Age, Society, and Inequality

Catalog description

Age is one of the most influential factors in the organization and operation of modern society, yet receives significantly less attention than other key demographic characteristics such as race and gender. This course explores the way that age is woven into major social institutions such as work, family, policy, and the economy. Special attention is given to the ways that age intersects with other social dimensions to shape who gets to be old, as well as their health, wealth, and social circumstances when they get old. Topics will include: global trends in population aging, disappearance of retirement; cultural and historical differences in the value of older adults in society, lifetime discrimination and accelerated biological aging. The course will also cover emergent topics in the field such as LGBTQ aging, older immigrants, and gray divorce. Offered as SOCI 369 and SOCI 469 . Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course.