New Book | Health, Nature and Quality of Life: Towards BRICS Wellness Index

Health, Nature and Quality of Life: Towards BRICS Wellness Index

Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), 2016, ISBN 8171221203.

About the Book 

Economists and philosophers have expended time and energy to develop measurements for economic growth and development. One of the most prominent ones is the GDP based index, which does not account for the developmental aspects of human beings and income inequality. The Human Development Index was developed to overcome the limitations of GDP based measurements. This index, however, failed to fully reflect impact of structural factors on human development. A more comprehensive way was thought to be evolved in terms of the concepts of happiness, well-being and wellness. Though statistically robust, many such indices perhaps miss the wood for the trees.

This volume is an attempt to develop a holistic wellness index that accounts for human development, material progress, and environmental sustainability. It is a new way of looking at development, but based on the ancient wisdom and traditions. With the global consensus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that focus on comprehensive development, there is an widened window of opportunity for the BRICS countries, themselves storehouses of ancient wisdom and home to the rich biodiversity, and as emerging economies of the world, to cut a new way of looking at measuring economic progress in its entirety, viz. the Wellness Index. 

About RIS

Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) is a New Delhi-based autonomous policy research institute that specialises in issues related to international economic development, trade, investment and technology. RIS is envisioned as a forum for fostering effective policy dialogue and capacity-building among developing countries on global and regional economic Issues. The focus of the work programme of RIS is to promote South-South Cooperation and collaborate with developing countries in multilateral negotiations in various forums. RIS is engaged across inter-governmental processes of several regional economic cooperation initiatives. Through its intensive network of think tanks, RIS seeks to strengthen policy coherence on international economic issues and the development partnership canvas.

Table of Contents

Preface | Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, RIS

Introduction

Section I

Ideas of Wellness in Brazil: A Concept under Deliberation | Helena Ribeiro, Maria da Penha Vasconcelos and Deisy Ventura

Traditional Medical Systems in the Wellness Strategy in Russia | A. Karilio-Arkas

Wellness, Health and Ayurveda | Bhushan Patwardhan

Chinese View on Subjective Well-being: Traditions and Current Trends | Ruijie Li and Yandong Zhao

Wellness within China's Context | Han Bing

Wellness and Well-being Research in South Africa | Rajen Govender, Rasigan Maharajh, Aquina Thulare, and Yosuf Veriava

Section II

Biological Resource Base for Traditional Medicines | T. P. Rajendran

Traditional Medicine: Regulations, IPRs and Trade | T.C. James

Section III

Measuring Well-Being: A Survey of Literature and Initiatives | Amit Kumar, Sabyasachi Saha and Deepti Bhatia

Framework for a BRICS Wellness Index | Sabyasachi Saha

Conclusion and Recommendations 

​Further Details