The Canadian Index of Wellbeing
Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Presents
Takayoshi Kusago
Faculty of Sociology, Kansai University
Abstract: The city of Nagakute-in Aichi prefecture has started a project called “Creating a measure to improve the well-being of Nagakute-City,” in collaboration with local people. The project aims at the change in local governance in 2050. As the first step of this transformation, the city called a team of residents and young government staff. The collaborative team discussed the vision of the city and decided to conduct a baseline survey. They engaged in the survey work from design, implementation, analysis and dissemination of the results by themselves, not relied on external experts. This presentation explains the background and the process of the project and challenges it has faced.
Takayoshi Kusago is a Professor at Kansai University, Osaka, Japan, and a Visiting Professor, Institute of Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, University of British Columbia for 2015-2016. From the perspective of human development and capability approach, he has studied a variety of subjects pertinent to modernization and sustainable development. He places enormous importance on how local people can actively engage in creating own community/society where they can achieve higher level of well-being. He has community-based well-being action-research projects in Japan, Bhutan and Nepal. He has published research papers in academic journals such as World Development, Social Indicators Research, and coauthored GNH (Gross National Happiness) in Japanese, 2011.
Light refreshments to follow.