Explore the Mystery of Happiness, its definition, and its diversity and complexity. The class will describe the history of the concept of happiness in a cross-cultural context. It will explore and compare social change and its impact on the nature of happiness in the developed western societies of Europe and the United States compared to less developed poor societies in the Third world in Africa, Asia, and South America. The class will explore some of the major factors of happiness including control, the role of the soul, levels of optimism, the role of faith or religious beliefs, types of everyday activities for earning a living or work, genetically inherited and biological aspects of happiness, and why close social relationships or lack of such relationships may contribute to levels of happiness. The class will inspire students to apply all or some of the major factors of happiness to their own happiness as Americans and as individuals during vibrant class conversations. Examples of happiness according to such aspects as social class, race, ethnicity, gender, and age will be discussed and drawn from the American society, the African continent, and the Southern African country of Zambia.