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Focusing on the contemporary notion of happiness, especially that popularized and defended by positive psychologists and happiness economists in the last two decades, the seminar aims at discussing its historical roots, economic applications and political consequences.
The first part of the seminar will address the relationship between happiness, emotions and subjectivity. It will be discussed whether happiness should be regarded as an emotion or, else, as a “structure of feelings”. This first part will also comment upon the evolution of the concept in Western cultures from late-nineteenth century to the present.
The second part of the seminar will address the relationship between happiness, consumption and labor. On the one hand, it will deal with the growing commodification of happiness (happy objects), and the increasing intertwinement between happiness and economic value (objects of happiness), since the 1960s. On the other hand, it will deal with the historical transformation that the notions of “work” and “worker” have undergone after the introduction of happiness and well-being in the sphere of labor in the last half of the century.
Finally, the seminar will address the relationship between happiness, emotions and spaces. It will focus on the concept of “emotional spaces” and on theme parks (1950s-present) as outstanding examples of a growing entertainment industry that increasingly aims at producing, manufacturing and designing happy experiences for visitors.
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