various conceptual frameworks and traditions, which is used to examine the multi-faceted dimensions of stress, subjective wellbeing and collective progress. Through an innovative multidisciplinary approach, this book aims to counter the noticeable shortcomings in the discursive representations of development and non-profit communication, and to contribute a more balanced examination of the narratives about and the impact of meaning and critical mindsets in people’s lives and experiences.
This book looks at the micro-, meso, macro and meta-levels of social change: It theorizes and challenges the ‘figure’ of individuals as passive onlookers of their situation, in particular in fragile states that are traditionally portrayed as basket-cases of charity, and offers ways towards a shift in mindsets, from victimization to personal power. Seeing the significant potential of non-profit organizations (non-governmental organizations, United Nations, Foundations, bi and multilateral funds) dedicated to social causes, to drive social change, this book looks then at the factors that hinder organizations from living up to the inspiring mission that is often enshrined in their mandate, and tools to shape the prevailing institutional culture. Finally, it looks at facts that influence public opinions, as building blocks of social norms that condone a globalized bystander syndrome in the face of inequality; and proposes practices to shape decision-making architectures that are conducive to inclusive decision-making.
Situated within the study of resilience, the nexus of development and humanitarian aid, education and societal adaptation within contemporary global and local contexts, this book makes the case for an alternative path to sustainable change and hereby an inclusive society. Based on the premise that an equitable society is to the benefit of everyone, in the book it is argued that efforts made in the interest of others have benefits at three levels – for the individual who acts, the one who has been acted for, and wider society.
The value of immunotherapy for survivors of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: patient perspectives on quality of life
Rebekah Park& James W. Shaw & Alix Korn & Jacob McAuliffe
The aim of this study was to examine what personally mattered to 24 patients who received immuno-oncology (IO) therapy for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC),as well as their families and friends,to understand how they evaluated their cancer treatments and the determinants of the quality of life (QoL) of long-term survivors. Methods Ethnographic research was conducted with 24 patients who had responded to IO (pembrolizumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab, or durvalumab) for stage IV NSCLC, and their families and friends, evenly split among field sites in Denmark, the USA, and the UK. Data were collected using in-depth qualitative interviews, written exercises, and participant observation. Data analysis methods included interpretative phenomenological analysis, coding, and the development of grounded theory. Researchers spent 2 days with participants in their homes and accompanied them on health-related outings. Results Our findings reveal that long-term survivors on IO experienced their journey in two phases: one in which their cancer had taken over their lives mentally, physically, and spiritually, and another in which their cancer consumed only a part of their everyday lives. Patients who survived longer than their initial prognosis existed in a limbo state in which they were able to achieve some semblance of normalcy in spite of being identified as having a terminal condition. This limbo state impacted their life priorities, decision-making, experience of patient support, and health information-seeking behaviors, all of which shaped their definitions and experience of QoL. Conclusions The results of this study,which identify the specific challenges of living in limbo,where patients are able to reclaim a portion of their pre-cancer lives while continuing to wrestle with a terminal prognosis, may inform how cancer research can more effectively define and measure the QoL impacts of IO treatments. Also, they may identify approaches that the cancer community can use to support the needs of patients living in a limbo state.These experiences may not be adequately understood by the cancer community or captured by existing QoL measures, which were designed prior to the emergence ofI O and without sufficient incorporation of contextual, patient-driven experience. Implications for Cancer Survivors Increased awareness of the specific experiences that come with long-term survival on IO may directhowresourcesshouldbespentforcancersupportforpatientsandtheirfamilies.ExpandinghowQoLisevaluatedbasedon patients’ lived experiences of IO can reflect a more accurate depiction of the treatment’s benefits and harms.
read article here:
By Georg P. Mueller
Journal: Applied Research in Quality of Life Studies
This article explores the use of migration data for the measurement of life satisfaction as an alternative to data collection by standardized interviews. It starts with the development of a field theoretic model of the impact of life satisfaction on international migration, which is subsequently reversed such that it explains life satisfaction by means of migration data. Empirical tests with data about the migration from Poland to other European countries confirm the main hypotheses of the model. However, the accuracy of ex-post predictions about the quality of life of a target country depends on the number of earlier (Polish) immigrants, who are a source of information for others considering to emigrate. Thus, under certain conditions the model may be used for imputing the life satisfaction of countries for which the respective information is missing. The model is even useful if the information for model calibration is completely missing: the article shows how in this situation migration data may be used for ranking countries with regard to their not directly measurable life satisfaction.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11482-020-09822-5
Community Quality of Life and Well-Being
Publish your next book in this series!
Series Editor: Rhonda Phillips Editorial Board: Meg Holden, Simon Fraser University, Canada; Charlotte Khan, The Boston Foundation, US; Youngwha Kee, Soongsil University, Korea; Alex Michalos, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada; Don Rahtz, College of William and Mary, US; Joseph Sirgy, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, US.
Aims and Scope Community Quality of Life and Well-being is a book series comprised of volumes related to local and regional level research, providing current and leading edge information to planners, policy makers, and quality of life researchers involved in community and regional well-being research and application. Formerly entitled Community Quality-of-Life Indicators: Best Practices, the series reflects the broad scope of well-being. In addition to best practices of community quality-of-life indicators projects the series welcomes a variety of research and practice topics as related to overall community well-being and quality of life dimensions, relating to policy, application, research, and/or practice. Research on issues such as societal happiness, quality of life domains in the policy construct, measuring and gauging progress, dimensions of urban and regional planning and community development, and related topics are anticipated.
This series is published by Springer in partnership with the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS), a global society with the purpose of promoting and encouraging research and collaboration in quality of life and well-being theory and applications. More information about ISQOLS can be found at www.isqols.org. The Editor welcomes proposals for both edited volumes and authored monographs contributions on topics such as:
We look forward to receiving your book proposal
Please contact Series Editor Rhonda Phillips:
rphillips@purdue.edu For more information and a proposal form for submitting a proposal for the series:
http://www.springer.com/series/13761
A Global Scientific Community? Universalism Versus National Parochialism in Patterns of International Communication in Sociology
by Max Haller
The paper starts from the thesis that unhindered international communication is a central characteristic of modern science. Second, the paper argues that scientific progress cannot be defined unequivocally in the social sciences. Four structures inhibit free international communication (linguistic barriers, the size of a national sociological community, the quality of scientific research, and the influence of specific sociologists and their schools). Third, three kinds of data are used to investigate the relevance of these factors: The participation in international congresses, the quotation patterns in major sociological journals and the reasons for the exceptional success of three sociologists, from the USA, France and Germany, respectively. Finally, a short hint toward the development of sociology outside the Western world is given. The paper concludes with some reflections on strategies to change the one-sided, asymmetrical communication in sociology toward a more balanced pattern.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00207659.2019.1681863?needAccess=true
Thoughts about time in times of quarantine
Lihi Lahat
During the last weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic, reality has reframed itself. It seems the only way to maintain our well-being is to focus on the present moment. Furthermore, the situation has led us to alter the way we use our time, and this suggests a more profound question – how do we want to use our time? Social scholars, economists, physicists, philosophers, and other researchers have always contemplated the riddle of time. Many studies have looked at the way different individuals and groups use their time and at trends in uses of time; thus, a considerable amount of knowledge has been accumulated. In the last two decades, researchers have noted a clear link between uses of time and quality of life. Despite this now known connection, policymakers still pay limited attention to uses of time.
A recent study I conducted with Professor Itai Sened focused on institutional structures, uses of time, and well-being. In a study published in the Journal of European Social Policy, we examined the connection between uses of time and well-being using two measurements of well-being and in two typologies of welfare regimes based on data collected in 34 countries. Our findings indicated that uses of time have an effect on well-being but are expressed differently in various welfare regimes. For example, like others, we found personal time contributed to well-being. But in three social welfare regimes, including the social-democratic one, well-being was higher, more time was devoted to personal activities, and less time was devoted to working than in three others, including an Eastern European welfare regime. In a follow-up study, funded by Israel’s National Insurance Institute, we found that different populations in Israel had diverse preferences for uses of time. For example, full-time salaried employees and self-employed workers wished to work fewer hours than they currently worked, while retirees wished to spend less time on housework and care and to devote a bit more time to paid work. Overall, our work emphasizes the importance of considering the effect of policy on uses of time and incorporating preferences for time use in policies to promote well-being.
Many studies use an objective measurement of time, what is commonly called ‘clock time’, but time has subjective and context-oriented features. Different people experience time differently; for instance, some enjoy long work hours while others do not. Moreover, each country has different, policies, regulations, and norms that affect the uses of time. France, for example, has a 35-hour official workweek. The way we use our time is vital to us as well as to our family, community, and society. Thus, it is important to continue to explore the connection between policy and uses of time in various country contexts.
The post-coronavirus reality will call for creative solutions. In light of a possible shortage of economic resources, using the available data on uses of time in different countries and reconsidering time may open up new policy alternatives. More awareness among policymakers and citizens that many of our decisions do not adequately address the way we use our time, alongside policies that will allow alternative uses of time, might improve our quality of life and well-being.
For full article see:
Lahat, L., & Sened, I. (2019). Time and Well-Being, An Institutional, Comparative Perspective. Is it Time to explore the idea of a Time Policy? Journal of European Social Policy
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0958928719891339
1An early version of this post was published in Hebrew at the Espanet Israel website.
Lihi Lahat (Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Israel) is a senior lecturer in the Department of Administration & Public Policy at Sapir Academic College and Affiliate Associate Professor, Azrieli Institute of Israel Studies, Concordia University, Montreal. Her papers have been published in journals such as Policy Sciences, Social Policy & Administration, International Review of Administrative Sciences, Journal of Management and Governance and Poverty & Public Policy.
CQoLWB Book Series Call for Proposals.pdf
Happiness in the Time of Corona
Authors: Talita Greyling and Stephanie Rossouw
Happiness_Corona_6March_2020_fin1.pdf
Kiwis, Aussies care more about Kobe Bryant, loo paper than Covid-19.pdf
The Happiness Index of South Africa drops to unknown lows with fear being prominent.pdf
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The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS)
Address: ISQOLS P.O. Box 118 Gilbert, Arizona, 85299, USA
Email: office@isqols.org
