ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I discuss the evolution of my research interests in adult stepchildren, disadvantaged children across the world, and children’s rebellion against parents. I highlight concepts from my training in gerontology that have helped me think about children, including age-period-cohort-generation distinctions, heterogeneity, cumulative disadvantage, the life course perspective, and the latent kin matrix. Following this, I offer some questions for a critical social gerontology that are inspired by a consideration of children from a global perspective. By inquiring about “missing elders,” gerontocracies, life pathways in a global context, the impact of cumulative disadvantage in childhood, and world megatrends, I intend to challenge the field of social gerontology to transcend its age and geographic limitations, and in the process to consider new issues related to power and inequality.
