We can be happy, despite everything we are experiencing

• Homes are the fundamental basis as a source of security in our lives
• Happiness = Care + Empathy + Home
• Happiness in our homes is being greatly influenced by digital media and technologies
• Classical model allows us to analyse the impact of households in the public sphere
• The neighbourhood is the right community for home-society relationships
• Different ideologies have been modifying the structure of our homes

London Nov 13. We can be happy, despite everything we are experiencing. This is the first big conclusion we reached after two days talking about happiness in the home and how domestic life contributes to the happiness of society. The topic was chosen before the pandemic hit, but it has only reinforced the importance of research in this area. “To a great extent our happiness depends on our attitude towards life, on how we face, take care of and work on our personal relationships at home. A place that constitutes the fundamental base as a source of security in our lives”, according to Lord Layard and Prof. Chirinos, who also drew strong connections between the home, work and care as key to human flourishing. Outlining the specific contribution of these areas, she sees the home as the place where both work ethics and the empathy for care are learnt and developed.

Prof. Wessels and Prof. Bakardjieva also agree on this, they are clear that the entry of new technologies into the home has eroded our family lives, has caused inequalities and what seem to be connected homes could well be the opposite. The use that we make of these digital media and on how we understand that connectivity, our happiness will depend.

From a philosophical point of view and taking into account the contributions of Prof. Nogal and Dr. Thunder, the influence of our private lives in the public sphere can be seen. She argues that we have to return to classical model to find that relationship, for without a doubt the part individuals play in society depends upon the early formative influences of home. According to Dr. Thunder, the way in which the person is incorporated into society and establishes ties with the outside world is very well articulated through an intermediate community – the neighbourhood.

But none of this would make sense if we did not also understand how our homes are structured and why spaces are distributed as we now know them. A historical and sociological review by Dr. Davies analysed how our houses have been built throughout history based on the dominant ideologies in each era.

Academics and experts from different perspectives presented their research through video accessible on our website and social networks. The next steps of this Conference will be workshops and a new publication as the fruit of this research. Paper givers from nine different countries will participate in the online workshops to be held in 2021 in which they will share their studies. The Scientific Committee will select papers to contribute to future publication.

To date, Home Renaissance Foundation has published numerous working papers available on our website and two books:
The Home: Multidisciplinary Reflections by Edgar Publishing
People, Care and Work in the Home by Routledge Publishing
A third. The Home in the Digital Age is currently being prepared for publication.

Any queries, please contact: Ángela de Miguel Press@homerenaissancefoundation.org