The Pursuit of Happiness

What is the good life, and what does it mean to pursue happiness? With life seemingly caught between an undesirable present that endures and a desired future that feels improbable, this course grapples with tensions that arise when our drive to the 'good life' fails to materialize in what it promises. By critically analyzing how socioeconomic factors construct and maintain the social imaginary of a happy life in a multitude of cultural contexts, this course addresses the both the risks and pleasures that humans across the globe experience as they keep resilient in their life pursuits.