The Politics of Wellbeing – Call for Papers
ESRC Conference at Sheffield Town Hall, Friday July 17 2015
Conveners: Prof Ian Bache (Sheffield University), Dr Karen Scott (Newcastle University) and
Charles Seaford (new economics foundation)
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Plenary speakers confirmed
Matthew Flinders, Professor of Politics at the University of Sheffield and Chair of the
Political Studies Association
 Linda McAvan, MEP for Yorkshire and The Humber and Chair of the European
Parliament Development Committee
Andrew Oswald, Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick and ex- Member
of the Stiglitz Commission on Measuring Human Progress
This conference concludes the ESRC seminar series on The Politics of Wellbeing
(http://politicsofwellbeing.group.shef.ac.uk/). The central purpose of the seminar series is to
define and develop the contribution of the politics discipline in relation to wellbeing – a concept
and policy area that has been researched and debated extensively in the fields of economics,
psychology, sociology, geography and others. Interest in the politics of wellbeing has intensified
in response to the dramatic rise of national and international policy activity on wellbeing,
quality of life and happiness, and particularly in how wellbeing indicators might be used to
guide public policy. The seminar series has not only brought politics into dialogue with other
disciplines but also stimulated debate between academics and policy-makers.
The concluding conference will consist of both plenary and parallel panel sessions. We welcome
the participation of all interested in the topic but are placing emphasis in the panel sessions on
contributions engaging directly with the politics of wellbeing, with a view to being part of
collective outputs. To this end we will prioritise funding for participants offering papers at
the panel sessions (we can cover the costs of UK based travel and an overnight stay where
needed).
The seminar series to date has focused on five topics:
 The research agenda
 Methodologies, evidence and policy relevance
 Governance and public policy
 Political economy and wellbeing
 Political theory and wellbeing
We welcome contributions in any of these areas. In addition, papers may explore questions such
as: Is the aim of wellbeing policy to produce stable states with settled citizens or to challenge
the status quo? Can we use wellbeing as a basis for policy judgements or evaluations? What are
the issues of legitimacy? Does wellbeing offer a chance to engage people in politics more? What
are the implications for democracy? How does wellbeing relate to electoral politics? What are
the prospects for wellbeing as a central goal of government policy?
Please send abstracts (250 words) or enquiries to Ian Bache at i.bache @sheffield.ac.uk
by Friday 27the February, 2015
Twitter: @WellbeingPol