Aging and the Life Course: An Introduction to Social Gerontology

by Jill Quadagno

Jill Quadagno's groundbreaking text "Aging and the Life Course" examines the relationship between quality of life in old age and its experiential catalysts. Throughout the text an emphasis is placed on the intersectionality of race, class, gender, and culture, and how these classifications affect quality of life. Students will come away with a broad background for understanding crucial and current policy debates.

Genres: Nonfiction

512 pages, Hardcover

Published January 23, 2013

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chosen e-textbook for my Social Gerontology class. Well written and researched and enjoyable to read. I appreciate the "In Their Own Words" sections in each chapter, which highlight an appropriate personal story fitting the chapter topic. Another great feature is the "Aging Around the World" section in each chapter that provides a comparison on how other countries around the world are facing the same issues of an aging population.

[Patricia Lott · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it isn't my dream book I was able to create an exciting course for the upcoming class. I actually like this text a lot....oh and I'm using the eight edition but couldn't get it to load up.

[Nancy Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for a text book, not dry at all and interesting and easy to read. Great information on the process of aging.

[Madi]

Read for SOC 569: Sociology of Aging

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my textbook for interprofessional perspectives on aging (Fall 2011 course), but it's a very good introduction to gerontology with a sociology bent. Chapters include the following:

1. The Field of Social Gerontology
2. Life Course Transitions
3. Theories of Aging
4. Demography of Aging
5. Old Age and the Welfare State
6. Biologoical Perspectives on Aging
7. Psychological Perspectives on Aging
8. Family Relationships and Social Support Systems
9. Living Arrangments
10. Work and Retirement
11. Health and Health Care
12. Caring for the Frail Elderly
13. Dying, Death, and Bereavement
14. The Economics of Aging
15. Poverty and Inequality
16. The Politics of Aging.

[Lex R · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for an aging and the life course class I took to finish out my undergrad. For a boom that is recent enough to talk about the COVID-19 pandemic, I find it abhorrent that the author (a 79 year old White woman) frequently refers to Black Americans as “blacks.” Embarrassing and shameful really, but I’ve come to expect this from McGraw-Hill texts.

[LadybugPJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sociology of Aging was a good class and I felt this to be a compelling and interesting textbook for the class. I hesitated taking a class about old age and dying, but this book really did keep it interesting.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enthralling college textbook.

[Maira · Rating 3 out of 5]

my eyes are so tired...

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't expect much from course textbooks, but the explanations seemed very elementary at times, and many issues that should have been elaborated upon were glossed over or even ignored.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

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