Social indicators

Davis Jose

Chapter 154 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 572-574 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The literature on social indicators encompasses various perspectives, definitions, and applications. Social indicators serve as measures of social well-being, offering insights into contemporary social conditions and monitoring trends in areas of social concern over time. They are utilized to identify social problems, establish priorities and goals for action and spending, and evaluate the effectiveness of programs and policies. These indicators encompass a wide array of metrics, including unemployment rates, crime rates, life expectancy, health status indices, school enrollment rates, and subjective well-being. Their importance lies in understanding increasingly complex, interrelated, and dynamic social realities and phenomena. However, there are challenges associated with using social indicators, including methodological debates, reliability and validity concerns, interpretation difficulties, and biases. Moreover, the selection of social indicators for Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) faces challenges such as variability, complexity, subjectivity, and communication issues, emphasizing the need for careful consideration and standardization. Comparatively, S-LCA differs from environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in focus, impact categories, and methodological approaches, further underlining the complexities involved in utilizing social indicators effectively across various research domains.

Keywords: Social Indicators; Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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