ABSTRACT. Subjective Well-being (SWB) has become one of the leading indicators of quality of life, as it captures how individuals evaluate their lives in both cognitive terms (life satisfaction) and emotional terms (positive and negative affects). It integrates global judgments, domain-specific satisfactions, and evaluative, affective, and temporal components, thus offering a comprehensive understanding of human experience.

This study proposes the design and validation of a Multidimensional Index of Subjective Well-being for Cali, an intermediate city in the Global South with over 2.4 million inhabitants. Social inequalities, rapid urban transformations, socio-spatial segregation, and urban violence have historically shaped Cali. The index draws on CaliBRANDO, the city’s SWB information and monitoring system, covering the period 2022–2024 with an average of 1,200 observations per year.

The framework includes 11 key dimensions: physical health, mental health, employment, social mobility, security, trust, transportation, financial inclusion, housing conditions, social relationships, and life satisfaction. Indicators within each dimension are normalized on a 0–10 scale (min–max with sign alignment). The structure and definition of indicators are established through Exploratory Factor Analysis. Aggregation is performed using dynamic weights by dimension and arithmetic means, with reliability testing, following the methodological guidelines of the OECD’s Better Life Index.

The index pursues three objectives: (1) to monitor well-being at the local and urban levels; (2) to provide actionable evidence for inclusive policies and the reduction of territorial gaps; and (3) to foster citizen participation in the co-creation of a shared vision of urban well-being.

ABSTRACT. Public spaces play a fundamental role in shaping the social, cultural, and environmental quality of urban life. They are key places where people interact, build social networks, and engage in everyday activities, thereby influencing both individual well-being and community dynamics. This study examines the case of Almirante Reis Avenue in Lisbon, Portugal, and explores the public's perceptions of recent urban interventions, focusing particularly after the introduction of bicycle lanes. By surveying 140 users of the space and applying theories of quality of life (QoL), perceived residential environmental quality, and human needs, the research identifies key factors that influence satisfaction and perceptions of well-being. The findings show significant differences in user satisfaction across various demographic and spatial groups, with clear implications for urban policy and design. The study contributes to the growing field of urban livability and post-occupancy evaluation (POE), offering valuable insights for future urban planning that aims at improving sustainability, inclusivity, and social cohesion. The results indicate that urban interventions must be carefully designed to meet the diverse needs of all users, ensuring inclusivity and sustainability while enhancing overall quality of life.

ABSTRACT. Increasing evidence suggests that multisensory urban environments influence residents’ psychological health. This study investigates how sensory stimuli (sound, smell, touch, and visual impressions) in Warsaw’s city districts relate to well-being and mindfulness. In a quantitative mapping study (N=1062), participants reported the sensory qualities of their neighborhoods and completed standardized measures of well-being (WHO-5), mindfulness (MAAS, SMS), affect (PANAS), and life satisfaction (SWLS). We then conducted a controlled experiment (N=60) in a Warsaw city garden, comparing a 10-minute multisensory walk to a control activity, with mood and mindfulness assessed before and after the intervention.

Results indicate that districts rated higher in sensory quality—characterized by natural sounds, greenery, tranquility, and pleasant odors—had significantly higher scores on mindfulness, emotional well-being, and life satisfaction. Areas with dense, overstimulating urban features were associated with lower psychological outcomes. In the experiment, participants exposed to the multisensory walk reported significant increases in positive affect and state mindfulness compared to the control group.

These findings suggest that well-designed sensory environments can act as everyday therapeutic spaces supporting psychological resilience and subjective well-being. Urban planning implications include integrating sensory-rich elements such as vegetation, tactile surfaces, quiet zones, and natural soundscapes into city design. Promoting such environments may strengthen residents’ capacity for recovery, satisfaction with life, and day-to-day mental health. By prioritizing sensory quality, cities can become more mindful, inclusive, and supportive of collective well-being.

ABSTRACT. Grounded on Indigenous perspectives, this abstract explores how territorial relationships shape the experience of people’s well-being in areas impacted by the expansion of the agricultural frontier. Specifically, this study examines Indigenous perspectives on the socio-environmental transformations that took place in the state of Mato Grosso, located in Brazil’s Central-West region. These transformations unfolded within the broader framework of state-led initiatives under Getúlio Vargas’s administration (1937-1945) and the Brazilian Military Dictatorship (1964-1985), both of which actively promoted and subsidized the migration of non-Indigenous populations to Brazil’s western frontier, particularly into the Amazon region. Framed as efforts to integrate so-called “empty” or “uninhabited” territories into the Brazilian nation, these policies disregarded the ancestral occupation of these lands by Indigenous groups, including the A’uwẽ Uptabi Xavante. Currently located in the East and Northeast regions of Mato Grosso, these communities have seen their self-determination and ancestral relationship with the territory significantly disrupted by migratory flows, which have intensified land-related tensions and deepened local social inequalities. In seeking to understand the interplay between well-being and territorial belonging, this presentation engages with narratives of interethnic contact co-constructed by the A'uwẽ Uptabi Xavante peoples. To this end, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of publications that document the oral histories of the A’uwẽ Uptabi Xavante people of Mato Grosso, focusing on narratives and perceptions of socio-environmental transformations that shape a community-based notion of well-being. Our findings reveal that the local conceptions of well-being is deeply intertwined with the right to sustain traditional lifeways and to maintain rooted in ancestral territories. These territories are not merely physical spaces but serve as cultural anchors where myths and rituals gain tangible meaning. Geographic markers – such as the "river of the dead" – embody symbolic significance, reflecting the community’s experiences of deterritorialization following interethnic contact in the latter half of the 1940s. In conclusion, this presentation seeks to advance the understanding of well-being within intercultural contexts shaped by the expansion of agricultural frontiers, by examining the social, geographical, and historical dimensions that actively inform and influence its definition. In doing so, it reinforces the interconnections between well-being and territorial rights.

ABSTRACT. Do adverse economic conditions make us older? Age acceleration can be measured by epigenetic clocks, which compare an individual’s biological age to their chronological age. In a representative sample of UK adults from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) we related age acceleration to a number of aspects of poverty. Contemporaneous poverty, both in terms of incidence and intensity, is associated with faster aging. Using the panel aspect of the UKHLS, poverty scars: those who have been poor in the past also age faster, even if they are no longer in poverty. Last, the sequence of poverty spells matters, with past poverty being more strongly linked to biological age when the past poverty periods are linked together.

ABSTRACT. The literature on multidimensional well-being measurement grounded in the axiomatic–counting tradition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is expanding, yet it remains limited. Most studies utilise an extension of the dual cut-off, flexible measurement framework developed by Alkire and Foster (2011) to construct multidimensional indices using objective data on aspects of human well-being such as health, education, employment, housing and access to basic services. A smaller body of work explores the relationship between these multidimensional objective well-being measures and unidimensional subjective well-being measures related to life satisfaction or happiness. However, to date, there are no studies that employ the Alkire–Foster methodology to develop multidimensional subjective well-being measures or to examine their association with multidimensional objective well-being measures. This study draws on data from a specialised survey collected in late 2024 in Peru to develop two twin multidimensional well-being indices based on the Alkire–Foster method: a Multidimensional Objective Well-being Index (MOWI) and a Multidimensional Subjective Well-being Index (MSWI), covering six dimensions: health, education, employment, security, housing and access to basic services. While the MOWI operationalises each dimension using objective indicators, the MSWI relies on data on respondents’ satisfaction with each of these six dimensions. In doing so, the research helps to bridge the most recent literature on multidimensional well-being measurement with the literature on the subjective assessment of human well-being in LMICs.

ABSTRACT. The association between subjective wellbeing and macroeconomic conditions has been extensively studied across the social sciences, with most evidence stemming from the United States and Europe due to data constraints. This article explores trends (long-term tendencies) and fluctuations (short-term movements) of financial satisfaction and macroeconomic indicators in 17 Latin American countries during a period of great economic changes. We show that between 1996 and 2015, the trend in financial satisfaction was significantly negatively associated with the trend in the unemployment rate but it was not associated with the trends in the log of Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDP) or the inflation rate. In the short-term, financial satisfaction, the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, and the log of GDP per capita move together. This study demonstrates that unemployment is the key macroeconomic indicator to tackle long-term financial satisfaction and thus likely improve citizens’ overall wellbeing.

ABSTRACT. Finland has been recognised as the happiest country in the world for several consecutive years, yet this overall wellbeing is happening alongside the growing population diversity due to rising migration. Although Finland provides universal healthcare access regardless of citizenship, migrants have been found to use healthcare services less than the general population. Existing research on migrant healthcare has largely focused on larger migrant groups, while evidence on smaller migrant communities remains limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the healthcare experiences of Nepali migrants, a small but rapidly growing community in Finland. The study is based on qualitative interviews conducted with 27 Nepali migrants in 2023. The findings identify several barriers affecting healthcare use, including limited knowledge of local languages, restricted digital skills, and differences in medical culture. The increasing digitalisation of healthcare services has created additional challenges for migrants. Family members and transnational healthcare practices emerged as key facilitators of healthcare access and functioned as coping strategies. The findings indicate that language support, digital skill development, and greater cultural consideration within healthcare services are necessary to improve equality in healthcare access and outcomes for all residents.

ABSTRACT. What if community assessments did not just sit on a shelf—but sparked real change? Too often, community assessments stop at description: a snapshot of conditions that informs discussion but fails to shift decisions, investments, or systems. Yet when designed with intention, community assessments can do far more. They can build shared understanding grounded in credible data, elevate lived experience alongside traditional indicators, align cross-sector partners around common priorities, and translate complex findings into clear, actionable direction for policy, funding, and continuous improvement.

This session presents a practical, equity-centered framework for community assessment that moves beyond one-time reporting toward ongoing learning and action. Grounded in participatory design, rigorous and disaggregated data analysis, and accessible communication, this approach centers communities as co-creators of knowledge rather than subjects of study. It emphasizes assessment as a process—not just a product—capable of shifting power, strengthening accountability, and sustaining systems change over time.

Using four real-world examples from California, we will illustrate how equity-centered assessments have been used to move stakeholders from debate to decision and from awareness to action:

1) Santa Cruz County’s Community Assessment Project transformed more than 25 years of trend data into a biennial community benchmark, creating a shared reference point for tracking quality-of-life outcomes and guiding cross-sector priorities.

2) The Black Health Matters Spotlight in Santa Cruz County elevated the lived experiences of Black and African American residents, pairing qualitative insight with disaggregated data to inform more equitable strategies for improving health and well-being.

3) The Silicon Valley Latino Report Card tracked Latino quality-of-life indicators over more than a decade, providing advocates, funders, and policymakers with a trusted evidence base to drive investment and structural change.

4) Stanislaus County’s Focus on Prevention Community Assessment bridged pre- and post-pandemic realities, helping local leaders reset countywide prevention priorities in response to shifting needs and inequities.

Across these cases, participants will see how assessments can function as alignment tools—clarifying shared goals, focusing limited resources, and supporting continuous improvement across complex systems. The session will highlight concrete strategies for co-designing assessments with communities, disaggregating data to surface inequities, and delivering findings in formats that are accessible, credible, and usable by decision-makers.

Attendees will leave with practical insights into how equity-centered community assessments can convert data into action—ensuring that the time, resources, and trust invested in assessment lead to meaningful and sustained community change.

ABSTRACT. Community well-being (CWB) is a construct for understanding collective “wellness” of a neighborhood, town, city or region. Many aspects of CWB have long been a part of community development planning scholarship and practice. Considering CWB along with culture can bring impactful considerations and connections. Community well-being centers on understanding of community and fulfilling the needs and desires of its members. It embraces a wide range of economic, social, environmental, political, cultural dimensions. It is embedded with multidimensional values including economic, social and environmental aspects impacting people and how well their community operates.

Culture can be considered as a "living thing" - changing and adapting through time. It can represent entire ways of life, including rules, values, expected behaviors and artistic and creative expressions. While culture definitely varies from place to place - even in the smallest localities it is a motivating factor in the creation of identity. Culture can also serve as a basis for creating cohesion and solidarity in working towards desired community planning and well-being outcomes. Culture, when examined in the context of community well-being and development shapes individual and community identity.

This presentation centers on presenting constructs to address the following questions, providing examples from Latin America to highlight insights: (1) How do CWB and culture relate, and are there applicable constructs that are effective in understanding and applying in scholarship and practice? (2) More importantly, can bringing together aspects of culture —including artistic and creative expressions— and community well-being in community level development processes and practices enable higher quality of life, happiness, connectedness, and other desirable development outcomes?

Sources: Giraldez-Hayes, A., Seligman, M., & Burke, J. (Eds.). (2025). Routledge International Handbook of Wellbeing Arts: Arts and Everyday Aesthetics as Positive Psychology Interventions. Routledge. Hetland, L., & Kelley, C. (2021). Visual arts and community well-being. In L. Tay & J. O. Pawelski (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of the positive humanities (pp. 335–349). Oxford University Press. Page-Reeves, J. M. (Ed.). (2019). Well-being as a multidimensional concept: Understanding connections among culture, community, and health (Anthropology of well-being: Individual, community, society). Lexington Books. Patrick, V. M., Peracchio, L. A., & Townsend, C. (Eds.). (2019). Everyday consumer aesthetics: Transformative directions for aesthetics in everyday life [Special issue]. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.1086/705023

ABSTRACT. (Please note two students of Dr. Rhonda Phillips, FAICP, President and Dr. Argelia Gonzalez Hurtado, Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, will work with both professors to prepare their presentation. Students will be selected by November 15th and will register for guided research class with the professors in January).

This presentation focuses on a review of how individual happiness and community well-being are inextricably linked. Connecting to others is the main, central way to foster well-being and happiness at both the individual and community levels. Research shows that people are happier when they belong to or are connected to a community. “Connectedness as reflected in the quality of relationships, trust, and collaboration among individuals, groups, and institutions within a community is one of the most critical components of successful community development” (Muia, 2025). They are even happier when communities are doing well and natural environment is accessible and healthy, along with other dimensions of local areas (Phillips and Several of these dimensions will be discussed, along with the primary focus of connection.

Building on the idea of connectedness as a central core tenant of community well-being and development, case studies are presented illustrating how this makes a difference in influencing outcomes. Data from a long-running happiness survey – the Happiness Index - will be presented for individual and collective well-being (Happiness Alliance, 2025), along with insights from the case study community level examples.

Sources:

Daniel Muia, Trustee for Sub-Sahara Africa, International Association for Community Development; Sr. Lecturer, Kenyatta University, Kenya, “Community Connectedness” in R. Phillips and R. Pittman (forthcoming 2026), Introduction to Community Development, 3rd Edition, London: Routledge. Laura Musikanski, Executive Director, Happiness Alliance, Seattle Washington, https://www.happycounts.org/take-the-happiness-survey.html.

ABSTRACT. (Please note that two students will be selected to work with both professors in a guided research class starting in January, selection will be finalized November 15th and names shared).

This presentation focuses on results of a scan of new technologies and tools that can be used as approaches for ascertaining individual happiness and well-being. As AI technologies continually emerge and are being integrated into practices for gathering insights, data and information, we present some of the implications for measuring individual happiness. Surveys, quizzes, and tests are only a click away, with new intriguing approaches emerging rapidly. How do these things influence us, especially young people who may be vulnerable or unduly concerned with “results” from these tools? What are the more valid approaches integrating AI that can be used in effective ways?

While emerging technologies are proliferating, we must consider the impacts on individual happiness and well-being. Both to gauge these aspects as useful tools for better understanding individual happiness and well-being and at the same time, consider the implications including unintended consequences of the tools and technologies. As some concerned researchers have been pointing out, there are negative implications to consider such as impaired cognitive abilities (Anderson and Rainie, 2018) and threats we may not yet fully understand (Phillips, et al., 2020). We will explore both positive and negative influences on individual well-being of new technologies gleaned from our scan.

Sources:

Anderson , J. and Rainie, L. (2018). “Concerns about the future of people’s well-being,” Pew Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/04/17/concerns-about-the-future-of-peoples-well-being/. Phillips, R., Musikanski, L., Manson, M., Bradbury, J., Frazier, L., Rakova, B., DePalma, N., and Smart, A. (2020). Introduction to the Special Issue: Intersections of Artificial Intelligence and Community Well-Being. International Journal of Community Well-Being. 3(4): 425–435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-020-00099-y

ABSTRACT. Realizamos un estudio transversal con una muestra de 632 personas. La muestra se obtuvo en un formato de bola de nieve. Los datos se analizaron con estadística descriptiva, análisis de clúster, prueba t y ANCOVA. En general, encontramos que tanto los dominios de la vida orientados al colectivismo como al individualismo predicen la satisfacción con la vida, que la familia inmediata y los propios individuos tienen una influencia indistinguible en los juicios de satisfacción con la vida, y que un perfil cultural con mayores niveles de colectivismo e individualismo horizontales se asocia más fuertemente con tres medidas de bienestar: Satisfacción con la vida, Escalera de Cantril y felicidad. Nuestros resultados resaltan que el colectivismo y el individualismo no son una dicotomía, sino que ambos son importantes para entender el bienestar en México, aunque, eso sí, la horizontalidad es más propicia para el bienestar que la verticalidad.

ABSTRACT. This article explores the relationship between individuals’ satisfaction with their social life and global life satisfaction during periods of economic prosperity and crisis, using data from the Panel of Social Inequalities in Catalonia, Spain (PaD 2001-2012). The study also investigates how this relationship varies across different social origins. Catalonia is a pertinent context due to its significant increase in inequality and unemployment during the 2008 Economic Crisis, positioning it among the most affected regions in Europe. The findings reveal that satisfaction with one’s social life matters for global life satisfaction, even after accounting for individual and macro characteristics. However, contrary to the initial expectations, the study demonstrates that satisfaction with one’s social life becomes less influential for global life satisfaction during the macroeconomic crisis, particularly among individuals from middle and low social origins. Furthermore, while a strong positive relationship exists between satisfaction with one’s social life and global life satisfaction during times of economic prosperity for all social groups, a robust negative relationship emerges in periods of macroeconomic crisis for individuals from high social origins. The article offers several potential explanations for these findings.

ABSTRACT. La paradoja latinoamericana de la felicidad, es decir, el hecho de que los latinoamericanos se declaren significativamente más felices de lo que cabría esperar según sus condiciones objetivas de vida y la calidad societal de sus países, ha sido corroborada empíricamente de múltiples formas desde que Gallup, en 1976, observara esta especie de “anomalía” en un estudio global sobre felicidad.

Pese al amplio consenso existente sobre el hecho en sí, subsisten en la academia evidentes disensos en cuanto a las potenciales explicaciones. En esta ponencia se abordan tres tipos de problemas que plantea la paradoja: metodológicos, teóricos y normativos. En el plano metodológico, se cuestiona la fiabilidad de las escalas convencionales con las que se miden y analizan los niveles de felicidad (Escala de Cantril; Satisfacción con la vida; y Escala de felicidad). Estos modelos de medición están afectados por patrones y sesgos culturales a la hora de responder. Utilizando el Índice de Bienestar Emocional (IBE), y la estructura afectiva del bienestar emocional en México y Uruguay, comparada con la de España y Europa, se identifican cuatro pautas latinoamericanas distintivas que podrían contribuir a explicar esta paradoja. Por ejemplo, existe una elevadísima propensión a elegir en las respuestas la categoría más alta de la escala numérica, el “10”, lo que sin duda altera los resultados estadísticos. Si las hipótesis que proponemos fueran ciertas, los análisis de felicidad convencionales que conocemos estarían sobreestimando el grado real de felicidad de los latinoamericanos.

La ponencia propone una necesaria discusión académica sobre cuatro hipótesis relacionadas con esta paradoja. a) hipótesis de la emocionalidad asimétrica, o tendencia a reportar abiertamente en mayor medida emociones positivas, como el contento y la alegría, que negativas, como la ansiedad o la tristeza. b) hipótesis del orgullo y fortaleza del Yo, o de los relativamente altos niveles de autoestima y optimismo, así como de la mayor consideración que se otorga a la persona sobre las condiciones objetivas de su situación. c) hipótesis de la comparación social descendente, o tendencia a tomar como grupo de referencia en la evaluación del nivel de felicidad propio aquellas personas o colectivos que se encuentran en una situación bastante peor que la nuestra. Y d) hipótesis de la cantidad y calidad de las relaciones sociales, que no cuestiona que la felicidad medida sea más alta que la real, sino que la explica por el hecho de que la bondad de los vínculos relacionales en Latinoamérica compensa las peores condiciones materiales y de vida que experimentan las personas.

La ponencia también subraya la necesidad de promover un debate político sobre las implicaciones sociales que tiene seguir manteniendo la creencia de que el nivel de felicidad de los latinoamericanos es realmente alto, a pesar de su menor calidad de vida y de los evidentes déficits en su calidad societal e institucional. Creer que la realidad latinoamericana concuerda con su verdadero potencial alimenta un clima emocional de resignación y de conformismo con el statu quo que cercena las motivaciones requeridas para el impulso colectivo del progreso social.

Referencia: Bericat, E., & Acosta, M. J. (2021). La paradoja latinoamericana de la felicidad. Consideraciones teórico-metodológicas. Revista Mexicana De Sociología, 83(3), 709–743. https://doi.org/10.22201/iis.01882503p.2021.3.60137

ABSTRACT. We present a bibliometric analysis of academic literature on human flourishing authored by Latin American scholars between 2000 and 2023. Data were collected through keyword searches in titles, abstracts, and full texts in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. The selected keywords reflect a broad conceptualization of human flourishing. The resulting database comprises approximately 320,000 documents. To organize and interpret this information, three analytical dimensions were applied: production (number of documents), influence (number of citations), and relevance (keyword occurrence). Together, these dimensions constitute the Flourishing Research Indicator (FRI). The results include the number and type of publications by country and at the regional level, the academic institutions contributing most to this field, and variations in publication trends by language. The analysis also reveals limited intraregional collaboration and maps the thematic evolution of research on human flourishing in Latin America over time.

ABSTRACT. El estudio de florecimiento humano en México y Colombia revela diversas tendencias e implicaciones contextuales en ambos países. En México, con una base de datos de más de 33,000 publicaciones relacionadas, las áreas predominantes incluyen la calidad de vida y salud, sostenibilidad y medio ambiente, pobreza y bienestar económico, psicología del bienestar, y educación. Instituciones como la UNAM y el Tecnológico de Monterrey lideran la investigación. Las barreras para que haya más investigación en estas áreas incluyen financiamiento limitado y poca colaboración interinstitucional. Temas emergentes abarcan el rol de la interdependencia y el cuidado social, la equidad de género, el impacto de la tecnología en el bienestar, y diversidad cultural, con énfasis en perspectivas indígenas.

En Colombia, la investigación sobre florecimiento humano se contextualiza por su condición de país post-conflicto y altos niveles de desigualdad. Se investigó más de 25,000 documentos en la base de datos, con temas recurrentes en bienestar, felicidad, calidad de vida, salud, derechos humanos, y sostenibilidad. Universidades como la Universidad de Antioquia y la Universidad de los Andes destacan en producción académica. La investigación se caracteriza por su fuerte compromiso social, interdisciplinariedad, y colaboración con comunidades marginadas. Las instituciones académicas se enfrentan a desafíos como financiamiento escaso y la necesidad de integrar el enfoque de florecimiento humano en las políticas públicas.

Ambos países destacan la necesidad de enfoques transdisciplinarios y colaboración interinstitucional para fortalecer la investigación. Se subraya la importancia de modelos de florecimiento humano adaptados al contexto regional, integrando el bienestar económico, salud, sostenibilidad, y compromiso comunitario. La limitación del uso del término "florecimiento humano" se compensa con el enfoque en bienestar y desarrollo humano, reflejando un compromiso con la mejora de condiciones de vida y la superación de desigualdades estructurales. México y Colombia presentan un potencial significativo para influir en la agenda académica y política sobre florecimiento humano, subrayando la resiliencia y la solidaridad comunitaria como pilares fundamentales.

ABSTRACT. Brasil es el mayor contribuyente a la producción académica sobre florecimiento humano en la región, con el 61% de los documentos. Este caso tiene un comportamiento diferente de los países de habla española por cuanto la mayor parte se publica en portugués, mientras ocurre lo contrario en México, Chile y Colombia. La variedad de temas que se encuentran en la investigación brasileña incluye algunas temáticas relativamente poco exploradas en la región, como la participación de la espiritualidad en el bienestar. En Chile se encuentran temas alineados con las tendencias dominantes a nivel internacional, con una perspectiva predominante individualista, en contraste con la importancia que tienen perspectivas más sociales del bienestar que se encuentran en otros países de la región.

ABSTRACT. En América Latina, los estudios de calidad de vida, florecimiento humano y bienestar han crecido en relevancia, pero en México persisten barreras que limitan su impacto social y académico, y su consolidación como campo articulado de investigación. Como parte del proyecto Mapeo del Florecimiento Humano, el equipo mexicano–liderado por Enrique Tamés y Alberto Hernández Baqueiro–realizó un análisis bibliométrico y una serie de entrevistas con expertos mexicanos en estos temas para generar una radiografía del ecosistema de investigación en el país. Los hallazgos muestran un panorama con logros, pero también con desafíos. No sólo identifica a los principales investigadores y temas, sino también las instituciones involucradas y las revistas en las que se publican. En esta ponencia, discutiré parte de los resultados en México y los compararé con los del resto de Latinoamérica, para identificar los obstáculos que enfrenta la investigación sobre estos temas en México y cómo superarlos. Los obstáculos se pueden dividir en ejes: 1) Falta de financiamiento 2) Distorsiones en los incentivos, 3) Aislamiento disciplinar, 3) Limitantes teóricas y conceptuales. A partir de dicho análisis, plantearé una serie de propuestas para superar los obstáculos, entre ellas: la modificación de criterios de productividad por parte del SNII, la creación de una revista nacional en español, generación de marcos conceptuales, creación de espacios académicos y programas educativos integrales. Estas propuestas buscan consolidar un campo robusto y sinérgico, capaz de responder a los retos nacionales y de posicionar a México como un referente en el diálogo latinoamericano e internacional sobre calidad de vida, bienestar y florecimiento humano.