This book presents a critical analysis and examination of the major theories and social issues in the social construction of aging and death. It is concerned with the impact of death and places how our experiences of death are transformed by the roles that truth and discourse about aging play in everyday life. A major element of the book is an examination of the way in which groups and individuals employ specific representations of mortality in order to construct meaning and purpose for life and death. To accentuate this, the book provides an investigation into the social construction of death practices across time and space. Special attention is given to the notion of death as a socially accomplished phenomenon grounded in a unique sociological introduction to the meaning of death throughout history to the present. The purpose of this book is to critically inform debates concerning the abstract and empirical features of death examined through the lens of sociological perspectives.This book explores the emergent biomedical dominance relating to ageing and death. An alternative is advocated which re-interprets ageing for Graduate schools. This innovative book explores the concept, history and theory of aging and its relationship to death. Traditionally, many books have focused on older people dying of 'natural causes', a biomedical explanatory framework. This book looks at alternative social theories and experiences with aging and relate to death in different countries, victims, crime, imprisonment and institutional care. Are these deaths avoidable? If so, what are the solutions the book addresses. This is one of the first books that re-interprets aging and its relationship of examples of death. It will be of essential reading for graduate students and researchers in understanding these different examples of aging and death across the globe.

Offers conceptual and theoretical, historical and contemporary interpretations of aging and processes of death such as crime, victimisation, and imprisonment Assesses international approaches to aging and death in different countries Includes definitions and descriptions of aging experiences within institutions and examples of death for graduate students and researchers

Autorentext
Professor Jason L. Powell PhD, FInstAM, FCMI, CSBP is an Adjunct Professor in Health and Aging at McMaster University. He is an elected Companion of the Society of Bereavement Practitioners (7th ever in history) and holds an Honorary Fellowship at the University of Liverpool bestowed for outstanding contribution to aging research. He has won several awards for his research. He is a recent Winner of Best Researcher Award (2022) from the INSO and Winner of Excellence in Service Award (2023) by INSO. Professor Powell is also a former Winner of the Best Article of the Year, published in the International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. Dr. Powell has interests in interdisciplinary research focusing on aging, social theory and social policy. He has held many research and knowledge exchange grants in the UK, EU and Asia and disseminated his research globally with many publications including 70+ academic books and hundreds of chapters and top ranked refereed journal articles, i.e., The Journal of Applied Gerontology; Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law; The Canadian Journal of Sociology; and The Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. Professor Powell is one of the most prolific researchers in the world. His most recent books are The Sociology of Aging and Death (2022) (Springer Nature); and New Perspectives on Health and Social Care (2023) (Springer Nature). Professor Powell is Editor-in-Chief of Illness, Crisis & Loss (SAGE). He is also Co-Series Editor, International Perspectives on Aging and Co-Series Editor, International Perspectives on Social Policy, Administration and Practice (Springer Nature).

Inhalt

1. Introduction - What Is Aging? .- 2. The Social Construction of Aging Theoretical Excursions.- 3. Risk and Aging.- 4. Postmodern Deconstructions of Aging.- 5. The Management of Aging in the Dark Side of Modernity.- 6. It could happen to me: victimisation and Aging .- 7. Elder Abuse and Aging.- 8. Covid 19 and Aging.- 9. Death, Culture and Aging.- 10. Towards Trust Relations in Contemporary Society?.- 11. Looking Forward: Concluding Comments.