Happiness around the world : the paradox of happy peasants and miserable millionaires Readership: Academics researchers and students of behavioural welfare and development economics. Scholars of political science psychology and philosophy. Policymakers and general readers.The book reviews the theory and concepts of happiness explaining how these concepts underpin a line of research which is both an attempt to understand the determinants of happiness and a tool for understanding the effects of a host of phenomena on human well being.