Measuring societal well-being is complicated by widely varying definitions of the good life across cultures.
Are people in liberal democracies increasingly willing to trade freedom for prosperity and security?
More and more companies are realising the strategic value of values. Many are also engaged in a quest for authenticity.
Are we beginning to see the emergence of a politics that consciously reflects values, of a politics of the "common good"?
There is a crucial need for society and the world's political leaders to strengthen the role of values - such as love, respect, tolerance and creativity - and finance organisations that teach them. That could prevent or perhaps reverse the spread of hatred and violence originating from neglect and alienation - Ildi Trencsenyi, Budapest, letter to Time, 28/11/05
New research suggests that culture is at least as important as "character" in determining people's values and how they behave in different contexts.
A team of psychologists claims to have identified five moral values that human beings apparently exhibit almost universally, albeit in different combinations: care, fairness, loyalty, authority and purity.
Biomorality is emerging as a distinct area of study, focusing on the increasingly complex ethical implications of the uses and abuses of science in daily life.
Development strategies sensitive to cultural values can promote human rights, including gender equality and women's empowerment.