In this special bonus episode of Frontiers in Health & Happiness, host Ayla Fudala speaks with Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath, Director of the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, about the importance of social well-being and collective well-being.

When we think about health and happiness, we often focus on individual choices, emotions, and achievements. But Dr. Viswanath’s work asks us to widen the lens: Our well-being is also shaped by our relationships, communities, institutions, social environments, and the opportunities we have to feel safe, included, respected, supported, and connected.

The conversation explores ideas from Dr. Viswanath’s book chapter, “Beyond Individual Happiness: Understanding the Role of Social in Health and Well-Being,” co-authored with Dr. Zichao Li. Together, they discuss why social connection and participation matter for health, how trust and social capital operate in everyday life, and why collective well-being is about more than simply adding up individual happiness.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What social well-being means—and how it relates to physical and psychological health
• Why health and happiness are shaped by social determinants and broader community conditions
• The difference between social integration and true social inclusion
• How trust, reciprocity, social capital, and community ties support well-being
• Why loneliness, social isolation, and being alone are not the same experience
• How emotional, informational, practical, and belonging-based support affect health
• When social media can strengthen connection—and when it may undermine participation in community life
• What collective well-being means and why it is not simply the sum of individual happiness
• How inequality, discrimination, exclusion, and lack of access affect individual and community flourishing
• How civic virtues—including trust, justice, solidarity, and social cohesion—can help create healthier communities
• Practical ways individuals can strengthen social connection and contribute to collective well-being

Learn more about Dr. Vishwanath’s work and read “Beyond Individual Happiness: Understanding the Role of Social in Health and Well-Being” in Perspectives on Wellbeing for Inclusive Schools and an Inclusive Society: https://www.emerald.com/books/edited-volume/21584/Wellbeing-for-Inclusive-Schools-and-an-Inclusive

Stay connected with the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness:

Website: https://hsph.harvard.edu/research/health-happiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/harvard-chan-health-happiness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harvardchan_healthhappiness/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ095u5aSCFD8Wv0zxcGs5A

Frontiers in Health & Happiness is the official podcast of the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, exploring the science of health, happiness, social connection, and well-being.