Initial Proposal – The Pursuit of Happiness

My work aims to look at the various concepts of what happiness is, the pursuit of happiness and the effects of it on society as a whole and individuals. I intend to explore the different interpretations of happiness, looking particularly how it changes in relation to timescales, age and gender. I will also examine theories behind the drive to happiness and what the positive and negative consequence of this can be.  As part of my research I will be considering various anthropology theories, including the work of Carlos Castaneda who created the ideology that everyone has a place in life and they will not achieve true happiness and inner peace until they find it. I will also investigate the physiological and psychological elements of the pursuit of happiness within a person’s life. During the two year time frame for this project, I aim to work with a wide variety of people to develop a diverse and full picture of societies options and experiences around this theme. I intend to evidence my progress throughout the two years in a series of photographic projects, which will be accompanies by evaluations of my findings.