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Aging Individuals, Families, and Societies: Micro–Meso–Macro Linkages in the Life Course

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Handbook of Sociology of Aging

Part of the book series: Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research ((HSSR))

Abstract

As a conceptual lens with which to view and understand changes over the human life span, the life course perspective has achieved a dominant, some might say near hegemonic, status in social gerontology over the last several decades. It is difficult to overstate the importance of life course concepts to the sociology of aging and the science of human development. In simple terms, the life course framework considers the process of human growth and senescence within historical context, producing unique life experiences and trajectories for different birth cohorts (Elder 1994; Riley and Riley 1994). For its sweeping scope and focus on biographical and historical dynamics, the life course perspective is a powerful tool in the social scientific investigation of aging, but it is not without conceptual and empirical challenges.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 3715 Mc Clintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0191, USA

    Merril Silverstein

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  1. Merril Silverstein
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  2. Roseann Giarrusso
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Correspondence to Merril Silverstein .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, 97331-2302, Oregon, USA

    Richard A. Settersten

  2. Dept. Sociology, University of Texas, Austin, University Station 1, Austin, 78712, Texas, USA

    Jacqueline L. Angel

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Silverstein, M., Giarrusso, R. (2011). Aging Individuals, Families, and Societies: Micro–Meso–Macro Linkages in the Life Course. In: Settersten, R., Angel, J. (eds) Handbook of Sociology of Aging. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7374-0_3

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