From micro joy to social agency: micro moments of happiness (MoH) as innovations in development practice

Joske Bunders and Rajagobalan Keerthana

Chapter 8 in A Research Agenda for Innovation and Development, 2026, pp 108-121 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The traditional paradigms in development practice focus on utilitarian economic models and technical interventions, leaving behind the affective component of human experience and a life filled with dignity. Micro Moments of Happiness are small, momentary experiences that can be used to understand social development through affective-epistemic cues and boundary events. Affective experience reveals how our policies actually work and not just how they are written. Understanding human experience through boundary objects reveals the tension between the structure and the complex human needs, as well as the often-overlooked aspects of social interventions, such as identity, autonomy, and dignity. The chapter presents a five-step approach to social innovation to close the gap between individual affect and systemic change: (1) documentation, (2) pattern identification, (3) structural diagnosis, (4) co-creation of policy, and (5) advocacy for change. Development practice should be more grounded and participatory, taking into account the lived experiences and acknowledging micro moments of happiness as an indicator of well-being.

Keywords: Micro Moments of Happiness; Social Development; Affective Experiences; Policies; Social Justice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035344338
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