Did inequality contribute to the recent political unrest in KZN?

Several factors were behind the recent violence and looting in KwaZulu-Natal. This blog investigates whether inequality, after accounting for other factors, was a likely contributor to the unrest. Overall, we find a positive relationship between inequality and the prevalence of unrest at the municipal level.

Education and the religion-subjective well-being relationship (blog 4 of 4)

This blog amalgamates and expands the insights from my previous three blogs on subject well-being, religion, and education.While religion is thought to have a general positive impact on subjective well-being, the impact of education on religion is ambiguous. A worthwhile question is then: how does the attainment of higher levels of education impact the religion-subjective well-being relationship? Internal measure of religiosity may be diminished, while external measures may be enhanced.

Education and the religion-subjective well-being relationship (blog 3 of 4)

Several studies have found higher levels of education to be associated with greater subjective well-being.The positive relationship is explained by the role of education in improving cognitive abilities and access to economic resources. This blog follows from my previous one on the religion-subjective well-being relationship, thus explaining how another key social institution influences individual well-being.

Religiosity and subjective well-being

Religious beliefs and institutions influence how people view the world and have a bearing on acceptable social norms. These provide a framework for adherents to process and deal with life events. Further, religion is also a social institution. This blog explores how religion may influence subjective well-being.

What is subjective well-being and why is it important?

Subjective well-being is a measure of individual welfare that combines measures of life satisfaction and happiness. Subjective measures of well-being can account for non-quantifiable determinants of well-being. Therefore, in some instances, subjective well-being data may provide a superior alternative to traditional measures of well-being. Considering subjective well-being data when evaluating social policies will paint a more complete picture of policy success.