• It will develop a new social and political philosophy of wellbeing. • Demonstrates how stress works as a basic functional element of human social psychology and mediator of social impacts on mental health . • Shows how this analysis can be leveraged to provide a deeper and more perspicuous understanding of contemporary societies, politics and the possibilities for social changeThe primary audience for the book will include: • People directly interested in mental health/wellbeing (e.g., psychologists, social workers, community development workers) • People working in public policy, especially but not limited to those in health and social policy • Researchers in a diverse range of areas such as public health, social determinants of health, public policy, mental health, education, social sciences in general • People working in local government • People who are advocates and/or activists for social change toward societies that are fair, healthy and sustainableWellbeing is a hot topic: governments, psychologists and a thousand self-appointed ‘experts’ all claim to promote it and yet our societies are experiencing record levels of mental distress and ill-health. Why? Matthew Fisher presents a compelling new perspective on psychological wellbeing informed by evidence on human stress responses. He shows how our mental health is shaped by the social and cultural conditions in which we all live. Developing arguments and strategies for a society truly committed to wellbeing, this book offers new ways to understand the problems facing modern societies and ways to respond through political and social change.