Sociology of aging and ageism: a review of the contribution of western approaches

This paper focuses on how the new wave of aging research is constituted, theoretically and methodologically. Current studies are structured around a small number of core concepts, including: normal versus abnormal aging; ageism; poverty and inequality in old age; identity management within the context of aging. A challenge to the development of theories of aging is the criticism and rejection of earlier theories on the basis that they ignored power relations and the diversity of experiences within cohorts. There are ongoing calls for greater recognition of diversity in aging research.