Routledge History of Happiness

Unmatched in originality, breadth, and scope, The Routledge History of Happiness features chapters that explore the history, anthropology, and psychology of happiness across the globe.

Through a chronological approach that ranges from the Classical and Postclassical to the twenty-first century, this volume balances intellectual-history treatments and wider efforts to deal with relevant popular culture and experience, including consumerism. It explores how and why the history of happiness has emerged in recent decades, as well as psychological and social science approaches to happiness, with a history of how relevant psychological research has unfolded. Chapters examine early cultural traditions concerning happiness, including material on Buddhist and Chinese traditions, and how they continue to influence ideas about happiness in the present day. Overall, each section emphasises wide geographical coverage, with particular attention paid to East Asia, Latin America, Europe, Russia, and Africa.

The Routledge History of Happiness is of great use to all undergraduates, postgraduates, and scholars interested in the global history of emotions.

Katie Barclay is Head of Historical and Classical Studies and Co-Director of the Fay Gale Centre for Research on Gender, University of Adelaide. She writes widely on the history of emotions, gender and family life. Her recent publications include Caritas: Neighbourly Love and the Early Modern Self (2021) and with Leanne Downing, Emotions, Memes and the Making of History (2023).

Darrin M. McMahon is the David W. Little Class of 1944 Professor and Chair of the Department History at Dartmouth College and the author or editor of eight books, including Happiness: A History (2006), History and Human Flourishing (2023), and most recently, Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea (2023).

Peter N. Stearns is a Distinguished University Professor of History at George Mason University. He has written widely about the history of emotion and a variety of topics in world history, including a short book on Happiness in World History (2021). With a colleague, he is currently completing a history of contemporary American childhood.