Rethinking Human Flourishing In a Changing World: Lessons from Asia and Beyond

Recent developments in the study of human flourishing have challenged conventional assumptions that economic prosperity necessarily leads to better lives. Emerging evidence suggests that social relationships, meaning, community engagement, health, and material conditions interact in complex ways across diverse social and cultural contexts. This session explores how human flourishing can be conceptualized, measured, explained, and promoted in a turbulent world. While Asia serves as a central empirical focus, the session seeks to engage broader global debates by examining flourishing across different regions, cultures, and institutional settings.

We welcome theoretical, empirical (quantitative and qualitative), and methodological contributions addressing topics such as social relationships and social capital, loneliness and social isolation, family and intergenerational ties, religion and spirituality, community participation, health and well-being, inequality and social exclusion, aging societies, migration, and digital transformation. Papers on the measurement of flourishing, subjective well-being, and eudaimonic well-being—including issues of cultural validity, translation, and cross-national comparability—are especially encouraged. The session also welcomes practice-oriented contributions that examine policies, community initiatives, and clinical or applied sociological interventions to enhance quality of life and strengthen social connectedness.

By bringing together perspectives from social indicators research, clinical sociology, and related fields, this session aims to advance comparative and interdisciplinary understanding of human flourishing across diverse societies.