Measuring the Unmeasurable : Social Love in Citizens and Institutions Across the Globe

This book argues that love is not just a fleeting emotion, but rather an action that can bring tangible benefits to people. Its practical approach to love reveals a public dimension that makes love important in a co-governance perspective, as it contributes to citizens’ well-being and institutional guidance.

Rooted in the debate of how well-being can be operationalized by integrating classic indicators of progress and wealth with other relational dimensions, this book proposes a new measurement: The World Love Index, a transnational secondary data analysis, measures how much people from different countries care for others and the world. In the current post-pandemic context, marked by conflicts and identity issues, the proposed new index aims to signal the transition toward a new social ecology. It can be considered a complementary of alternative measure to the GDP.

The book provides the theoretical framework supporting the usage of the World Love Index and it presents the Index’s results, focusing on the tole of citizens and institutions, and analyzing methods, social capital, and policies such as migration and welfare policies. The volume also identifies open challenges for a more supportive and inclusive world.