Mary Briody Mahowald
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195176179
- eISBN:
- 9780199786558
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195176170.003.0012
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Feminist Philosophy
Cases illustrating variables that arise in the health care of elderly women and their caregivers, and care of the dying are presented. These include questions about ageism, competence to perform ...
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Cases illustrating variables that arise in the health care of elderly women and their caregivers, and care of the dying are presented. These include questions about ageism, competence to perform ordinary functions such as driving, possible loss of capacity for moral agency, advance directives, and decisions about forgoing or terminating life-support. For each topic, empirical and theoretical factors are discussed from an “egalitarian perspective” that imputes privileged status to the standpoint of women.Less
Cases illustrating variables that arise in the health care of elderly women and their caregivers, and care of the dying are presented. These include questions about ageism, competence to perform ordinary functions such as driving, possible loss of capacity for moral agency, advance directives, and decisions about forgoing or terminating life-support. For each topic, empirical and theoretical factors are discussed from an “egalitarian perspective” that imputes privileged status to the standpoint of women.
Owen Dudley Edwards
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780748616510
- eISBN:
- 9780748653621
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748616510.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century Literature and Modernism
This is a broad-ranging discussion of wartime children's literature and its effects. What children read in the Second World War had an immense effect on how they came of age as they faced the new ...
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This is a broad-ranging discussion of wartime children's literature and its effects. What children read in the Second World War had an immense effect on how they came of age as they faced the new world. In a unique time for British children, parental controls were often relaxed if not absent. Radio and reading assumed greater significance for most children than they had in the more structured past or were to do in the more crowded future. The study is contextualised through a consideration of the British fiction exported to the USA, as well as that imported to the UK and through an exploration of wartime Europe as it was shown to British children. Questions of leadership, authority, individualism, community, conformity, urban–rural division, ageism, and gender awareness are explored. Covering over one hundred writers, the book looks at the literary inheritance when the war broke out and asks whether children's literary diet was altered in the war temporarily or permanently. Concerned with the effects of the war on what children could read and their interpretation of it, the author reveals the implications of this for the world they would come to inhabit.Less
This is a broad-ranging discussion of wartime children's literature and its effects. What children read in the Second World War had an immense effect on how they came of age as they faced the new world. In a unique time for British children, parental controls were often relaxed if not absent. Radio and reading assumed greater significance for most children than they had in the more structured past or were to do in the more crowded future. The study is contextualised through a consideration of the British fiction exported to the USA, as well as that imported to the UK and through an exploration of wartime Europe as it was shown to British children. Questions of leadership, authority, individualism, community, conformity, urban–rural division, ageism, and gender awareness are explored. Covering over one hundred writers, the book looks at the literary inheritance when the war broke out and asks whether children's literary diet was altered in the war temporarily or permanently. Concerned with the effects of the war on what children could read and their interpretation of it, the author reveals the implications of this for the world they would come to inhabit.
Jonathan Herring
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199229024
- eISBN:
- 9780191705274
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199229024.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This book examines the legal rights and responsibilities of older people. Although the focus is particularly on the legal issues surrounding old age it draws extensively on the gerentological, ...
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This book examines the legal rights and responsibilities of older people. Although the focus is particularly on the legal issues surrounding old age it draws extensively on the gerentological, philosophical, sociological, and medical literature surrounding the subject. The book examines the key issues surrounding ageing and law: ageism and age discrimination; mental capacity; care and older people; elder abuse; pensions and benefits for older people; grandparents; the health care of older people; and inheritance issues. These issues raise complex social and legal issues. The book highlights the many ways our social and legal systems let older people down and makes proposals as to how these could be improved. It argues that the devaluation of ageing and the social exclusion of older people not only impoverishes the lives of older people, but of society generally.Less
This book examines the legal rights and responsibilities of older people. Although the focus is particularly on the legal issues surrounding old age it draws extensively on the gerentological, philosophical, sociological, and medical literature surrounding the subject. The book examines the key issues surrounding ageing and law: ageism and age discrimination; mental capacity; care and older people; elder abuse; pensions and benefits for older people; grandparents; the health care of older people; and inheritance issues. These issues raise complex social and legal issues. The book highlights the many ways our social and legal systems let older people down and makes proposals as to how these could be improved. It argues that the devaluation of ageing and the social exclusion of older people not only impoverishes the lives of older people, but of society generally.
Jonathan Herring
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199229024
- eISBN:
- 9780191705274
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199229024.003.0010
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This chapter brings together some of the issues which have run through the book: the difficulty the law has in dealing with older people who are both vulnerable to exploitation and yet so easily ...
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This chapter brings together some of the issues which have run through the book: the difficulty the law has in dealing with older people who are both vulnerable to exploitation and yet so easily treated paternalistically. It is argued that emphasising and promoting independence as a goal in old age (or indeed any stage of life) is misguided. Instead the focus should be on promoting relationships of care and emphasising our interdependence. This involves recognising the value of older people and the importance of old age. Fully integrating older people into society and acknowledging all they have to offer will produce a more rewarding old age and better society.Less
This chapter brings together some of the issues which have run through the book: the difficulty the law has in dealing with older people who are both vulnerable to exploitation and yet so easily treated paternalistically. It is argued that emphasising and promoting independence as a goal in old age (or indeed any stage of life) is misguided. Instead the focus should be on promoting relationships of care and emphasising our interdependence. This involves recognising the value of older people and the importance of old age. Fully integrating older people into society and acknowledging all they have to offer will produce a more rewarding old age and better society.
Paul Cann and Malcolm Dean (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847424129
- eISBN:
- 9781447304098
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847424129.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gerontology and Ageing
Over two million older people are stuck in persistent poverty. The diseases and disabilities associated with growing older multiply with the dramatic ageing of the population, yet the response of ...
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Over two million older people are stuck in persistent poverty. The diseases and disabilities associated with growing older multiply with the dramatic ageing of the population, yet the response of communities and care systems is often inadequate and ageism still abounds. This powerful book analyses the vital dimensions of money, health, place, quality of life and identity, and demonstrates the gaps of treatment and outcomes between older and younger people, and between different groups of older people. The book provides strong evidence of the scale of disadvantage in the UK and suggests actions that could begin to change the picture of unequal ageing. The book calls out all those with a serious interest in the unprecedented challenge of our ageing society. It will be of importance to policy-makers striving to develop workable solutions, to professionals responsible for implementing those solutions, to opinion-formers wishing to examine the way attitudes about ageing are shaped, and above all to older people themselves.Less
Over two million older people are stuck in persistent poverty. The diseases and disabilities associated with growing older multiply with the dramatic ageing of the population, yet the response of communities and care systems is often inadequate and ageism still abounds. This powerful book analyses the vital dimensions of money, health, place, quality of life and identity, and demonstrates the gaps of treatment and outcomes between older and younger people, and between different groups of older people. The book provides strong evidence of the scale of disadvantage in the UK and suggests actions that could begin to change the picture of unequal ageing. The book calls out all those with a serious interest in the unprecedented challenge of our ageing society. It will be of importance to policy-makers striving to develop workable solutions, to professionals responsible for implementing those solutions, to opinion-formers wishing to examine the way attitudes about ageing are shaped, and above all to older people themselves.
Jonathan Herring
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199229024
- eISBN:
- 9780191705274
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199229024.003.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This chapter introduces the issues raised by a consideration of older people. It discusses what is meant by ‘old age’ and considers the age demographic within the UK. It looks at what it means to be ...
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This chapter introduces the issues raised by a consideration of older people. It discusses what is meant by ‘old age’ and considers the age demographic within the UK. It looks at what it means to be an older person in Britain today and the relevance of the law to the issues faced. It emphasises that there is really no single characteristic of ‘older people’, apart from age. It examines how health, gender, and race can all play an important part in the life of older people. The chapter also challenges some of the assumptions that surround the images of old age that are so prevalent in the media.Less
This chapter introduces the issues raised by a consideration of older people. It discusses what is meant by ‘old age’ and considers the age demographic within the UK. It looks at what it means to be an older person in Britain today and the relevance of the law to the issues faced. It emphasises that there is really no single characteristic of ‘older people’, apart from age. It examines how health, gender, and race can all play an important part in the life of older people. The chapter also challenges some of the assumptions that surround the images of old age that are so prevalent in the media.
Jonathan Herring
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199229024
- eISBN:
- 9780191705274
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199229024.003.0002
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This chapter considers the legal protection offered against age discrimination. It looks at what ageism is and when, if ever, it can be justified. It considers why it has taken so long for society to ...
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This chapter considers the legal protection offered against age discrimination. It looks at what ageism is and when, if ever, it can be justified. It considers why it has taken so long for society to address the issue of ageism and unpacks some of the less obvious forms of age discrimination within society. It considers the ways in which age discrimination is like and unlike sex or race discrimination. Particular attention is paid to the recent regulations prohibiting age discrimination in the work place.Less
This chapter considers the legal protection offered against age discrimination. It looks at what ageism is and when, if ever, it can be justified. It considers why it has taken so long for society to address the issue of ageism and unpacks some of the less obvious forms of age discrimination within society. It considers the ways in which age discrimination is like and unlike sex or race discrimination. Particular attention is paid to the recent regulations prohibiting age discrimination in the work place.
Jonathan Herring
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199229024
- eISBN:
- 9780191705274
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199229024.003.0008
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This chapter considers the health care services offered to the elderly. In particular, it reviews claims that ‘age-based rationing’ takes place within the NHS and addresses the debate as to whether ...
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This chapter considers the health care services offered to the elderly. In particular, it reviews claims that ‘age-based rationing’ takes place within the NHS and addresses the debate as to whether age should be a factor in making rationing decisions. It briefly looks at the issue of palliative care and euthanasia. It considers the broader issue of the extent to which old age is itself a disease and the ‘cult of the youth’. This involves a consideration of cosmetic surgery and other ‘anti-ageing’ treatments.Less
This chapter considers the health care services offered to the elderly. In particular, it reviews claims that ‘age-based rationing’ takes place within the NHS and addresses the debate as to whether age should be a factor in making rationing decisions. It briefly looks at the issue of palliative care and euthanasia. It considers the broader issue of the extent to which old age is itself a disease and the ‘cult of the youth’. This involves a consideration of cosmetic surgery and other ‘anti-ageing’ treatments.
Samira Aghacy
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- May 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781474466752
- eISBN:
- 9781474491235
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474466752.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Middle Eastern Studies
There are more than 15 million people over age 65 currently living in the Arab world, yet little attention has been paid to the cultural significance of growing old. The book recognizes the ...
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There are more than 15 million people over age 65 currently living in the Arab world, yet little attention has been paid to the cultural significance of growing old. The book recognizes the widespread silence by countering the critical corpus that reads the modern Arabic novel as a political discourse with an emphasis on youth achievement. By offering close readings of 16 fictional works from different parts of the Arab world such as novels by Alia Mamdouh, Sahar Khalifah, Iman Kachachi, Rashid al-Daif and Alaa al-Aswany, the study utilizes biological and cultural theories of ageing- particularly from the perspective of gender and feminism- that shed light on the representation of ageing in the Arabic novel. The study makes use of feminist theories of ageing and gerontology that focus on sexism and ageism, including works by Simone de Beauvoir and Margaret Marganroth Gullette to present aging as a relational formation between men and women, and their idiosyncratic experiences of the process of ageing, revealing that there is no prototype of oldness in the Arabic novel and that older men and women manifest a multiplicity of identities, concerns and experiences. The study challenges the ungendered image generally attributed to older persons and examines how they navigate old age and subvert it. As they grow older men and women manifest a multiplicity of identities, concerns, and experiences revealing that the ageing process is an ongoing inherently unstable project.Less
There are more than 15 million people over age 65 currently living in the Arab world, yet little attention has been paid to the cultural significance of growing old. The book recognizes the widespread silence by countering the critical corpus that reads the modern Arabic novel as a political discourse with an emphasis on youth achievement. By offering close readings of 16 fictional works from different parts of the Arab world such as novels by Alia Mamdouh, Sahar Khalifah, Iman Kachachi, Rashid al-Daif and Alaa al-Aswany, the study utilizes biological and cultural theories of ageing- particularly from the perspective of gender and feminism- that shed light on the representation of ageing in the Arabic novel. The study makes use of feminist theories of ageing and gerontology that focus on sexism and ageism, including works by Simone de Beauvoir and Margaret Marganroth Gullette to present aging as a relational formation between men and women, and their idiosyncratic experiences of the process of ageing, revealing that there is no prototype of oldness in the Arabic novel and that older men and women manifest a multiplicity of identities, concerns and experiences. The study challenges the ungendered image generally attributed to older persons and examines how they navigate old age and subvert it. As they grow older men and women manifest a multiplicity of identities, concerns, and experiences revealing that the ageing process is an ongoing inherently unstable project.
Alisoun Milne
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781447305729
- eISBN:
- 9781447311904
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781447305729.003.0005
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gerontology and Ageing
In broad terms there are two sets of age-related risks to mental health. The first set are those arising directly from experiences and losses common to later life, including physical ill health ...
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In broad terms there are two sets of age-related risks to mental health. The first set are those arising directly from experiences and losses common to later life, including physical ill health and/or disability, being a carer, retirement, and bereavement. These are associated with impaired psychological wellbeing and heightened risk of depression, particularly amongst older people with few economic or social resources. The second set of risks arise from ageism and age discrimination, and their intersection with other types of discrimination such as sexism for older women. Direct and indirect discrimination is widespread; it is located in all areas of society including health and social care services. It is profoundly damaging to older peoples’ psychological wellbeing and is associated with fear, helplessness, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression. It is also linked to exclusion, marginalisation and abuse. In recent years there have been efforts to ensure that older people are overtly included in policies intended to improve the population’s physical and mental health; this includes access to treatments e.g. for depression. There has also been a focus on addressing age discrimination in specific arenas e.g. in employment and mental health services. These initiatives have had mixed success.Less
In broad terms there are two sets of age-related risks to mental health. The first set are those arising directly from experiences and losses common to later life, including physical ill health and/or disability, being a carer, retirement, and bereavement. These are associated with impaired psychological wellbeing and heightened risk of depression, particularly amongst older people with few economic or social resources. The second set of risks arise from ageism and age discrimination, and their intersection with other types of discrimination such as sexism for older women. Direct and indirect discrimination is widespread; it is located in all areas of society including health and social care services. It is profoundly damaging to older peoples’ psychological wellbeing and is associated with fear, helplessness, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression. It is also linked to exclusion, marginalisation and abuse. In recent years there have been efforts to ensure that older people are overtly included in policies intended to improve the population’s physical and mental health; this includes access to treatments e.g. for depression. There has also been a focus on addressing age discrimination in specific arenas e.g. in employment and mental health services. These initiatives have had mixed success.
Amia Lieblich
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- August 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199918041
- eISBN:
- 9780190222437
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199918041.003.0007
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
The question addressed in the epilogue is whether some narratives can provide the key to a transformative, wise aging. The rust metaphor from the author’s field notes, and Gergen and Gergen’s idea of ...
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The question addressed in the epilogue is whether some narratives can provide the key to a transformative, wise aging. The rust metaphor from the author’s field notes, and Gergen and Gergen’s idea of confluence, are a prism through which to reflect on the matter. The lesson of the seaside community for positive aging may be summarized as reconciliation with aging, moderation in life, keeping the life story from foreclosure, and establishing routines of play and action in a natural setting, with friends. Finally, by showing old age as a time for potential development and joy, as exemplified by the narratives and behavior of the seaside community, the author expresses her wish to contest the notion of ageism.Less
The question addressed in the epilogue is whether some narratives can provide the key to a transformative, wise aging. The rust metaphor from the author’s field notes, and Gergen and Gergen’s idea of confluence, are a prism through which to reflect on the matter. The lesson of the seaside community for positive aging may be summarized as reconciliation with aging, moderation in life, keeping the life story from foreclosure, and establishing routines of play and action in a natural setting, with friends. Finally, by showing old age as a time for potential development and joy, as exemplified by the narratives and behavior of the seaside community, the author expresses her wish to contest the notion of ageism.
Stephen Fineman
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- April 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199578047
- eISBN:
- 9780191806704
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199578047.001.0001
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Organization Studies
Age is the silent shaper of work organisations and their human resource practices. It has become a potent feature of how society is structured and how it views itself. Age assumptions mould the ...
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Age is the silent shaper of work organisations and their human resource practices. It has become a potent feature of how society is structured and how it views itself. Age assumptions mould the behaviours of young and old alike, and are used as political tools by policy makers and managers. This book asks the perennial question — can age ever not matter? Drawing on a range of social scientific and popular writings, it casts a critical eye over the social construction and politicisation of age in and beyond organisations. Amongst other topics, it discusses: the historical roots of age in society; how we ‘perform’ our age in different settings; the social impact of defining age groups as generations; ageism; the effect of an age-cluster on an organisation’s processes and members’ experience; the rituals of retirement and the birth of the retirement industry; the impact of economic recession in challenging some of our assumptions about age; and the increasing politicisation of the growing ‘grey’ population.Less
Age is the silent shaper of work organisations and their human resource practices. It has become a potent feature of how society is structured and how it views itself. Age assumptions mould the behaviours of young and old alike, and are used as political tools by policy makers and managers. This book asks the perennial question — can age ever not matter? Drawing on a range of social scientific and popular writings, it casts a critical eye over the social construction and politicisation of age in and beyond organisations. Amongst other topics, it discusses: the historical roots of age in society; how we ‘perform’ our age in different settings; the social impact of defining age groups as generations; ageism; the effect of an age-cluster on an organisation’s processes and members’ experience; the rituals of retirement and the birth of the retirement industry; the impact of economic recession in challenging some of our assumptions about age; and the increasing politicisation of the growing ‘grey’ population.
William E. Haley, Claire Robb, Yuri Jang, and Beth Han
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195143904
- eISBN:
- 9780199848171
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195143904.003.0008
- Subject:
- Psychology, Clinical Psychology
Aging is viewed by many Americans as being a process of loss and decay, and late life is often seen as a time of life characterized by dependency and despair. In response to prejudicial views of ...
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Aging is viewed by many Americans as being a process of loss and decay, and late life is often seen as a time of life characterized by dependency and despair. In response to prejudicial views of older persons that pervaded the youth-oriented society in the 1960s, Robert Butler coined the term “ageism” to reflect the similarity of these prejudices to racism and sexism. Like racism and sexism, Butler perceived ageism as a way of “pigeonholing” people and denying older adults the opportunity of being individuals capable of unique ways of living their lives. Aging can be a journey that is profoundly different, depending on one's generation and one's lifestyle during earlier years. This chapter examines important facts about the aging of America and discusses ways to promote successful aging. It also considers the implications of aging for continued involvement in such roles as work and family activities. Finally, it looks at common medical and mental disorders of late life, and what we know about the best ways to manage common disorders of aging.Less
Aging is viewed by many Americans as being a process of loss and decay, and late life is often seen as a time of life characterized by dependency and despair. In response to prejudicial views of older persons that pervaded the youth-oriented society in the 1960s, Robert Butler coined the term “ageism” to reflect the similarity of these prejudices to racism and sexism. Like racism and sexism, Butler perceived ageism as a way of “pigeonholing” people and denying older adults the opportunity of being individuals capable of unique ways of living their lives. Aging can be a journey that is profoundly different, depending on one's generation and one's lifestyle during earlier years. This chapter examines important facts about the aging of America and discusses ways to promote successful aging. It also considers the implications of aging for continued involvement in such roles as work and family activities. Finally, it looks at common medical and mental disorders of late life, and what we know about the best ways to manage common disorders of aging.
Helma van Lierop-Debrauwer
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781496815163
- eISBN:
- 9781496815200
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781496815163.003.0005
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
This chapter discusses two recent Dutch children’s books by Koos Meinderts and Marjolijn Hof that address euthanasia and the right to self-determination at every age. The Netherlands is a country ...
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This chapter discusses two recent Dutch children’s books by Koos Meinderts and Marjolijn Hof that address euthanasia and the right to self-determination at every age. The Netherlands is a country known for its relatively liberal position on euthanasia. Helma van Lierop-Debrauwer presents the books by Hof and Meinderts as interesting case studies in examining how children’s literature in the Netherlands interacts with social views of childhood and old age. Both generations have a struggle for agency in common. The analysis is framed by sociological research on ageing and ageism in contemporary Western cultures, including Dutch culture, and in particular on the issue of voluntary death among old people. The idea of so-called “rational” suicide to cut short old age is a heavily debated topic in age studies to which these two children’s books contribute.Less
This chapter discusses two recent Dutch children’s books by Koos Meinderts and Marjolijn Hof that address euthanasia and the right to self-determination at every age. The Netherlands is a country known for its relatively liberal position on euthanasia. Helma van Lierop-Debrauwer presents the books by Hof and Meinderts as interesting case studies in examining how children’s literature in the Netherlands interacts with social views of childhood and old age. Both generations have a struggle for agency in common. The analysis is framed by sociological research on ageing and ageism in contemporary Western cultures, including Dutch culture, and in particular on the issue of voluntary death among old people. The idea of so-called “rational” suicide to cut short old age is a heavily debated topic in age studies to which these two children’s books contribute.
Vanessa Joosen
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781496815163
- eISBN:
- 9781496815200
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781496815163.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
Whereas senescence is a topic that is gaining ground in adult literature, child characters seldom play a significant role in these narratives. One book which does center on the relationship between ...
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Whereas senescence is a topic that is gaining ground in adult literature, child characters seldom play a significant role in these narratives. One book which does center on the relationship between childhood and old age is the American author Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2005), which deals with a family’s trauma after 9/11. Foer’s story is narrated by nine-year-old Oskar Schell and his grandparents. Vanessa Joosen relates her close reading of selected passages from the novel to its narratological features and age-related ideology. Although Foer connects the stories of young and old via intertextual links and descriptions of shared experiences, a close reading of the novel and comparison of the three narrators’ accounts reveals numerous divergences, contradictions, and gaps, which underline the need for intergenerational communication to counteract ageism and nostalgic sentimentalism.Less
Whereas senescence is a topic that is gaining ground in adult literature, child characters seldom play a significant role in these narratives. One book which does center on the relationship between childhood and old age is the American author Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2005), which deals with a family’s trauma after 9/11. Foer’s story is narrated by nine-year-old Oskar Schell and his grandparents. Vanessa Joosen relates her close reading of selected passages from the novel to its narratological features and age-related ideology. Although Foer connects the stories of young and old via intertextual links and descriptions of shared experiences, a close reading of the novel and comparison of the three narrators’ accounts reveals numerous divergences, contradictions, and gaps, which underline the need for intergenerational communication to counteract ageism and nostalgic sentimentalism.
Mariano Narodowski and Verónica Gottau
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781496815163
- eISBN:
- 9781496815200
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781496815163.003.0010
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
Mariano Narodowski and Verónica Gottau employ an anthropological theoretical framework to interpret the intergenerational relationships in the American television series The Simpsons as an instance ...
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Mariano Narodowski and Verónica Gottau employ an anthropological theoretical framework to interpret the intergenerational relationships in the American television series The Simpsons as an instance of what anthropologist Margaret Mead calls “prefigurative culture.” The Simpsons parodies old series and sitcoms of American television in which old people had a central, harmonious, and balanced role within the expected limits of a postfigurative culture which admired and respected the elderly. In The Simpsons, the connection with past traditions that the grandparents might represent is buried under the cynicism and cruelty of the younger characters. Institutionalized and infantilized old people are shown to be at the mercy of young and middle-aged adults. When the transmission of historical and cultural knowledge loses value and intergenerational references are relegated to confined institutions, Narodowski and Gottau argue, any attempt to reconstruct it only provokes a brutal and ironic backlash which suppresses the memory of past eras.Less
Mariano Narodowski and Verónica Gottau employ an anthropological theoretical framework to interpret the intergenerational relationships in the American television series The Simpsons as an instance of what anthropologist Margaret Mead calls “prefigurative culture.” The Simpsons parodies old series and sitcoms of American television in which old people had a central, harmonious, and balanced role within the expected limits of a postfigurative culture which admired and respected the elderly. In The Simpsons, the connection with past traditions that the grandparents might represent is buried under the cynicism and cruelty of the younger characters. Institutionalized and infantilized old people are shown to be at the mercy of young and middle-aged adults. When the transmission of historical and cultural knowledge loses value and intergenerational references are relegated to confined institutions, Narodowski and Gottau argue, any attempt to reconstruct it only provokes a brutal and ironic backlash which suppresses the memory of past eras.
Nancy S. Jecker
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780190949075
- eISBN:
- 9780190949105
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190949075.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
We live at a time when human lifespans have increased like never before. As average lifespans stretch to new lengths, how does this impact the values we hold most dear? Do these values change over ...
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We live at a time when human lifespans have increased like never before. As average lifespans stretch to new lengths, how does this impact the values we hold most dear? Do these values change over the course of our ever-increasing lifespans? Ending Midlife Bias argues that at different life stages, different values emerge as central. During early life, caring and trust matter more, given human vulnerability and dependency. By early adulthood, growing independence provides a reason to value autonomy more. Later in life, heightened risk for chronic disease and disability warrants focusing on maintaining capabilities and keeping dignity intact. Part I (Chapters 1–5) sets forth a conceptual framework that captures these shifting life stage values. Chapter 1 argues against the privileging of midlife values (midlife bias) and explains why population aging lends urgency to identifying values for later life. Chapters 2 and 3 introduce dignity as a central concern for older adults and argue that respecting dignity requires supporting central human capabilities. Chapter 4 explores the metaphor of life as a story, which serves as a corrective for midlife bias by keeping attention on the whole of life. Chapter 5 sets forth principles for age group justice. Part II (Chapters 6–12) turns to practical concerns, including geriatric and pediatric bioethics (Chapter 6); caregiving by family members, migrant workers, and robots (Chapters 7 and 8); ageism in clinical trials, healthcare allocation, and mandatory retirement (Chapter 9); and ethics at the end-of-life (Chapter 10). The closing chapters explore the future of population aging (Chapter 11) and make a pitch for life stage sensitive moral theory (Chapter 12).Less
We live at a time when human lifespans have increased like never before. As average lifespans stretch to new lengths, how does this impact the values we hold most dear? Do these values change over the course of our ever-increasing lifespans? Ending Midlife Bias argues that at different life stages, different values emerge as central. During early life, caring and trust matter more, given human vulnerability and dependency. By early adulthood, growing independence provides a reason to value autonomy more. Later in life, heightened risk for chronic disease and disability warrants focusing on maintaining capabilities and keeping dignity intact. Part I (Chapters 1–5) sets forth a conceptual framework that captures these shifting life stage values. Chapter 1 argues against the privileging of midlife values (midlife bias) and explains why population aging lends urgency to identifying values for later life. Chapters 2 and 3 introduce dignity as a central concern for older adults and argue that respecting dignity requires supporting central human capabilities. Chapter 4 explores the metaphor of life as a story, which serves as a corrective for midlife bias by keeping attention on the whole of life. Chapter 5 sets forth principles for age group justice. Part II (Chapters 6–12) turns to practical concerns, including geriatric and pediatric bioethics (Chapter 6); caregiving by family members, migrant workers, and robots (Chapters 7 and 8); ageism in clinical trials, healthcare allocation, and mandatory retirement (Chapter 9); and ethics at the end-of-life (Chapter 10). The closing chapters explore the future of population aging (Chapter 11) and make a pitch for life stage sensitive moral theory (Chapter 12).
Toni Calasanti
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- September 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781447333029
- eISBN:
- 9781447333043
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781447333029.003.0002
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gender and Sexuality
This chapter outlines an intersectional lens that considers the impacts of age, gender, and sexualities on gay and lesbian elders. It defines social inequalities and specify intersectionality as a ...
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This chapter outlines an intersectional lens that considers the impacts of age, gender, and sexualities on gay and lesbian elders. It defines social inequalities and specify intersectionality as a theory of how they relate, drawing on Crenshaw’s (1991) original concept, which indicates how overlapping categorical status creates unique effects. It then outline the intersections of age, gender, and sexuality in the study of gay and lesbian elders. It focuses in particular on age relations as this inequality is often left out of scholarship on gay men and lesbians, even that which focuses on elders. The last part of the chapter suggests a model for research on same-sex partner caregiving that would illuminate intersections of gender, sexuality, and age in this context.Less
This chapter outlines an intersectional lens that considers the impacts of age, gender, and sexualities on gay and lesbian elders. It defines social inequalities and specify intersectionality as a theory of how they relate, drawing on Crenshaw’s (1991) original concept, which indicates how overlapping categorical status creates unique effects. It then outline the intersections of age, gender, and sexuality in the study of gay and lesbian elders. It focuses in particular on age relations as this inequality is often left out of scholarship on gay men and lesbians, even that which focuses on elders. The last part of the chapter suggests a model for research on same-sex partner caregiving that would illuminate intersections of gender, sexuality, and age in this context.
Kinneret Lahad and Karen Hvidtfeldt
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- September 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781447333029
- eISBN:
- 9781447333043
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781447333029.003.0007
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gender and Sexuality
This chapter examines the question of how age, gender and personal status intersect, as well as the ways in which they are “done” by analysing the discursive construction of midlife mothers in ...
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This chapter examines the question of how age, gender and personal status intersect, as well as the ways in which they are “done” by analysing the discursive construction of midlife mothers in Denmark and Israel. Drawing on a textual analysis of online web columns and magazine articles interviewing midlife women, we explore women’s vulnerability and resilience to ageist stigmas. In this chapter we are particularly interested in how midlife mothers negotiate ageist stigmatisation and normative timelines in general and thus pave the way for alternative knowledge of ageing, age and family life. By incorporating a critical feminist approach, we argue that in both case studies, age relations and age-based hierarchies come about. We have found that both Danish and Israeli mothers increasingly seem to perceive their age as an ageing capital (Simpson, 2013) and integrate it with the good mother ideal and the regulatory ideal of intensive mothering (Hays, 1996)Less
This chapter examines the question of how age, gender and personal status intersect, as well as the ways in which they are “done” by analysing the discursive construction of midlife mothers in Denmark and Israel. Drawing on a textual analysis of online web columns and magazine articles interviewing midlife women, we explore women’s vulnerability and resilience to ageist stigmas. In this chapter we are particularly interested in how midlife mothers negotiate ageist stigmatisation and normative timelines in general and thus pave the way for alternative knowledge of ageing, age and family life. By incorporating a critical feminist approach, we argue that in both case studies, age relations and age-based hierarchies come about. We have found that both Danish and Israeli mothers increasingly seem to perceive their age as an ageing capital (Simpson, 2013) and integrate it with the good mother ideal and the regulatory ideal of intensive mothering (Hays, 1996)
Miriam Bernard and Thomas Scharf (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781861348906
- eISBN:
- 9781447302001
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781861348906.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gerontology and Ageing
This book brings together international scholars working within a critical gerontology perspective. Chapters review and update our understanding of how the field has developed over the last ...
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This book brings together international scholars working within a critical gerontology perspective. Chapters review and update our understanding of how the field has developed over the last twenty-five years and, through the lens of ‘passionate scholarship’, provide a challenging assessment of the complex practical and ethical issues facing older people, and those who conduct research on ageing, in the 21st century. The chapters extend the critical gerontological approach conceptually, methodologically and practically. They offer close and scholarly analysis of policies affecting the lives of older people and provide insights into why research is done in particular ways. Special attention is paid to feminist contributions and new approaches to working in partnership with older people; age discrimination and ageism; the impact of neo-liberal policies and the passage of various human rights instruments; the re-medicalisation of later life; the participation of older people in research; and justice between generations. The book offers suggestions for promoting change, and an exciting set of visions and perspectives for the renewal and development of critical gerontology in the years ahead.Less
This book brings together international scholars working within a critical gerontology perspective. Chapters review and update our understanding of how the field has developed over the last twenty-five years and, through the lens of ‘passionate scholarship’, provide a challenging assessment of the complex practical and ethical issues facing older people, and those who conduct research on ageing, in the 21st century. The chapters extend the critical gerontological approach conceptually, methodologically and practically. They offer close and scholarly analysis of policies affecting the lives of older people and provide insights into why research is done in particular ways. Special attention is paid to feminist contributions and new approaches to working in partnership with older people; age discrimination and ageism; the impact of neo-liberal policies and the passage of various human rights instruments; the re-medicalisation of later life; the participation of older people in research; and justice between generations. The book offers suggestions for promoting change, and an exciting set of visions and perspectives for the renewal and development of critical gerontology in the years ahead.
