Social quality

Social quality is a way of understanding society which is also relevant for social and public policy. Social quality looks at elements that should constitute good society or a decent society. It contributes to the body of work concerned with understanding social progress going beyond GDP, taking into account the work of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Whilst most approaches have concentrated on the economics or psychology of well-being, social quality can help us to understand the social conditions that enable human flourishing.

There are four elements shown in the diagram on the right. Economic security refers to the material conditions that enable people to have a long term perspective on their lives, and their confidence for the future. This can include social policies, such as pensions and social security, that ensure this. It also includes economic conditions that enable people to feel secure because they have enough income to cover their basic needs.Social cohesion refers to the bonds that link societies together, deriving from the work of Émile Durkheim.Émile Durkheim's work considers the moral and social relationships between members of society and social groups, including factors such as trust in others, trust in social institutions, a sense of identity, a collective consciousness, solidarity and commitment to the common good of society.Social inclusion refers to the way in which individuals and social groups are included into society, either through employment, networks and family or through access to social support of various kinds, this can come through support from other people or from social policies. Social policies that foster social inclusion, reduce poverty and tackle other forms of social exclusion can be important in this respect.Social empowerment refers to the conditions that enable people to participate in their society, such as having good health, education and democratic opportunities for participation, such as voting and joining civil society. However, it can also mean the feelings of being empowered, being able to take control of one’s circumstances. It derives from the work of Amartya Sen, who suggests that people need to have the capability to be able to do the things that they wish to do.

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