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Happiness and Place: Why Life Is Better Outside of the City
by Adam Okulicz-KozarynThis book is about places - cities, suburbs and towns - and happiness of people living there. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, Okulicz-Kozaryn examines the relations between human happiness and the infrastructure of the places they live. This thought-provoking book argues for the overlooked idea that we are happiest in smaller areas.
Happiness and the Good Life
by Mike W. MartinWhat is happiness? How is it related to morality and virtue? Does living with illusion promote or diminish happiness? Is it better to pursue happiness with a partner than alone? Philosopher Mike W. Martin addresses these and other questions as he connects the meaning of happiness with the philosophical notion of "the good life."
Happiness and the Good Life
by Mike W. MartinWhat is happiness? How is it related to morality and virtue? Does living with illusion promote or diminish happiness? Is it better to pursue happiness with a partner than alone? Philosopher Mike W. Martin addresses these and other questions as he connects the meaning of happiness with the philosophical notion of "the good life."
Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success
by Jessica Pryce-JonesSharing the results of her four-year research journey in simple, jargon-free language, Pryce-Jones exposes the secrets of being happy at work. Focuses on what happiness really means in a work context and why it matters to individuals and organisations in both human and financial terms Equips readers with the information, knowledge and skills to make the most of the nearly 100,000 hours that they'll spend at work over a lifetime Demystifies psychological research through a fascinating array of anecdotes, case studies, and interviews from people in the trenches of the working world, including business world-leaders, politicians, particle physicists, and philosophers, sheep farmers, waitresses, journalists, teachers, and lawyers, to name just a few
Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success
by Jessica Pryce-JonesSharing the results of her four-year research journey in simple, jargon-free language, Pryce-Jones exposes the secrets of being happy at work. Focuses on what happiness really means in a work context and why it matters to individuals and organisations in both human and financial terms Equips readers with the information, knowledge and skills to make the most of the nearly 100,000 hours that they'll spend at work over a lifetime Demystifies psychological research through a fascinating array of anecdotes, case studies, and interviews from people in the trenches of the working world, including business world-leaders, politicians, particle physicists, and philosophers, sheep farmers, waitresses, journalists, teachers, and lawyers, to name just a few
Happiness by Design: Finding Pleasure and Purpose in Everyday Life
by Paul DolanAs a Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics, Dolan conducts original research into the measurement of happiness and its causes and consequences, including the effects of our behaviour. Here he creates a new outlook on the pursuit of happiness - it's not just how you feel, it's how you act. Happiness by Design shows that being happier requires us to actively re-design our immediate environment. Enough has been written on how to think happy. Happiness by Design is about how to behave happy and how to incorporate the most recent research findings into our everyday lives.
The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After Midlife
by Jonathan RauchThis book will change your life by showing you how life changes. Why does happiness get harder in your 40s? Why do you feel in a slump even when you're successful? Where does this malaise come from? And, most importantly, will it ever end?Drawing on cutting-edge research, award-winning journalist Jonathan Rauch answers all these questions. He shows that from our 20s into our 40s, happiness follows a well-documented U-shaped trajectory, a "happiness curve", declining from the optimism of youth into what's often a long, low trough in middle age, before starting to rise again in our 50s.This isn't a midlife crisis, though. Rauch reveals that this downturn is instead a natural stage of life – and an essential one. By shifting priorities away from competition and toward compassion, you can equip yourself with new tools of wisdom and gratitude to head positively into your later years.And Rauch can testify to this personally – it was his own slump, despite acclaim as a journalist and commentator that compelled him to investigate the happiness curve. His own story and the stories of many others from all walks of life – from a steelworker and a limo driver to a telecoms executive and a philanthropist – show how the ordeal of midlife malaise can reboot our values and even our brains for a rebirth of gratitude.Full of insights and eye-opening data, and featuring practical ways to endure the dip and avoid its perils and traps, The Happiness Curve doesn't just show you the dark forest of midlife, it helps you find a path through the trees.
The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After Midlife (Berg New Media Ser.)
by Jonathan RauchThis book will change your life by showing you how life changes. Why does happiness get harder in your 40s? Why do you feel in a slump even when you're successful? Where does this malaise come from? And, most importantly, will it ever end?Drawing on cutting-edge research, award-winning journalist Jonathan Rauch answers all these questions. He shows that from our 20s into our 40s, happiness follows a well-documented U-shaped trajectory, a "happiness curve", declining from the optimism of youth into what's often a long, low trough in middle age, before starting to rise again in our 50s.This isn't a midlife crisis, though. Rauch reveals that this downturn is instead a natural stage of life – and an essential one. By shifting priorities away from competition and toward compassion, you can equip yourself with new tools of wisdom and gratitude to head positively into your later years.And Rauch can testify to this personally – it was his own slump, despite acclaim as a journalist and commentator that compelled him to investigate the happiness curve. His own story and the stories of many others from all walks of life – from a steelworker and a limo driver to a telecoms executive and a philanthropist – show how the ordeal of midlife malaise can reboot our values and even our brains for a rebirth of gratitude.Full of insights and eye-opening data, and featuring practical ways to endure the dip and avoid its perils and traps, The Happiness Curve doesn't just show you the dark forest of midlife, it helps you find a path through the trees.
The Happiness Effect: How Social Media is Driving a Generation to Appear Perfect at Any Cost
by Donna FreitasSexting. Cyberbullying. Narcissism. Social media has become the dominant force in young people's lives, and each day seems to bring another shocking tale of private pictures getting into the wrong hands, or a lament that young people feel compelled to share their each and every thought with the entire world. Have smartphones and social media created a generation of self-obsessed egomaniacs? Absolutely not, Donna Freitas argues in this provocative book. And, she says, these alarmist fears are drawing attention away from the real issues that young adults are facing. Drawing on a large-scale survey and interviews with students on thirteen college campuses, Freitas finds that what young people are overwhelmingly concerned with--what they really want to talk about--is happiness. They face enormous pressure to look perfect online--not just happy, but blissful, ecstatic, and fabulously successful. Unable to achieve this impossible standard, they are anxious about letting the less-than-perfect parts of themselves become public. Far from wanting to share everything, they are brutally selective when it comes to curating their personal profiles, and worry obsessively that they might unwittingly post something that could come back to haunt them later in life. Through candid conversations with young people from diverse backgrounds, Freitas reveals how even the most well-adjusted individuals can be stricken by self-doubt when they compare their experiences with the vast collective utopia that they see online. And sometimes, as on anonymous platforms like Yik Yak, what they see instead is a depressing cesspool of racism and misogyny. Yet young people are also extremely attached to their smartphones and apps, which sometimes bring them great pleasure. It is very much a love-hate relationship. While much of the public's attention has been focused on headline-grabbing stories, the everyday struggles and joys of young people have remained under the radar. Freitas brings their feelings to the fore, in the words of young people themselves. The Happiness Effect is an eye-opening window into their first-hand experiences of social media and its impact on them.
The Happiness Effect: How Social Media is Driving a Generation to Appear Perfect at Any Cost
by Donna FreitasSexting. Cyberbullying. Narcissism. Social media has become the dominant force in young people's lives, and each day seems to bring another shocking tale of private pictures getting into the wrong hands, or a lament that young people feel compelled to share their each and every thought with the entire world. Have smartphones and social media created a generation of self-obsessed egomaniacs? Absolutely not, Donna Freitas argues in this provocative book. And, she says, these alarmist fears are drawing attention away from the real issues that young adults are facing. Drawing on a large-scale survey and interviews with students on thirteen college campuses, Freitas finds that what young people are overwhelmingly concerned with--what they really want to talk about--is happiness. They face enormous pressure to look perfect online--not just happy, but blissful, ecstatic, and fabulously successful. Unable to achieve this impossible standard, they are anxious about letting the less-than-perfect parts of themselves become public. Far from wanting to share everything, they are brutally selective when it comes to curating their personal profiles, and worry obsessively that they might unwittingly post something that could come back to haunt them later in life. Through candid conversations with young people from diverse backgrounds, Freitas reveals how even the most well-adjusted individuals can be stricken by self-doubt when they compare their experiences with the vast collective utopia that they see online. And sometimes, as on anonymous platforms like Yik Yak, what they see instead is a depressing cesspool of racism and misogyny. Yet young people are also extremely attached to their smartphones and apps, which sometimes bring them great pleasure. It is very much a love-hate relationship. While much of the public's attention has been focused on headline-grabbing stories, the everyday struggles and joys of young people have remained under the radar. Freitas brings their feelings to the fore, in the words of young people themselves. The Happiness Effect is an eye-opening window into their first-hand experiences of social media and its impact on them.
Happiness for All?: Unequal Hopes and Lives in Pursuit of the American Dream
by Carol GrahamHow the optimism gap between rich and poor is creating an increasingly divided societyThe Declaration of Independence states that all people are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and that among these is the pursuit of happiness. But is happiness available equally to everyone in America today? How about elsewhere in the world? Carol Graham draws on cutting-edge research linking income inequality with well-being to show how the widening prosperity gap has led to rising inequality in people's beliefs, hopes, and aspirations.For the United States and other developed countries, the high costs of being poor are most evident not in material deprivation but rather in stress, insecurity, and lack of hope. The result is an optimism gap between rich and poor that, if left unchecked, could lead to an increasingly divided society. Graham reveals how people who do not believe in their own futures are unlikely to invest in them, and how the consequences can range from job instability and poor education to greater mortality rates, failed marriages, and higher rates of incarceration. She describes how the optimism gap is reflected in the very words people use—the wealthy use words that reflect knowledge acquisition and healthy behaviors, while the words of the poor reflect desperation, short-term outlooks, and patchwork solutions. She also explains why the least optimistic people in America are poor whites, not poor blacks or Hispanics.Happiness for All? highlights the importance of well-being measures in identifying and monitoring trends in life satisfaction and optimism—and misery and despair—and demonstrates how hope and happiness can lead to improved economic outcomes.
Happiness for All?: Unequal Hopes and Lives in Pursuit of the American Dream
by Carol GrahamHow the optimism gap between rich and poor is creating an increasingly divided societyThe Declaration of Independence states that all people are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and that among these is the pursuit of happiness. But is happiness available equally to everyone in America today? How about elsewhere in the world? Carol Graham draws on cutting-edge research linking income inequality with well-being to show how the widening prosperity gap has led to rising inequality in people's beliefs, hopes, and aspirations.For the United States and other developed countries, the high costs of being poor are most evident not in material deprivation but rather in stress, insecurity, and lack of hope. The result is an optimism gap between rich and poor that, if left unchecked, could lead to an increasingly divided society. Graham reveals how people who do not believe in their own futures are unlikely to invest in them, and how the consequences can range from job instability and poor education to greater mortality rates, failed marriages, and higher rates of incarceration. She describes how the optimism gap is reflected in the very words people use—the wealthy use words that reflect knowledge acquisition and healthy behaviors, while the words of the poor reflect desperation, short-term outlooks, and patchwork solutions. She also explains why the least optimistic people in America are poor whites, not poor blacks or Hispanics.Happiness for All? highlights the importance of well-being measures in identifying and monitoring trends in life satisfaction and optimism—and misery and despair—and demonstrates how hope and happiness can lead to improved economic outcomes.
The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom
by Jonathan HaidtThe bestselling author of The Righteous Mind and The Coddling of the American Mind draws on philosophical wisdom and scientific research to show how the meaningful life is closer than you thinkThe Happiness Hypothesis is a book about ten Great Ideas. Each chapter is an attempt to savor one idea that has been discovered by several of the world's civilizations -- to question it in light of what we now know from scientific research, and to extract from it the lessons that still apply to our modern lives and illuminate the causes of human flourishing. Award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the author of The Righteous Mind and The Coddling of the American Mind, shows how a deeper understanding of the world's philosophical wisdom and its enduring maxims -- like "do unto others as you would have others do unto you," or "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" -- can enrich and even transform our lives.
The Happiness Index: Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success
by Matt PhelanLearn to reconnect your brain and heart to find happiness and engagement at work and in life In The Happiness Index: Why Today's Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success, cofounder and CEO of The Happiness Index Matthew Phelan delivers a fascinating dive into data from over 100 countries and 2 million human beings that helps us understand what really drives our engagement and happiness at work. Grounded in an evidence-based and neuroscientific approach, the book skips the memes and inspirational quotes in favor of data and insights based on real-time information from real people. In the book, you’ll learn that “engagement” is what our brains need, and “happiness” is what our hearts need. You’ll discover what we need to thrive and succeed in work and life, as well as: A step-by-step approach to learning from real-world data about happiness Practical lessons applicable to any organization that will help both individuals and groups succeed Case studies from recognizable firms around the world and interviews with executives to help bring the data to life A simultaneously inspirational and hands-on treatment of a subject of singular importance to everyone in the working world, The Happiness Index will benefit executives, managers, and other business leaders, as well as founders, business owners, and anyone else interested in helping the people around them flourish.
The Happiness Index: Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success
by Matt PhelanLearn to reconnect your brain and heart to find happiness and engagement at work and in life In The Happiness Index: Why Today's Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success, cofounder and CEO of The Happiness Index Matthew Phelan delivers a fascinating dive into data from over 100 countries and 2 million human beings that helps us understand what really drives our engagement and happiness at work. Grounded in an evidence-based and neuroscientific approach, the book skips the memes and inspirational quotes in favor of data and insights based on real-time information from real people. In the book, you’ll learn that “engagement” is what our brains need, and “happiness” is what our hearts need. You’ll discover what we need to thrive and succeed in work and life, as well as: A step-by-step approach to learning from real-world data about happiness Practical lessons applicable to any organization that will help both individuals and groups succeed Case studies from recognizable firms around the world and interviews with executives to help bring the data to life A simultaneously inspirational and hands-on treatment of a subject of singular importance to everyone in the working world, The Happiness Index will benefit executives, managers, and other business leaders, as well as founders, business owners, and anyone else interested in helping the people around them flourish.
Happiness is the Wrong Metric: A Liberal Communitarian Response to Populism (Library of Public Policy and Public Administration #11)
by Amitai EtzioniThis book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.This timely book addresses the conflict between globalism and nationalism. It provides a liberal communitarian response to the rise of populism occurring in many democracies. The book highlights the role of communities next to that of the state and the market. It spells out the policy implications of liberal communitarianism for privacy, freedom of the press, and much else. In a persuasive argument that speaks to politics today from Europe to the United States to Australia, the author offers a compelling vision of hope. Above all, the book offers a framework for dealing with moral challenges people face as they seek happiness but also to live up to their responsibilities to others and the common good.At a time when even our most basic values are up for question in policy debates riddled with populist manipulation, Amitai Etzioni’s bold book creates a new frame which introduces morals and values back into applied policy questions. These questions span the challenges of jobless growth to the unanswered questions posed by the role of artificial intelligence in a wide range of daily life tasks and decisions. While not all readers will agree with the communitarian solutions that he proposes, many will welcome an approach that is, at its core, inclusive and accepting of the increasingly global nature of all societies at the same time. It is a must read for all readers concerned about the future of Western liberal democracy.Carol Graham, Leo Pasvolsky Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution and College Park Professor/University of MarylandIn characteristically lively, engaging, and provocative style Etzioni tackles many of the great public policy dilemmas that afflict us today. Arguing that we are trapped into a spiral of slavish consumerism, he proposes a form of liberal communitarian that, he suggests, will allow human beings to flourish in changing circumstances. Jonathan Wolff, Blavatnik Chair of Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
The Happiness Revolution: A Manifesto for Living Your Best Life
by Andy Cope Paul McGeeA new book by two of the biggest powerhouses in positive psychology and personal development – Dr Andy Cope and Professor Paul McGee Happiness. We chase it, we crave it…it’s so in demand… yet so scarce and fleeting. But here’s the good news. In The Happiness Revolution: A Manifesto For Living Your Best Life, bestselling authors Dr Andy Cope and Professor Paul McGee deliver a page-turning self-help book of the times, for the times. As the world wakes up to a new kind of normal, The Happiness Revolution challenges readers to sign up to an uprising of wellbeing and to making the most of the privilege of being on this planet. The book outlines a 10-point Happiness Manifesto. Grounded in the science of human flourishing and the reality of life, the principles are simple, do-able and above all make a difference not only to yourself but to others too. Let the fight back to mental wealth start right here. Welcome to global domination of the happiness kind! Discover: How to regain your sanity, clarity, and wellbeing, even when your smartphone, kids, spouse, job, and possessions seem to be conspiring to keep you from doing just that. Why it can be so hard to maintain a happy outlook when the outside world has never been so fast, complex, and unpredictable. How to be at your best in a world that is doing its worst. Happiness is the #1 thing you want for yourself and your family. The Happiness Revolution is an indispensable guide for everyone trying to live their best life and to spread some happiness whilst doing so. Rise Up and Be Happy! Vive la revolution!
The Happiness Revolution: A Manifesto for Living Your Best Life
by Andy Cope Paul McGeeA new book by two of the biggest powerhouses in positive psychology and personal development – Dr Andy Cope and Professor Paul McGee Happiness. We chase it, we crave it…it’s so in demand… yet so scarce and fleeting. But here’s the good news. In The Happiness Revolution: A Manifesto For Living Your Best Life, bestselling authors Dr Andy Cope and Professor Paul McGee deliver a page-turning self-help book of the times, for the times. As the world wakes up to a new kind of normal, The Happiness Revolution challenges readers to sign up to an uprising of wellbeing and to making the most of the privilege of being on this planet. The book outlines a 10-point Happiness Manifesto. Grounded in the science of human flourishing and the reality of life, the principles are simple, do-able and above all make a difference not only to yourself but to others too. Let the fight back to mental wealth start right here. Welcome to global domination of the happiness kind! Discover: How to regain your sanity, clarity, and wellbeing, even when your smartphone, kids, spouse, job, and possessions seem to be conspiring to keep you from doing just that. Why it can be so hard to maintain a happy outlook when the outside world has never been so fast, complex, and unpredictable. How to be at your best in a world that is doing its worst. Happiness is the #1 thing you want for yourself and your family. The Happiness Revolution is an indispensable guide for everyone trying to live their best life and to spread some happiness whilst doing so. Rise Up and Be Happy! Vive la revolution!
The Happiness Riddle and the Quest for a Good Life
by Mark CieslikThis book examines the meaning of happiness in Britain today, and observes that although we face challenges such as austerity, climate change and disenchantment with politics, we continue to be interested in happiness and living well. The author illustrates how happiness is a far more contested, social process than is often portrayed by economists and psychologists, and takes issue with sociologists who often regard wellbeing and the happiness industry with suspicion, whilst neglecting one of the key features of being human – the quest for a good life. Exploring themes that question what it means to be happy and live a good life in Britain today, such as the challenges young people face making their way through education and into their first jobs; work life-balance; mid-life crises; and old age, the book presents nineteen life stories that call for a far more critical and ambitious approach to happiness research that marries the radicalism of sociology, with recent advances in psychology and economics. This book will appeal to students and academics interested in wellbeing, happiness and quality of life and also those researching areas such as the life course, work-life balance, biographies, aging and youth studies.
Happiness, Technology and Innovation (SpringerBriefs in Well-Being and Quality of Life Research)
by Gaël Brulé Francis MunierThis book asks what kind of impacts innovations and technology have on subjective well-being and happiness. It presents the state of the art both in terms of results and theoretical questioning on these topics. It proposes a new concept: innovation that leads to greater happiness, and highlights new research in this area. In so doing, it addresses a less researched area in the field of well-being research. The authors state that notwithstanding the indisputable positive contributions of innovation and technology, there are also drawbacks, which need equal attention in research. This book is of interest to students and researchers of quality of life and well-being, as well as innovation research.
Happiness—Concept, Measurement and Promotion
by Yew-Kwang NgThis open access book defines happiness intuitively and explores several common conceptual mistakes with regard to happiness. It then moves on to address topical issues including, but not limited to, whether money can buy you happiness, why happiness is ultimately the only thing of intrinsic value, and the various factors important for happiness. It also presents a more reliable and interpersonally comparable method for measuring happiness and discusses twelve factors, from A to L, that are crucial for individual happiness: attitude, balance, confidence, dignity, engagement, family/friends, gratitude, health, ideals, joyfulness, kindness and love. Further, it examines important public policy considerations, taking into account recent advances in economics, the environmental sciences, and happiness studies. Novel issues discussed include: an environmentally responsible happy nation index to supplement GDP, the East Asian happiness gap, a case for stimulating pleasure centres of the brain, and an argument for higher public spending.
Happy Abortions: Our Bodies in the Era of Choice
by Erica Millar'A provocative and important book that every pro-choice advocate should read.'Sinéad Kennedy, Coalition to Repeal the 8th AmendmentWhen it comes to abortion, today's liberal climate has produced a common sense that is both pro-choice and anti-abortion. The public are fed an unchanging version of what the abortion choice entails and how women experience it. While it would prove highly unpopular to insist that all pregnant women should carry their pregnancy to term, the idea that abortion could or should be a happy experience for women is virtually unspeakable.In this careful and intelligent work, Erica Millar shows how the emotions of abortion are constructed in sharp contrast to the emotional position occupied by motherhood – the unassailable placeholder for women's happiness. Through an exposition of the cultural and political forces that continue to influence the decisions women make about their pregnancies – forces that are synonymous with the rhetoric of choice – Millar argues for a radical reinterpretation of women's freedom.
Happy Abortions: Our Bodies in the Era of Choice
by Erica Millar'A provocative and important book that every pro-choice advocate should read.'Sinéad Kennedy, Coalition to Repeal the 8th AmendmentWhen it comes to abortion, today's liberal climate has produced a common sense that is both pro-choice and anti-abortion. The public are fed an unchanging version of what the abortion choice entails and how women experience it. While it would prove highly unpopular to insist that all pregnant women should carry their pregnancy to term, the idea that abortion could or should be a happy experience for women is virtually unspeakable.In this careful and intelligent work, Erica Millar shows how the emotions of abortion are constructed in sharp contrast to the emotional position occupied by motherhood – the unassailable placeholder for women's happiness. Through an exposition of the cultural and political forces that continue to influence the decisions women make about their pregnancies – forces that are synonymous with the rhetoric of choice – Millar argues for a radical reinterpretation of women's freedom.
Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design
by Charles MontgomeryHappy City is the story of how the solutions to this century's problems - from climate change to overpopulation - lie in unlocking the secrets to great city living This is going to be the century of the city. But what actually makes a good city? Why, really, are some cities a joy to live in? As writer and journalist Charles Montgomery reveals, it's not how much money your neighbours earn, or how spectacular the views from your windows are, or even how pleasant the climate is that makes the most difference. Journeying to dozens of cities - from Atlanta to Bogotá to Vancouver - he talks to the new champions of the happy city to discover the progressive movements already transforming people's lives. He meets the visionary Colombian mayor who turned some of the world's most dangerous roads into an urban cycling haven; the Danish architect who brought the lessons of medieval Tuscan towns to modern-day Copenhagen; the New York City transport commissioner who made out of the gridlock of Times Square a place where people could lounge in the sun; and the Californian mother with the super-commute who completely rethought her idea of the suburban dream for the sake of her son's health. These urban trailblazers, as well as the many other planners, engineers, grass-roots campaigners and ordinary citizens, offer a wealth of surprising lessons for the rest of us. From how saying hello to your neighbours is just as important to your sense of trust as contact with close friends and family, and how living close to parks makes us smarter, kinder and reduces local crime rates, to the importance of the 'magic triangle' rule, Happy City shows thatsimple changes can make all the difference.Charles Montgomery is a journalist and urban experimentalist from Vancouver, Canada. His writings on urban planning, psychology, culture, and history have appeared in magazines and journals on three continents. He is the author of two previous books, and is a member of the BMW Guggenheim Lab team.
Happy City - How to Plan and Create the Best Livable Area for the People (EcoProduction)
by Anna Brdulak Halina BrdulakThis book presents multi-sector practical cases based on the author’s own research. It also includes the best practice, which could serve as a benchmark for the creation of smart cities. The global urbanisation index, i.e., the ratio of city dwellers to the total population, has been steadily increasing in recent years. It is highest in the Americas, followed by Europe, Asia and Africa. The city of the future will combine the intelligent use of IT systems with the potential of institutions, companies and committed, creative inhabitants. The administrative boundaries of today’s cities put certain constraints on their further growth, but in the future these boundaries will no longer be as relevant. Cities in Europe face the challenge of reconciling sustainable urban development and competitiveness – a challenge that will likely influence issues of urban quality such as the economy, culture, social and environmental conditions, changing a given city’s profile as well as urban quality in terms of its composition and characteristics.