ABSTRACT

Ageism: Past, Present, and Future presents perspectives for understanding ageism and puts ageism in the context of specific social institutions. McNamara and Williamson uniquely provide a number of complementary ways to understand ageism, including social and psychological theories of ageism, economic development, ageism as frame or lens, and ageism at the intersection of various social categories such as gender and race. They then put ageism in the context of mass media, h ealth care, employment, and public policy. This short text is an ideal addition to courses on sociology of aging, social policy, and social problems.

chapter |12 pages

Introduction

Ageism: The Elephant or the Mouse

part I|2 pages

Ageism in Perspective

chapter 1|15 pages

Missing Pieces of the Puzzle

Theories of Ageism and Age Discrimination

chapter 2|10 pages

What Do You Owe Your Parents?

The Imperfect Link between Economic Development and Ageism

chapter 3|14 pages

Framing Ageism

The Well-Educated Barista in Historical Perspective

chapter 4|11 pages

Ageism at the Crossroads

Intersectionality and the Life Course

part II|2 pages

Ageism in Context

chapter 5|13 pages

Mass Media and the Segmentation of Ageism

A Look at Stereotypes on Facebook

chapter 6|15 pages

An Ecology of Ageism

Health Care from the Individual Out

chapter 7|18 pages

Peripheral Ageism in Employment

From Explanation to Action

chapter 8|14 pages

Three Ways to Use an Ideology

A Political Economy of Ageism

chapter |4 pages

Conclusion

The Ghosts of Ageism’s Future: Five Take-Away Messages