ABSTRACT
This chapter describes social disengagement theory, activity theory, feminist perspectives and political economy theory. A reference is also made to Simon Biggs's term 'the mature imagination'. Using data from a study of 279 men and women between the ages of 50 and 90, Cumming and Henry concluded that progressive disengagement from social roles benefited both the individual older person and wider society. Activity theory maintains that the healthiest approach to older age is to be active and socially engaged. Major feminist theories of ageing have taken the view that women occupy an inferior position in older age because of exploitative patriarchal structures. Like other theories referred to so far, continuity theory is criticised for paying insufficient attention to sociological and structural disadvantages that affect ageing. Marxist social theory regarded all power as arising from the control of economic resources. This analysis leads primarily to social structures based on class.
