**Chapter 8 107**

Networking and Participatory Research Promoting Quality of Life and Well-Being in Portuguese-Speaking African Countries *by Alister Chitetele Soy Pinto, Ana Pinto de Moura, Augusto Mário Miquitaio, Bas'llele Malomalo, Cristina Amaro da Costa, Daniela Queiroz Zuliani, Delfim Domingos da Costa, Gabriel Cunha Beato, Gaspar Afonso da Graça, Imaculada C.F. Henriques Matias, Jaqueline Sgarbi Santos, Leodinilde Pinto Caetano, Lilian Fernanda Galesi Pacheco, Maitu Abibo Buanango, Miclay Carvalho, Pedro Fernando Chimela Chume, Pedro Acosta Leyva, Vladmir Silves Ferreira and Maria Rita Marques de Oliveira*

## **Chapter 9 127**

Socio-Economic and Environmental Implications of Gold Mining in Afro-Descendant Communities from Colombia *by Maria Alcala-Orozco, Jenny Palomares-Bolaños, Neda Alvarez-Ortega, Jesus Olivero-Verbel and Karina Caballero-Gallardo*

## **Chapter 10 151**

An Analysis of Economic Determinants and Crime in Selected Gauteng Local Municipalities *by Rufaro Garidzirai*

Preface

The themes of this volume are particularly important to me as my own academic work has focused on how to both conceptualize quality of life theoretically and how to measure it empirically. This examination of life quality in the United States conducted over the last decade has left me with two distinct impressions. First, that questions of life quality are important, and exploring how to improve it should be studied. Second, despite that importance it remains understudied in its complex form and our understanding remains somewhat limited. The authors of the chapters in this volume represent a collection of professionals interested in these questions and each is working to advance both our theoretical as well our practical understanding of

Questions of how to improve life quality, wellbeing, and standard of living have been and remain among the most important questions addressed by social scientists, policymakers, and innovators. These questions, which are core to the human experience, have been studied, discussed, and debated for hundreds of years. The results of these studies and debates have had mixed results in improving the human condition. Throughout this volume a diverse and eclectic set of authors explore these same debates and identify a variety of mechanisms, theoretical approaches, and policy interventions relevant to this larger question of how to

Despite the varying results that can be observed, the overall trend, especially in the last 75 years, has been toward improved life quality, greater wellbeing, and increased standards of living across most of the world. The evidence of this trend is clear. In 1950, the life expectancy for the worldwide population stood at around 45 years old. As of 2019, the life expectancy gradually increased to 72 years old. Over these 70 years, life expectancy grew by a whopping 27 years. As time passes, life expectancy generally increases, but time alone is not responsible for this development in human longevity. Numerous scientific, economic, technological, social, policy, and environmental factors played into this 27-year increase and contributed to an overall improvement in wellbeing (OurWorldInData.org).

Life in the 1950s was drastically different from life today as pivotal advancements and innovations transpired in the following years. In the United States at that time, various medical advances, such as the introduction of the amoxicillin antibiotic, had not yet occurred; vehicles emitted a large amount of significant pollutants in the air, including lead with little concern to the problems they might create; and the civil rights of minority groups were often not recognized. Now, amoxicillin and numerous successor drugs treat bacterial infections and medical advances in other areas have improved life expectancy and life quality substantially [1]. Car manufacturers have dramatically reduced emissions and are launching hybrid and electric cars that pollute even less. Human rights of individuals are better protected than at any other time in human history and continue to improve. These improvements and a myriad of others have dramatically and substantially improved life quality, standard of living, and wellbeing worldwide. Throughout this volume the authors provide details on how this occurred and under what circumstances this improvement is most likely.

what improves life quality.

improve the human condition.
