SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING AND HAPPINESS INSIDE A CITY REGION : URBAN VILLAGES AND GATED COMMUNITIES

Non peer reviewe

Geographies of wellbeing and development : Empirical analyses on the relationship between objective and subjective measures of wellbeing in Europe

This thesis investigates the cross-sectional association between different quantifiable societal dimensions that indicate spatially varying levels of wellbeing and development. The analysis is grounded in human geography but applies an explicitly interdisciplinary focus, combining theories and measures from economic geography, cultural studies, spatial economics, sociology and social psychology. In the empirical analyses, geographically referenced European Social Survey (ESS) data containing measures of subjective wellbeing (SWB) and human values were analysed together with objective indicators of economic performance on national and subnational scales. First, Paper I demonstrated that levels of ‘social trust’ and ‘social contact and support’, which indicate social wellbeing, and a sense of ‘competence and meaning’, which denotes personal wellbeing, are significant positive correlates with regional GDP after controlling for regional economic indicators and the spatial effects embedded in the data. Second, Paper II utilized the Human Values Scale in the ESS and studied the association between certain values and the level of economic performance. The paper demonstrated that the aggregate level of the value ‘self-direction’, which indicates independent thought, action and creativity, is a strong predictor of regional GDP. Paper II also addressed the question of rescaling and used welfare regimes as a relevant socio-historic framework of analysis. Paper III focused on the contextual effects of living in ‘Metropolitan Finland’. The results showed that the negative effect on life satisfaction of residing in the capital region of Finland is first compositional, as the population in ‘Metropolitan Finland’ is composed of individuals who appreciate the values of ‘power’ and ‘achievement’, which are themselves associated with lower life satisfaction. However, it is also contextual, as residing in the capital region moderates the positive wellbeing effect of socially focused values such as ‘benevolence’ and ‘conformity’. Finally, Paper IV added vertical detail to the intercept heterogeneity approach and asked whether changes in macroeconomic conditions, in the context of Ireland and its recent economic recession, are experienced differently in different socio-economic categories, i.e. classes. The results show that the effects of the economic crisis were not experienced equally within the population; rather, the lower strata (the lowest income quartile, manual workers and those with the lowest levels of education) were the most affected. Both the framework and results of this thesis offer new interdisciplinary insights into the geographies of subjective wellbeing and human values, a disciplinary interface that has largely remained unexplored. The results of this thesis are also relevant for regional policy-making that addresses spatial justice, territorial inequalities and uneven development. Furthermore, the findings concerning the negative wellbeing effect of metropolitan context merit attention in policies on ‘urban growth’, as they question the underlying values of such policies and their effectiveness for promoting wellbeing. Finally, the finding that macroeconomic changes have different wellbeing effects in different socio-economic layers resonates with the concept of ‘inclusive growth’, which involves promoting the distribution of opportunities and wellbeing to all segments of the population.Subjektiivisen eli koetun hyvinvoinnin mittaaminen on vakiintunut osaksi empiiristä hyvinvointitutkimusta ja koetun hyvinvoinnin mittareita hyödynnetään laajalti tieteenalakohtaisten tutkimuskysymysten empiirisessä tarkastelussa. Analysoidessaan erilaisten hyvinvointi- ja kehittyneisyysmittareiden alueellista yhteisvaihtelua tämä tutkimus sijoittuu osaksi tätä sosiaalitieteissä yleistynyttä suuntausta. Tutkimus hyödyntää erilaisia käsitteitä ja koetun hyvinvoinnin mittareita psykologiasta, sosiaalipsykologiasta sekä taloustieteestä mutta sen lähestymistapa on ensisijaisesti maantieteellinen. Empiirisesti tutkimus rakentuu subjektiivista eli koettua hyvinvointia mittaavan European Social Survey (ESS) kyselyaineiston sekä erilaisia objektiivisia taloudellisia indikaattoreita keräävän EUROSTAT:in tietokantojen varaan. Maantieteellinen näkökulma koettua hyvinvointia mittaavan kyselyaineiston tarkasteluun keskittyy joko väestön keskiarvoihin perustuvien alueellisten tasojen vertailuun, mahdollisten kontekstualisten vaikutusten analysointiin tai kysymykseen koetun hyvinvoinnin alueellisesta dynamiikasta (maantieteellinen keskittyminen tai klusteroituminen) eri aluetasoilla. Näitä kysymyksiä tarkasteltiin tässä väitöskirjatyössä neljässä erillisessä tutkimuksessa ja empiirisessä analyysissä. Ensimmäinen tutkimus käsitteli erilaisten sosiaalisten ja inhimillisten hyvinvointimittareiden yhteyttä alueen taloudelliseen tuottavuuteen (BKT) 24 eurooppalaisen maan osalta. Tutkimuksen mukaan sosiaalisella luottamuksella, kontakteilla ja tuella on regressionanalyysissä yhteys alueen taloudelliseen tuottavuuteen ja tämä yhteys on riippumaton erilaisista objektiivisista talousindikaattoreista ja alueiden tilallisesta autokorrelaatiosta. Inhimillisten hyvinvoinnin mittareiden osalta kompetenssin ja toimijuuden kokemuksella on vastaavanlainen yhteys taloudelliseen tuottavuuteen. Toinen tutkimus käsitteli erilaisten arvoulottuvuuksien yhteyttä taloudelliseen tuottavuuteen ja tulosten mukaan itseohjautuvuuden kokemisella on tähän positiivinen ja itsenäinen vaikutus, joka kuitenkin vaihtelee maantieteellisesti painottuen erityisesti Itä-Eurooppaan. Kolmas tutkimus pyrki erittelemään niin sanottua aluevaikutusta hyvinvoinnin kokemisessa keskittyen Suomeen ja erityisesti ”metropolikontekstiin” (Helsinki-Uusimaa), jossa keskimääräinen elämään tyytyväisyys koetaan kehittyneille maille tyypillisesti muuta maata alhaisempana. Kysymystä lähestyttiin alueellisen ”arvodissonanssi” käsitteen kautta olettaen että yksilön ja alueen välisellä arvo-orientaatio eroilla on negatiivinen vaikutus yksilön elämään tyytyväisyyteen. Tulosten mukaan metropolikontekstissa (Helsinki-Uusimaa) arvostetaan keskimääräistä enemmän suoriutumis- ja valta-arvoja, joilla on yksilötasolla negatiivinen yhteys elämään tyytyväisyyteen. Tämän lisäksi metropolikontekstilla on moderoiva vaikutus sosiaalisen arvofokuksen ja elämään tyytyväisyyden välisessä yhteydessä. Neljäs analyysi tarkasteli lyhyen aikavälin makrotaloudellisten muutosten vaikutusta elämään tyytyväisyyden sosioekonomiseen kerrostuneisuuteen. Tätä kysymystä tarkasteltiin kansallisessa kontekstissa keskittyen vuonna 2008 alkaneeseen taloudelliseen lamaan Irlannissa. Tulokset osoittavat että talouskriisillä on elämään tyytyväisyyden kerrostuneisuutta syventävä ja monisyistävä vaikutus siten että talouskriisin negatiivinen vaikutus elämään tyytyväisyyteen keskittyi alimpiin sosioekonomisiin luokkiin ja erityisesti alimpaan tulokvartaaliin. Tutkimusten tuloksilla sekä väitöskirjassa esitellyillä lähestymistavoilla koetun hyvinvoinnin maantieteelliseen tarkasteluun on yhteys useisiin keskeisiin yhteiskuntapolitiikan ja aluesuunnittelun kysymyksiin. Esimerkiksi alueellisen oikeudenmukaisuuden, kestävän kasvun ja sosiaalisen sekä alueellisen koheesion kannalta keskeistä on se miten makrotaloudelliset muutokset koetaan eri sosioekonomisissa ryhmissä eri aluetasoilla

Territorial Cohesion of What and Why? : The Challenge of Spatial Justice for EU’s Cohesion Policy

Over the past two decades, both academics and policy makers have discussed the meaning of territorial cohesion in the context of the European Union (EU). This debate on the meaning and content of territorial cohesion is becoming increasingly important in a Europe that is facing multiple crises. This article contributes to the literature on EU’s territorial cohesion policies by tracing the ways in which territorial cohesion has been defined, framed and justified as an EU policy. We analyse public speeches made by the acting commissioners for Regional Policy and inquire into the Cohesion Reports from 2004 to 2017 produced by the European Commission. In particular, we interrogate both the meaning of the concept of territorial cohesion and the justifications for pursuing territorial cohesion. We conclude with some critical remarks on the relevance of economic production-based definitions and justifications for territorial cohesion policies. Accordingly, we argue that treating macroeconomic production as an indicator of territorial cohesion harmfully consolidates a narrow understanding of societal wellbeing and development and imposes on all regions a one-dimensional economic scale to indicate their level of development.Peer reviewe

Towards plant-based food consumption practices : Activity focus group study

Currently there is an increasing global demand for plant-based foods. There has been a growing interest in decreasing meat consumption especially in Western countries, but the actual amount of consumed meat has not yet decreased. Hence, more information is needed about the change towards plant-based food consumption in the daily lives of consumers. The purpose of this research is to describe and analyse how young Finnish consumers perceive a change in their daily food consumption practices towards a plant-based diet. The focus is on barriers and drivers for the change. This thesis is philosophically based on social constructionism, which assumes that each consumer has their subjective perceptions, but these are constructed and shared in daily social interaction. The qualitative research data was generated through a focus group method, which was refined by adding food-related activities to it and renamed as an activity focus group. Four activity focus group sessions were held with altogether 13 participants. The theoretical framework was composed from the literature stream of social practice theory, focusing on change in consumption practices, as well as from previous research about barriers and drivers for consuming plant-based food. The change in food consumption practices was addressed through the emergent change in their three elements: material, image, and skill. The social nature of food consumption practices was also emphasized through addressing the role of social environment in the change. The barriers and drivers for the change that the participants perceived were associated with the three practice elements and the social environment. Material-related barriers and drivers focused on the availability and quality of plant-based foods. Image related findings stemmed from perceptions of meat and plant-based foods, and the positive characters and health benefits of a plant-based diet were highlighted as drivers. Skill-related issues were associated with the knowledge of plant-based foods and their cooking, and the gradual nature of the change towards a plant-based diet was emphasized in drivers. Social communities, such as households and work communities, as well as social conventions and shared meanings represented social barriers and drivers. With consumer insight companies can develop products that better meet consumer needs. The findings can assist especially the companies that produce plant-based foods by helping them to understand how consumers perceive the change in their daily food consumption practices towards a plant-based diet. In their marketing efforts, the companies can exploit the drivers and help consumers overcome the barriers

Socio-economic stratification of life satisfaction in Ireland during an economic recession : a repeated cross-sectional study using European Social Survey

Peer reviewe

Socioeconomic geography of climate change views in Europe

Climate change views have their socioeconomic foundations but also specific geographies. In merging these perspectives, this analysis uses ESS Round 8 data from 23 European countries to examine whether climate change scepticism and concern, pro-environmental personal norm and a willingness to engage in energy-saving behaviour exhibit, first, urban-rural and/or regional differences, and second, if these attitudes can be explained at individual level by socioeconomic position and wellbeing resources. We find that climate change scepticism and concern do exhibit urban-rural differences, where living in a country village is associated with greater climate scepticism and lower concern compared to living in a big city. Also, higher climate change concern and pro-environmental norms are associated with living in a region with constant population growth. These geographical differences are independent of individual-level socioeconomic attributes as well as one's political orientation. Additionally, the results show that both climate change attitudes and reporting energysaving behaviour are strongly stratified by level of education and reveal that those in lower income deciles feel less pro-environmental norm but nonetheless report greater engagement with energy-saving behaviour. In sum, the results highlight that climate change mitigation is not a uniform project either spatially or within certain socioeconomic strata. Hence, our results suggest that socioeconomic disadvantage (belonging to the lowest education and income levels) and spatial marginalisation (living in more rural surroundings and declining regions) should be better acknowledged when reworking climate change and environmental policies in the EU.Peer reviewe