2024-01-18

The concept of well-being is increasingly present in theoretical reflection and social practice. It can be understood as an element of the concept of health, as an idea that stimulates social actors’ activities, and as a tool to describe the condition of society. As an element of the concept of health, well-being draws attention to its ‘positive’ aspects, away from illnesses, dysfunctions or ailments traditionally handled by medical sciences. In the subjective sense, well-being boils down to the question of how one feels, emphasising the introspective aspects and the patient’s agency, the latter often being marginalised in medical practice. The condition of societies, which may improve or deteriorate, can be described by well-being indicators referring to individuals, such as self-perceived health, life satisfaction, or life expectancy.

From the perspective of an individual, well-being can deteriorate as a result of illnesses, especially those that cause difficulties in daily functioning; stress triggered by natural biological processes (e.g. ageing, childbirth) or life events; various problems associated with living in microstructures (e.g. family, occupational groups) and the use of healthcare institutions (e.g. their dysfunctionality); as well as those resulting from processes or rapid changes in the social environment (such as growing social inequalities, consumption pressure, unemployment, migration or the COVID-19 pandemic). Undoubtedly, factors such as social support, social solidarity or trust play a special role in building and sustaining the well-being of individuals.

The idea of well-being, understood more broadly than within the classic definition of health, has penetrated into the public consciousness, stimulating personal aspirations towards personal development, harmony, fulfilment or happiness. This, in turn, drives the rise of the ‘wellbeing industry’, but also the implementation of well-being strategies and programmes in various institutions, such as workplaces. These practices have also become part of lifestyles, especially within the middle class. Therefore, well-being can be seen as a cultural, economic, and political phenomenon that shapes thinking and actions that reflect self-care as well as the profit-driven economy of late capitalism.

The next issue of Kultura i Społeczeństwo [Culture & Society Quarterly] invites you to reflect on the following:

• the meaning of well-being, including its indicators, their evolution, and practical application;
• the diversity of well-being, including differentiation by class, gender, and generation;
• social changes and events, such as increased inequalities, consumption pressures, unemployment, pandemics, and migrations, which affect the well-being of individuals and societies;
• the importance of social support, solidarity, and trust in building and maintaining the well-being of individuals and groups;
• the effectiveness of well-being support strategies and programmes in the workplace, at schools or other social institutions;
• well-being practices, the well-being industry, and discourse in the context of modern capitalism.

Please make sure that your submissions conform with the editorial guidelines available from: http://www.kulturaispoleczenstwo.pl/ and please submit them via the following dedicated platform: http://czasopisma.isppan.waw.pl/index.php/kis/about/submissions

Deadline for submissions: 15 April 2024.

The issue is created in collaboration with the Section of Sociology of Health and Medicine of the Polish Sociological Association.

Respectfully yours,

Agnieszka Borowiec, PhD Social Sciences

Małgorzata Synowiec-Piłat,  PhD hab, Social Sciences