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Series editors' preface
- Marion Repetti, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Switzerland, Toni Calasanti, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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- Book:
- Retirement Migration and Precarity in Later Life
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 23 January 2024
- Print publication:
- 19 July 2023, pp iv-v
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Summary
As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers and practitioners worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, the series publishes books that rethink key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the restructuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, with both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes that go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes that are contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries that originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of cultural diversity; changing patterns of working life; new forms of inequality; the role of ethnicity in later life; and related concerns. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions to the series provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing later life, creating, in the process, new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Given the context described, Retirement Migration and Precarity in Later Life corresponds closely to the aims of the Ageing in a Global Context series. The issue of retirement migration has been a significant theme in research on ageing since at least the 1990s. Much of this work has tended towards presenting older migrants as an economically secure group seeking a leisure-based lifestyle as they transition from work to retirement. However, the authors provide a convincing challenge to this view, demonstrating the extent to which international migration among older people may be linked to the need to escape poverty and insecurity in their home country. Drawing upon fascinating interview material with retirees from the UK, the US and Switzerland, the book explores migration in the context of the ways in which precarity linked with ageism shapes the lives of older people.
Series editors’ preface
- Edited by Paul Willis, University of Bristol, Ilkka Pietilä, Helsingin yliopisto, Marjaana Seppänen, Helsingin yliopisto
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- Book:
- Ageing, Men and Social Relations
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 18 January 2024
- Print publication:
- 30 March 2023, pp xii-xiv
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As the proportion of elders worldwide continues to expand, new issues and concerns for scholars, policy makers and health and social care professionals emerge. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which seeks both to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series pursues this in three main ways. First, the series is publishing books that rethink key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important and timely given the restructuring of welfare states that is occurring alongside the complex nature of population change. Together, these developments point to the need to explore themes that go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, and the resultant erosion of the national boundaries that originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality, and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
In the context of these broad aims, we welcome the contributions of this book. The editors, Paul Willis, Ilkka Pietilä and Marjaana Seppänen, have put together a volume that fills a critical gap in our understanding of diverse older men’s social connections, including in relation to transitions in later life. They have brought together leading scholars in ageing and masculinities, examining the ways that masculine identities and practices influence a wide range of relationships. In so doing, the chapters explore older men in the broader context of gender across nations, in diverse social and cultural settings.
Series editors’ preface
- Edited by Ajay Bailey, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, Martin Hyde, Swansea University, K. S. James
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- Book:
- Care for Older Adults in India
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 13 October 2022
- Print publication:
- 31 May 2022, pp xiii-xiv
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As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers, and health and social care professionals worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways: first, through publishing books which rethink the key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the re-structuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of cultural diversity, changing patterns of working life, new forms of inequality, the role of ethnicity in later life and related concerns. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions to the series provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing later life, creating, in the process, new perspectives and approaches relevant to the twenty-first century.
Given these broad aims, this very comprehensive study of the care of older people in India is to be especially welcomed. The editors are surely right in their assessment of the importance of a better understanding of the Indian context, given both the size of the country's population and also its immense cultural, demographic and social diversity. Indeed, the key conclusion to be drawn from the various chapters is precisely the variety of living arrangements of older adults, set within the continued importance of the traditional family structure within India. The book is of particular importance in the way it draws together a wealth of material, based upon both quantitative and qualitative data, looking at trends across India and individual states.
Series editors’ preface
- Sheila Peace, The Open University, Milton Keynes
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- Book:
- The Environments of Ageing
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 15 September 2022
- Print publication:
- 24 February 2022, pp xiii-xiv
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Demographic ageing and the increasing numbers and growing diversity of older people across world regions are raising new issues and concerns for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals around the world. Ageing in a Global Context is a book series, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, that aims to influence and transform debates in what is a rapidly changing field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve its aims in three main ways. First, the series publishes books which set out to re-think some of the fundamental questions which shape debates in the study of ageing. This has become particularly important within the context of the restructuring of welfare states, especially in the Global North, and the growing complexity of population change. Each of these elements opens up the need to explore themes which reach beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, which are contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries that originally framed the study of ageing. This is reflected in the increasing scope and breadth of issues that are explored in contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, growing ethnic and cultural diversity, new types of inequality, changing personal and family ties and themes relating to ageing in different environmental contexts. Third, a major concern of the Ageing in a Global Context series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions to the series provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories that influence the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Against this background, we are delighted that Sheila Peace has written an exciting book that responds so well to the overarching aims of our series. As might be expected of a scholar whose work has helped to shape the interdisciplinary field of environmental gerontology since the 1970s, The Environments of Ageing breaks new ground in conceptualising the spatiality of later life. Its focus is on the contrasting environments, ranging from the specific characteristics of spaces within the home setting to key features of global cities, which influence personal experiences and have a powerful bearing on wellbeing in older age.
Series editors’ preface
- Bethany Simmonds, University of Portsmouth
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- Book:
- Ageing and the Crisis in Health and Social Care
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 30 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 04 November 2021, pp v-vi
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As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways: first, through publishing books which re-think the key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the re-structuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalization and related processes, these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of cultural diversity, changing patterns of working life, new forms of inequality, the role of ethnicity in later life, and related concerns. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions to the series provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing later life, creating, in the process, new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Of particular importance has been the crisis in health and social care, driven by changing patterns of ownership and delivery of services, cuts in public spending, and the impact of COVID-19. These changes have themselves interacted with global changes in systems of social protection, these having the effect of introducing new forms of insecurity and precarity. Given this context, Bethany Simmonds provides a significant contribution to the Policy Press/BSG series, illuminating both the impact of neo-liberal policies on older people, but also staff working within the care system. Her study outlines the wider economic and social context in which care is situated, along with valuable case studies of the experiences of older people themselves. The book should prove essential reading for policy makers, practitioners, and academics, working to improve the quality of care and support provided to older people.
Older people's lived experience and the World Health Organization age-friendly policy framework: a critical examination of an age-friendly county programme in Ireland
- Bernard McDonald, Thomas Scharf, Kieran Walsh
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- Journal:
- Ageing & Society / Volume 43 / Issue 8 / August 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 September 2021, pp. 1784-1809
- Print publication:
- August 2023
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Developing age-friendly communities is a significant global policy issue. The World Health Organization's (WHO) age-friendly cities and communities initiative significantly influenced the development of Ireland's Age-friendly Programme. This article critically examines the utilisation of the WHO age-friendly planning framework in the context of Ireland. It explores older adults’ experience of living in a county which is currently implementing an age-friendly programme, and uses this analysis to assess how the age-friendly programme addresses older residents’ needs, and to illustrate how the WHO conceptual and planning framework has worked in Ireland. The article reports on a qualitative case study which used constructivist grounded theory to explore the lived experience of older adults. The research identifies salient social and cultural dimensions of the day-to-day lived experience of older people which, although they impact on the age-friendliness of the places in which they live, are downplayed or neglected in the WHO framework. In critically analysing the transfer and relevance of the WHO age-friendly model in light of broader issues such as diversity of place, the dynamic nature of person–place relations, and the interplay between age-friendly policy and other age-related public policy, the article suggests ways in which the use of the WHO framework can be modified to accommodate better the diverse experience of older adults in Ireland, but also in other geographic and cultural contexts.
Series editors’ preface
- Ann Leahy, Maynooth University, Ireland
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- Book:
- Disability and Ageing
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 16 April 2023
- Print publication:
- 12 July 2021, pp vi-viii
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Global ageing and the increasing numbers of older people in all world regions raise new issues and concerns for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals around the world. Ageing in a Global Context is a book series, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, that aims to influence and transform debates in what is a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, the series publishes books which rethink key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become particularly important given the restructuring of welfare states, especially in the Global North, alongside the complex nature of population change. Each of these elements opens up the need to explore themes which reach beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, which are contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries that originally framed the study of ageing. This is reflected in the increasing scope and breadth of issues that are explored in contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, growing ethnic and cultural diversity, new types of inequality and themes relating to ageing in different environmental contexts. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the twenty-first century.
In Disability and Ageing: Towards a Critical Perspective, Ann Leahy seeks to challenge some of the taken-for-granted assumptions about the connections between the fields of disability studies and social gerontology. With a strong conceptual grounding in critical gerontology, the book considers the ways in which social policies and cultural practices differently shape the lives of people who are ageing with disability and people who develop disabilities in later life. Ann Leahy uses evidence drawn from a fascinating empirical project to question the siloed approaches that have tended to characterise ageing and disability in terms of theorising, activism and policy making. She suggests that as people age, they experience greater disablement in their bodies and in the contexts of their lives.
Intergenerational equity, equality and reciprocity in economically and politically turbulent times: narratives from across generations
- Josephine M. Wildman, Anna Goulding, Suzanne Moffatt, Thomas Scharf, Alison Stenning
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- Journal:
- Ageing & Society / Volume 42 / Issue 10 / October 2022
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 22 February 2021, pp. 2284-2303
- Print publication:
- October 2022
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The concept of intergenerational fairness has taken hold across Europe since the 2008 financial crisis. In the United Kingdom (UK), focus on intergenerational conflict has been further sharpened by the 2016 ‘Brexit’ vote to take the UK out of the European Union. However, current debates around intergenerational fairness are taking place among policy makers, the media and in think-tanks. In this way, they are conversations about, but not with, people. This article draws on qualitative interviews with 40 people aged 19–85 years and living in North-East England and Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city, to explore whether macro-level intergenerational equity discourses resonate in people's everyday lives. We find widespread pessimism around young people's prospects and evidence of a fracturing social contract, with little faith in the principles of intergenerational equity, equality and reciprocity upon which welfare states depend. Although often strong, the kin contract was not fully ameliorating resentment and frustration among participants observing societal-level intergenerational unfairness mirrored within families. However, blame for intergenerational inequity was placed on a remote state rather than on older generations. Despite the precariousness of the welfare state, participants of all ages strongly supported the principle of state support, rejecting a system based on family wealth and inherited privilege. Rather than increased individualism, participants desired strengthened communities that encouraged greater intergenerational mixing.
Series Editors’ Preface
- Edited by Amanda Grenier, McMaster University, Ontario, Chris Phillipson, University of Manchester, Richard A. Settersten Jr, Oregon State University
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- Book:
- Precarity and Ageing
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 02 March 2021
- Print publication:
- 15 January 2020, pp xi-xii
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Global ageing and the increasing numbers of older people in all world regions raise new issues and concerns for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals around the world. Ageing in a Global Context is a book series, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, that aims to influence and transform debates in what is a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, the series publishes books which rethink key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become particularly important given the restructuring of welfare states, especially in the Global North, alongside the complex nature of population change. Each of these elements opens up the need to explore themes which reach beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalization and related processes, which are contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries that originally framed the study of ageing. This is reflected in the increasing scope and breadth of issues that are explored in contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, growing ethnic and cultural diversity, new types of inequality, and themes relating to ageing in different environmental contexts. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Against this background, we are grateful to the editors of this book, Amanda Grenier, Chris Phillipson and Richard A. Settersten Jr, whose book aligns so closely to the aims of the Ageing in a Global Context series. Exploring the emerging topic of precarity and ageing, the book offers a fundamentally new perspective on the ways in which later life is shaped within the context of a redefined welfare model and deepening inequalities. With a strong conceptual grounding in critical gerontology, the book's chapters, written by leading scholars from a range of countries, considers the multiple and intersecting pathways that lead to precarity in older age, the different spheres of life that are becoming more precarious under the influence of profound structural change, and the role of social policy in framing and responding to precarity.
Rural old-age social exclusion: a conceptual framework on mediators of exclusion across the lifecourse
- Kieran Walsh, Eamon O'Shea, Thomas Scharf
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- Journal:
- Ageing & Society / Volume 40 / Issue 11 / November 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 02 July 2019, pp. 2311-2337
- Print publication:
- November 2020
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Social exclusion amongst rural-dwelling older adults and the role of the diversity of people and places in mediating the construction of that exclusion has not been adequately investigated or conceptualised in the international literature. Consequently, how ageing in a rural community can function to disadvantage or protect older people remains poorly understood. With the aim of advancing conceptual understanding on rural old-age social exclusion, this article explores how exclusion is manifest in the lifecourse experiences of rural-dwelling older adults and the role of mediating factors in the construction of exclusion in different kinds of rural places. The analysis draws on ten rural case-study sites across Ireland and Northern Ireland, encompassing five kinds of rural communities: dispersed rural; remote rural; island rural; village rural; and near-urban rural. Data come from 106 interviews with older people ranging in age from 59 to 93 years. Rural old-age social exclusion is confirmed as a multi-dimensional construct, involving: social relations; service infrastructure; transport and mobility; safety, security and crime; and financial and material resources. This analysis demonstrates that social exclusion for rural-dwelling older people is multi-layered, and its prevalence and form is shaped by four mediating factors: individual capacities; lifecourse trajectories; place; and macro-economic forces. The findings are used to present a conceptual framework that emphasises the role of mediating forces on rural old-age social exclusion.
Series editors’ preface
- Sandra Torres, Uppsala universitet, Sociologiska institutionen
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- Book:
- Ethnicity and Old Age
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 27 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 17 April 2019, pp vi-vii
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As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, through publishing books which rethink the key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the restructuring of welfare states alongside the complex nature of population change, with both elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, thus contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series; for example, the impact of cultural diversity, transnational migration, new forms of inequality, environmental issues and ageing, and related developments. Third, a key aim of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions will provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Given the aims of the series, we are especially pleased to include a study which connects research in social gerontology with advances in scholarship in the field of ethnicity. Research focusing on issues relating to ethnicity has, especially in the case of Europe, tended to remain on the margins of work in the field of ageing. However, there is now some urgency in making ethnicity a core area of research in social gerontology. Demographic change will itself be a central driver in this process, with ethnic diversity increasingly characteristic of older as much as younger populations. But the broader social changes are equally important, in particular those associated with the rise of transnational communities, the impact of global migration, the influence of different ethnic groups on neighbourhoods and communities, and the complex interaction between ethnicity and other key social statuses – notably age, class, gender and sexuality.
Series editors’ preface
- Edited by Andrew King, University of Surrey, Kathryn Almack, University of Hertfordshire, Rebecca L. Jones, The Open University
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- Book:
- Intersections of Ageing, Gender and Sexualities
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 27 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 21 March 2019, pp xv-xvi
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As the proportion of elders worldwide continues to expand, new issues and concerns for scholars, policy makers, and health and social care professionals emerge. Ageing in a Global Context is a book series, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, by publishing books which rethink the key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the restructuring of welfare states alongside the complex nature of population change, with both elements opening up the need to explore themes that go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, which have contributed to the erosion of the national boundaries that originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series: for example, the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide critical assessments of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Given this context of increasing complexity that accompanies global ageing, we are pleased to be able to include in the series a book, one of the first of its kind, which takes a serious, interdisciplinary look at the intersections of power relations based on age, gender and sexualities. Editors Andrew King, Kathryn Almack and Rebecca L. Jones have brought together chapters that explore these intersections (as well as those related to other marginalised positions, such as race and ethnicity) from multiple disciplines, including sociology, social work, health, gerontology, policy studies, psychology, gender and sexualities studies, and socio-legal studies. The chapters employ various lenses to illuminate different concerns relating to ageing, gender and sexualities, thereby foregrounding the issues and perspectives of marginalised and often invisible populations.
Compact polarimetry for automotive applications
- Christian Erhart, Steffen Lutz, Marc A. Mutschler, Philipp A. Scharf, Thomas Walter, Hubert Mantz, Robert Weigel
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- Journal:
- International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies / Volume 11 / Issue 2 / March 2019
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 02 January 2019, pp. 114-120
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Though compact polarimetric approaches have been developed and applied in space and geo researching systems they have not been taken into consideration in automotive applications, yet. A sensor system has been designed to conduct polarimetric measurements in the 77 GHz frequency band, which is permitted for automotive usage. This system is able to transceive linearly as well as circularly polarized electromagnetic continuous waves. Depending on the case of application, the frequency output can be set statically or modulated over time within adjustable parameters. Hence, a variety of compact polarimetric modes can be performed and compared with full polarimetric approaches. Two compact polarimetric modes, dual-circular polarimetric mode, and circular-transmit-linear-receive, will be introduced and applied in this contribution. Their operability in this frequency range will be investigated after the microstrip antennas as well as the beam focusing dielectrical lense are characterized. Finally, results of a realistical measurement set-up will confirm the practicability of compact polarimetric approaches for double bounce recognition.
Series editors’ preface
- Edited by Stephen Katz, Trent University
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- Book:
- Ageing in Everyday Life
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 22 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 10 June 2018, pp x-x
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As the proportion of elders worldwide continues to expand, new issues and concerns for scholars, policy makers, and health and social care professionals emerge. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, the series publishes books which rethink key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the restructuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change; both elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes; these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality; and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating, in the process, new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Given this context, we are pleased to be able to include in this series a book that takes an interdisciplinary, critical look at the everyday worlds of elders. The editor, Stephen Katz, has been at the forefront of theory and research on social worlds and subjectivities, and the combined chapters he has assembled illuminate everyday worlds in a manner that bridges theory and research with policy and practice. Together, the nuanced theoretical and empirical chapters illuminate ways that ageing experiences are physically mediated. As such, the book is essential reading for policy makers, scholars, and practitioners interested in improving elders’ quality of life.
Series editors’ preface
- Edited by Tine Buffel, The University of Manchester, Sophie Handler, The University of Manchester, Chris Phillipson, The University of Manchester
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- Book:
- Age-Friendly Cities and Communities
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 12 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 17 January 2018, pp xi-xii
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Demographic change and the growing proportions of older people across the world raise new issues and concerns for consideration by academics, policy makers and a wide range of professionals working with ageing adults worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a book series, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series is seeking to achieve this in three main ways. First, it publishes books which rethink fundamental questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the restructuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which once framed the study of ageing. From this have emerged the issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality, changing personal social relationships, and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore interdisciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Set within this context, we are delighted to include within the series a book which responds directly to major questions facing ageing societies across every world region. The global flourishing of age-friendly cities and communities initiatives provides fertile ground for critical thinking about what it is that makes places good places in which to age. The book's editors, Tine Buffel, Sophie Handler and Chris Phillipson, have been central to emerging scientific and policy debates about age-friendliness. In this book they have succeeded in bringing together an impressive cast of international scholars to explore multiple perspectives on the problems and the potential of designing age-friendly environments. Of particular importance is the focus on engaging directly with ageing adults in improving the environments in which they live. The book is essential reading for academics, policy makers and practitioners who share an interest in developing agefriendly societies.
Eight - Creating an age-friendly county in Ireland: stakeholders’ perspectives on implementation
- Edited by Tine Buffel, The University of Manchester, Sophie Handler, The University of Manchester, Chris Phillipson, The University of Manchester
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- Book:
- Age-Friendly Cities and Communities
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 12 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 17 January 2018, pp 143-166
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Introduction
Ireland's Age Friendly Cities and Counties (AFCC) programme, established in 2010, is one of 12 country- or state-level programmes affiliated to the World Health Organization's (WHO) burgeoning Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (Age- Friendly World, 2016). As such, it is currently being implemented in all 31 local authority areas across the country. Aside from the scale of the Irish programme, the context in which it was developed has several distinctive characteristics. The programme was initiated at a time of global economic crisis. Because of exacerbating local economic circumstances, this was experienced more severely in Ireland than in many countries, leading to the country becoming one of the ‘bailout nations’ co-funded by the so-called Troika (European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund). As a consequence, a severe austerity programme, which saw major cutbacks to public health and social services, including services provided for older people, was introduced contemporaneously with the development of the AFCC programme.
The programme's governance structures are also notable. Unlike in other countries, where research centres, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or local authorities assume a leadership role, the development of Ireland's national programme was supported and resourced primarily by an independent think-tank, the Ageing Well Network, which was in turn financed by an international philanthropic limited life foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies (hereafter Atlantic). Ireland's demography is also distinctive. Although its population is ageing, it remains relatively young in comparison with other highincome countries. This combination of circumstances – the scale and coverage of the Irish programme, the particular set of international and local economic forces at play during its implementation, and the organisational and demographic factors that influenced its development – provides a unique context in which to examine the development and implementation of an age-friendly initiative.
Key features of the WHO Age-Friendly Cities and Communities initiative have increasingly been the focus of scientific debate (see Chapter Two). Researchers have examined the various approaches adopted, the conceptual understandings that underpin these approaches, the challenges facing age-friendly initiatives, and the outcomes achieved (Scharlach, 2009; Fitzgerald and Caro, 2014; Moulaert and Garon, 2016).
Series editors’ preface
- Edited by Áine Ní Léime, National University of Ireland Galway, Debra Street, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Sarah Vickerstaff, University of Kent, Clary Krekula, Karlstads universitet Institutionen för ingenjörsvetenskap och fysik, Wendy Loretto, The University of Edinburgh
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- Book:
- Gender, Ageing and Extended Working Life
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 05 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 05 July 2017, pp xiii-xiv
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Summary
As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, the series is publishing books which rethink key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the restructuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality, and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore inter-disciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Against this background, we are especially pleased that one of the early books in the series addresses a range of concerns relating to gender, ageing and extended working lives. The book's editors, Áine Ní Léime, Debra Street, Sarah Vickerstaff, Clary Krekula and Wendy Loretto, have played a key role in raising awareness of the complex issues that arise for women and men when countries adopt policies aimed at encouraging longer working lives. Taken together, the various chapters, guided by an insightful cross-national comparative framework, make a major contribution to theoretical and empirical understandings of this changing emphasis of public policy. The book will be essential reading for academics, non-governmental organisations, and policy makers who share an interest in ageing.
Series editors’ preface
- Torbjörn Bildtgård, Stockholms universitet Institutionen för socialt arbete, Peter Öberg, Högskolan i Gävle, Sweden
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- Book:
- Intimacy and Ageing
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 05 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 21 June 2017, pp ix-x
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Summary
As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways. First, the series is publishing books which rethink key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the restructuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality, and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore inter-disciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Among the many changes influencing later life, new types of relationships and social ties must rank as one of the most important. In this respect, Torbjörn Biltgård and Peter Öberg's contribution to the series is especially welcome, providing a major assessment of changing patterns of intimacy in later life. The authors draw on their own original research in Sweden, together with a large number of international studies, to provide a comprehensive account of intimacy in later life. The book provides an exciting and challenging account, demonstrating the numerous ways in which older people are reshaping social and family life in the 21st century.
Series preface
- Edited by Jaco Hoffman, North-West University - Vaal Triangle Campus, South Africa, Katrien Pype, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
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- Book:
- Ageing in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 05 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 07 July 2016, pp ix-x
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- Chapter
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Summary
As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways: first, through publishing books which re-think key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the re-structuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality, and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore inter-disciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions will provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Given the ambitions of the series, the editors are delighted that one of the early contributions focuses on issues relating to older people living in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Jaco Hoffman and Katrien Pype have brought together an impressive group of contributors to explore issues of urgent concern to the development of health and social policy in SSA. The various chapters draw together ethnographic, survey and policy-related material, exploring different aspects of family-based care in SSA. The book represents a major achievement and will be essential reading for academics, NGOs, and policy makers more generally.
Preface from the series editors
- Martin Hyde, Swansea University, Paul Higgs, University College London
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- Book:
- Ageing and Globalisation
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 05 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 06 July 2016, pp xi-xii
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- Chapter
- Export citation
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Summary
As the global older population continues to expand, new issues and concerns arise for consideration by academics, policy makers and health and social care professionals worldwide. Ageing in a Global Context is a series of books, published by Policy Press in association with the British Society of Gerontology, which aims to influence and transform debates in what has become a fast-moving field in research and policy. The series seeks to achieve this in three main ways: first, through publishing books which re-think key questions shaping debates in the study of ageing. This has become especially important given the re-structuring of welfare states, alongside the complex nature of population change, both of these elements opening up the need to explore themes which go beyond traditional perspectives in social gerontology. Second, the series represents a response to the impact of globalisation and related processes, these contributing to the erosion of the national boundaries which originally framed the study of ageing. From this has come the emergence of issues explored in various contributions to the series, for example: the impact of transnational migration, cultural diversity, new types of inequality, and contrasting themes relating to ageing in rural and urban areas. Third, a key concern of the series is to explore inter-disciplinary connections in gerontology. Contributions will provide a critical assessment of the disciplinary boundaries and territories influencing the study of ageing, creating in the process new perspectives and approaches relevant to the 21st century.
Given the above aims, we are delighted that one of the first books in the series has, as its central concern, the exploration of the impact of global interconnectedness on the lives of older people. The authors of the book – Martin Hyde and Paul Higgs – have played a leading role in applying sociological perspectives to the study of ageing, most notably in furthering our understanding of the transformative role of globalisation. This book represents a major assessment of the links between later life and global change, drawing together a wealth of theoretical and empirical material. It will certainly be essential reading for those working in the field of ageing but should also have much wider impact on the social and health sciences more generally.