Redefining Progress Towards Inclusive Societies: Social Sustainability at the Intersection of Economy and Policy
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 July 2026 | Viewed by 2792
Special Issue Editors
Interests: composite indicators; structural equation models and partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM); sustainability; quality of life; well-being
Interests: composite indicators; structural equation models and partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM); social surveys; textual data; SDGs; health data analysis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, the concept of sustainability has evolved beyond environmental concerns to include crucial social dimensions. Social sustainability has become a key area of research within the broader sustainability science agenda. At the same time, human well-being is increasingly recognized as both a goal and a metric of sustainable development, requiring integrated approaches that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
This Special Issue of Sustainability will investigate the multifaceted relationship between social sustainability and human well-being, emphasizing the crucial roles played by economic systems, public policy, and societal structures. In the face of persistent global challenges, such as socio-economic inequalities, demographic changes, environmental crises, and political instability, it is increasingly vital to understand how to foster inclusive, equitable, and resilient societies that prioritize human flourishing.
In this Special Issue, we invite original research articles and reviews that explore how economic models, governance frameworks, and social dynamics interact to shape outcomes related to well-being. Contributions may address a broad range of topics, including (but not limited to) social justice and equity, access to health and education, decent work, community resilience, inclusive urban and rural development, participatory decision-making, and the integration of well-being indicators into sustainability assessments.
Submissions from interdisciplinary perspectives are particularly welcome, as are studies focusing on diverse geographic contexts. This Special Issue will enable a deeper understanding of how to align economic and policy agendas to achieve social sustainability and long-term human well-being.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Rosanna Cataldo
Prof. Dr. Maria Gabriella Grassia
Dr. Viktoriya Voytsekhovska
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- economic sustainability
- human-centric development
- human well-being
- public policy
- quality of life
- social equity
- social cohesion
- social innovations
- sustainable healthcare
- sustainable development
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