Politics, Power and Old Age

Booknews

Vincent (sociology, U. of Exeter) investigates how people are considered to be different as they get older, who defines the meaning of old age and how that meaning is contested, whether older people as a group are politically powerful and if not why not, the political consequences of an ageing population, and other issues. He applies ideas about power and ageism in specific areas such as lifestyles, personal identity, appearance, and intergenerational conflicts. Drawing on original research into the role of age-based issues in the 1997 British election, he also considers pensioners' movements, party politics, and elections. Distributed by Taylor & Francis. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)