Age Inequality

Question 1

Prout & James (Interpretivist)

Answer 1

Age categories social construction and vary in societies

Eg. Victorian era children worked and were exploited

Question 2

Cohen (Interpretivist)

Answer 2

Young people labelled negatively in media (mods and rockers)
Small riff (Clacton-on-Sea), news exaggerated and created moral panic/folk devils, young groups reacted and became deviant, big fight Brighton (self fulfilling prophecy)

Question 3

Hockey & James (Interpretivist)

Answer 3

Old age ‘infantilised’
Becoming old is like coming full circle back to childhood
Both groups could be more independent if we let them- so this view is socially constructed
Eg. Old homes bathe elderly and give them pocket money

Question 4

Griffin (Interpretivist)

Answer 4

Media portray youth deviant (Top Boy), dysfunctional (Sex Education), suffering a deficit (Tracey Beaker)

Question 5

Weber (Weberian)

Answer 5

Class: Youth have McJobs and 0 hour contracts due to lack of experience, elderly are retired
Status: elderly and youth media stereotypes leads them to be excluded from society
Party: youth not allowed to vote and elderly excluded from politics as their views are outdated

Question 6

Parkin (Weberian)

Answer 6

Negatively privileged status groups
Elderly and youth victims of social closure which stops them from progressing
Eg. Elderly have lack of positive portrayal in media, youth kept in jobs without chance of progression as they aren’t responsible

Question 7

Barron & Norris (Weberian)

Answer 7

Primary labour market (high wage, security, progression, high status) middle age
Secondary labour market (high turnover, part-time/ temporary

Question 8

Itzin (feminism)

Answer 8

Women face double standard of ageing
Men’s status related to employment, women’s is related to reproductive cycle (valued by their use to men)
Causes women to fight signs of ageing to keep their status (cosmeticisation) eg Botox

Question 9

Oakley (feminism)

Answer 9

Women and children suffer same type inequality but children worse
Both restricted by lack of independence
Women look after children (restricting) children seen as incompetent (adults speak for them, children lack rights and have to conform to instructions of adults)

Question 10

Gannon (feminism)

Answer 10

Androcentric
Male lifestyle changes as they get older are seen as normal eg. Viagra
Women’s changes such as menopause viewed negatively

Question 11

Parsons (Functionalism)

Answer 11

Importance of social solidarity
Youth have norms and values which threaten this: rebellious
Society has to try and manage these issues

Question 12

Cumming & Henry (feminism)

Answer 12

Elderly by choose or legislation abandon occupational roles which benefits society
Disengagement (their loss of social roles) allows younger to take their place and work more effectively

Question 13

Einstadt (functionalism)

Answer 13

Youth face inequalities like juggling work, home, education, relationships and social pressure to gain independence and achieved status
This inequality is necessary for them to grow into competent adults

Question 14

Bond et al (Marx)

Answer 14

Political Economy of Old Age
Lower social classes less likely to save for private pension
Gov state pensions too low
Elderly and lower class discriminated against eg. £700 per month

Question 15

Gramsci (Neo-Marx)

Answer 15

Hegemony keeps through child benefit and pensions
This creates form of dependency, legitimising need for authority
Elderly and youth do not Q exploitation
Eg. Accept 0 hour contract

Question 16

Vincent (Marx)

Answer 16

Conflict, exploit, discriminate
State pensions too low, especially for women who more likely to have worked part time so don’t have private pension
Made worse by setting retirement age