Gerontology

Gerontology is the study of aging and old age. This remit is extremely broad, encompassing a large range of topics, disciplines, and methods, and requires a good understanding of the biological, clinical, economic, psychological, and social dimensions of aging. One obvious absence, however, has been any connection with social theory. Gerontological concerns overlap with social theory and an adequate theory of society needs to address aging and old age. Few social theorists have studied aging. Equally, among researchers there is a widespread assumption that social gerontology is undertheorized and often out of date in the ideas that are used. In sociology, age is rarely seen as constituting an important dimension of social cleavage, unlike other issues of class, gender, and ethnicity. This entry describes gerontology and maps its various levels of engagement with social theory and vice versa. It argues for a better engagement in the future.