A concise and engaging exploration of how we understand happiness.What does it mean to feel happiness? As a state of mind, it’s elusive. As a concept—despite the plethora of pop psychology books on the subject—it’s poorly understood. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, psychologist Tim Lomas offers a concise and engaging overview of our current understanding of happiness. Lomas explains that although the field of positive psychology, which f...

Updated with the latest theory and research and structured around a pioneering multidimensional model of wellbeing, this book equips you with the knowledge and tools to apply positive psychology to many areas of life.This includes interventions aimed at developing mental and physical functioning, as well as recommendations for enhancing relationships and reshaping organisational structures. A wealth of case studies show you how these practices can be successfully deployed in divers...

How embracing untranslatable terms for well-being—from the Finnish sisu to the Yiddish mensch—can enrich our emotional understanding and experience.Western psychology is rooted in the philosophies and epistemologies of Western culture. But what of concepts and insights from outside this frame of reference? Certain terms not easily translatable into English—for example, nirvāṇa (from Sanskrit), or agápē (from Classical Greek), or ...

'A delightful compendium' - Evening StandardHave you ever had a feeling that you couldn't quite describe, because no English word exists for it?Indeed, without such a word, it's difficult to remember or understand the feeling, and to talk about it with other people. This applies to all aspects of life, but most of all to that most sought-after of feelings, happiness, where our ability to both experience and understand it is limited...

Positive psychology is currently equated with theory and research on the positive aspects of life. The reality could not be further from the truth. Positive psychology investigates and researches some of the most difficult and painful experiences. Second Wave Positive Psychology: Embracing the Dark Side of Life is an innovative and groundbreaking textbook that explores a variety of topics we consider to be part of the ‘dark’ side of life while emphasising their role in our positiv...

In this groundbreaking collection, editors Lindsay G. Oades, Narelle Lemon, Jacqui Francis, and Tim Lomas explore wellbeing literacy—the capability to understand and effectively use wellbeing language to enhance flourishing for oneself, others, and society. Drawing together international scholars across diverse disciplines, this volume examines how intentional communication about wellbeing serves as a critical mechanism for personal and collective thriving.Moving beyond simplistic ...

Cities in the ancient world relied on private generosity to provide many basic amenities, as well as expecting leading citizens to pay for 'bread and circuses' - free food and public entertainment. This collection of essays by leading scholars from the UK and USA explores the important phenomenon of benefaction and public patronage in Roman Italy. Ranging from the late republican period to the later Roman Empire, the contributions cover a wide range of topics, including the impact of benef...

The pursuit of happiness is universal. Most of us would like to experience more joy and elation, but when we feel like we are falling short of this ideal, we can often feel downcast. We may even see 'darker' emotional states, like anger and envy, as character defects or serious illnesses.In The Positive Power of Negative Emotions, Dr Tim Lomas reveals that these 'negative' feelings are not only normal and natural, but may in fact serve as pathways to the very happiness and...

Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the field of positive psychology has sought to implement a science of human flourishing so that we may lead happier, more fulfilling lives. It has found expression not only in academic papers but also popular books and, increasingly, in government policy. The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Positive Psychology is the first volume dedicated to a critical appraisal of this influential but controversial field of study.T...

The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Anxious Generation shows how a deeper understanding of the world’s philosophical wisdom can enrich and transform our lives.**“Wonderfully smart and readable.” —**Washington PostIn The Happiness Hypothesis, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt skillfully combines philosophical wisdom and sci...

Jesus taught his followers that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Yet by the fall of Rome, the church was becoming rich beyond measure. Through the Eye of a Needle is a sweeping intellectual and social history of the vexing problem of wealth in Christianity in the waning days of the Roman Empire, written by the world's foremost scholar of late antiquity.Peter Brown examines the rise of the church through the len...

Why did Rome fall?Vicious barbarian invasions during the fifth century resulted in the cataclysmic end of the world's most powerful civilization, and a 'dark age' for its conquered peoples. Or did it? The dominant view of this period today is that the 'fall of Rome' was a largely peaceful transition to Germanic rule, and the start of a positive cultural transformation.Bryan Ward-Perkins encourages every reader to think again by reclaiming the drama and violence of the last days of the Roma...