age Flashcards
social constructionism of age
social dimension of ageing - associated norms and values of behaviour
age is a social construction eg concept of childhood
- in western societies - long period of socialisation where the emphasis is learning
- in african countries - short and governed with responsibility
experience of age differs according to ethnicity and class
marsh and keating- age 1. enables and 2. constrains us
social construction of childhood
aries - childhood identities have changed over time e.g. medieval paintings depict children as little adults - children did not have separate status to adults
from 13th C - slow separation
uk law - anyone under 18 seen as child rather than 16
postmodernist - postman - childhood is disappearing - adults becoming infantilised and children becoming adultised - media
what led to the changes in social construction of childhood
rise in legislation to protect children’s rights
decrease in infant mortality
rise of ‘child-centredness’ - key focus of family
change in social attitudes
old age and identity - age v status relationship
spijker and macinnes - growing life expectancy - now more people over 65 than under 15 - older people are effectively younger and fitter than previous generations
marxists - old age as source of social inequality - older people lose employment - less profitable
old age - the third age
Laslett - third age - increase in life expectancy, growing economic security and relatively young age of retired people
Marhankova - freedom from demands of labour market and longer lives - enjoy third age - develop a diversity of new lifestyles
- active ageing - re-defining what being old is
third age limitation
important to note third age - active ageing - not experienced in same way by all individuals
social class restricts the ability to engage in new activities
eg w/c widowed women or do not have occupational pension
stigmatisation of elderly - age discrimination
suffer from prejudice and discrimination with negative stereotypes
- less intelligent, moaning, poor health
Interactionist - Goffman - age is stigmatised identity - derogatory names, media images, differential medical treatment
Johnson and Brytheway - define ageism is offensive exercise of power through reference to age
- ageism often institutionalised
- ageism often expressed through stereotypical prejudice
- ageism can involve well-meaning assumption that very old and vulnerable and dependent
stigmatisation of elderly - workplace
Ginn and Garber - ageism is reinforced and perpetuated by institutional practices eg people made redundant at age 50 - difficult to find new job
Bradley - old people seen as less suitable for employment as physically slow not very adaptable to change
employment equality regulations - 2006 - protect against age discrimination in employment and education
stigmatisation of elderly - the media
media representations reflect stereotypical image of older people - advertising reinforce youth is centre point for appearance
Sontag - double standard for aging - women required to look youthful but men not
Moira Stuart - victim as retired from bbc at 58 but David Dimbleby 79 allowed to carry on
youth culture
1950s - youth recognised as unique age group for first time after ww2 - emergence of styles and tastes
youth demonised by media - interactionists argue creating moral panic - Cohen
Thornton - youth are more frequently condemned than praised
mods, rockers, punks
Hebdige - youth subcultures involve bricolage - ordinary everyday objects combined to form new styles.
functionalism - youth culture
parsons - way of dealing with status frustration that arises during period of transition between childhood and adult hood
enable youth to assert independence and create an identity separate from family school or work
transitional stage of youth - short-lived
functionalism youth culture eval
criticised as does not explain the wide variety of youth subcultures and youth styles, class, gender and ethnic differences
neo-marxism - youth culture
hall and jefferson - particular youth styles eg punks and skinheads are resistant to dominant social class
Hebdige - mod style as reaction by lower middle class youth to tedium of life and work
Cohen - working class youth subcultures - means of re-establishing sense of community and social cohesion lost in parents culture due to breakdown of traditional w/c communities
marxist youth culture criticism
only focus on high profile white working class subcultures
postmodernists - assume youth subcultures reflect influence of social class - Bennett - may not have same meaning to those taking part - dont see themselves as resisting - fun
interactionist - cohen - not based on class, but media - creating exciting headlines, events ect - people involves feel included in a group - thornton - develop sense of identity
feminism - youth culture
mcrobbie - punks and skinheads male-dominated
- gender role socialisation
- stricter social control by parents of girls leisure time
- concerns about girl’s personal safety
mcrobbie and garber - bedroom culture
lincoln - bedroom culture still significant eg with growth of internet
hollands - girls roles in youth culture becoming more similar to those of men - females going out more frequently and spending income on nights out
