Journal ArticleDOI
Tracing the Course of Theoretical Development in the Sociology of Aging
TLDR
The emergence of sociological theorizing in the field of aging is described as a sequence of two transformations in gerontological thinking, which involved not so much the recognition of theory as a reflection of that recognition itself, being metatheoretical.Abstract:
The emergence of sociological theorizing in the field of aging is described as a sequence of two transformations in gerontological thinking. Each transformation signals a principal change in the conception of the nature and practice of gerontological inquiry. The first transformation was marked by Cumming and Henry's book Growing Old: The Process of Disengagement (1961), in which a formal theory of aging is laid out for the first time by social scientists. This set the stage for the development of a range of alternative theoretical challenges. There is a second transformation that began in the late 1970s and early 80s which involved not so much the recognition of theory as a reflection of that recognition itself, being metatheoretical. The issues raised represented a fundamental concern with the so-called "facts" of aging themselves, focusing on the socially constructive and ideological features of age conceptualizations-social phenomenological and Marxist concerns, respectively. More recently (in the late 1980s and early 90s), social gerontologists have turned to critical theory and feminist perspectives to also examine these issues.read more
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Journal Article
Global aging : the challenge of success
Kevin Kinsella,David Phillips +1 more
TL;DR: The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002 fall under three priorities: older people and economic development Advancing health and well-being into old age and Ensuring enabling and supportive environments as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI
‘Active ageing’: from empty rhetoric to effective policy tool
TL;DR: This strategy pays particular attention to the translation of the active-ageing concept to situations of dependency by centring on three key principles: fostering adaptability, supporting the maintenance of emotionally close relationships and removing structural barriers related to age or dependency.
Journal ArticleDOI
Toward critical narrativity
TL;DR: In this paper, a critical assessment of positive aging policies is presented, where the value of work and work-related initiatives is questioned if these artificially restrict socially valued definitions of adult aging and the complex and contradictory nature of the stories that we are encouraged to live by in later life.
Journal ArticleDOI
The multi-generational workforce: Workplace flexibility and engagement
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the perceptions of employees of different ages regarding the flexibility they need at work (flexibility fit) and their engagement with work, using 49,209 observations representing 183,454 employees in 22 different companies.
Book ChapterDOI
Toward critical narrativity - Stories of aging in contemporary social policy
TL;DR: In this paper, a critical assessment of positive ageing policies is presented, where the value of work and work-related initiatives is questioned if these artificially restrict socially valued definitions of adult ageing, and it is argued that a narrative approach can make explicit elements that are often taken for granted in policy making.
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