Explanations for AGE Inequality

• Why do we know age is a social construct?

  Diff. age groups have diff. social characteristics
• Which perspective emphasises the elderly as part of the family unit?

  Functionalists
• How do Functionalists believe the elderly should be regarded within the family unit?

  • W/ respect from younger members
  • Source of knowledge + life exp.
• What do Functionalists think the family should provide the elderly?

  1º care
• Eisenstadt on youth:

  • Youth is a 'bridge' + time of 'storm and stress'
• Who invented disengagement theory?


  Cummings & Henry
• What is disengagement theory?

  • Elderly should disengage from social responsibilities & give up power/status to prepare for their death
  • New gen. can take their place.
• Which perspective does disengagement theory come from?

  Functionalism
• Functionalism AO3: What did Havinghurst argue?

  • Critiqued C&H's 'Disengagement theory'
  • Said withdrawing from social responsibilities ➡️ personal crisis
  • Proposed 'Activity theory' instead
• Functionalism AO3: What inequalities does Havinghurst’s Activity theory ignore?

  Class inequalities
• Havinghurst's 'Activity theory'

  • Ppl happiest when active + maintaining social interactions, e.g. activities like PT work to replace lost roles after retirement
• Which perspective called old ppl a ‘useless commodity’ bc they don’t contribute to production anymore?

  Marxism
• Chris Philipson - the elderly as ‘a drain on the state’:

  • Elderly need care/support via pensions
  • Capitalism wants to replace them w/ younger workers bc they're more productive
• Chris Philipson - the elderly are institutionally marginalised: (3)

  They're FORCED to:

  • Retire
  • Take pay cut
  • Accept drop in status
• What justifies the institutional marginalization of the elderly?

  -Ve stereotypes e.g. the elderly are incapable, incompetent
• How do the elderly benefit capitalism? (2)

  1. Give workers free childcare
  2. Reserve army of labour
• Why are the elderly + young more likely to be offered ZHCs?

  They’re both reserve armies of labour
• Marxism AO3: Homogenous Marxist perspective on age ≠:

  Don’t account for diffs. according to gender, ethnicity etc.

  • E.g. Asian elders are viewed w/ more respect from youths than in white communities
• Marxism AO3: 3 concepts that Chris Philipson ignores:

  1. Relative prosperity of the elderly
  2. Grey power
  3. Grey pound

  Thus, his ideas are less relevant.
• Marxism AO3: Jones et al.

  Elderly view retirement as a time of renewal, NOT exploitation

  • Marxists could see this as a f. c. consciousness.
• Feminism: Arber & Ginn

  Older W experience greater ≠ than M.
• Feminism: Itzin

  W's status 'doubly devalues' after menopause + retirement
• Some W feel pressured into doing - - as they age + their status decreases.

  Cosmetic work
• Feminism: Who almost always looks after an elderly person looked after at home?

  The housewife
• How do Feminists say we indicate the value we place on the elderly?

  Those who care for them earn min. wage
• Feminism AO3: Overstate the influence of p_________ and may neglect other reasons such as p______.

  Patriarchy - poverty
• Feminism AO3: Assume that the experience of girls is u________.

  Universal
• Feminism AO3: Under-rates pressures felt by ___ in the 21st Cen. to c__________.

  Men - cosmeticise
• Feminism AO3: - - theorists suggest that W choose to c__________.

  Social action - cosmeticise
• Why did Weber say that the elderly had a low market position?


  They don’t earn.
• Weberism: Why do the youth have a low market position?

  • Lack skills & experience
  • More likely to be scapegoated + dismissed by adult society
• Weberism: Parkin

  Elderly kept out of high-status privileged groups via social segregation
• Weberism: Elderly members of e min. groups are - negatively privileged.

  Doubly
• Weberism: Turner


  Old ppl's status is linked to their society's values.
• Grey power

  The social, political and economic influence of elderly people.
• Grey power

  • Elderly's economic + spending power
  • Saga: worth £320 billion annually