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‘I Don't Feel Old’: Subjective Ageing and the Search for Meaning in Later Life

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2008

Paul Thompson
Paul Thompson
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ United Kingdom
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Abstract

A critique of the study of ageing by sociologists and historians is provided in this paper, on the basis of the comparative neglect of life history studies across the whole lifespan. It points to the skewed nature of studies reported in the literature. As a corrective, results from a UK life history based study are presented. It focuses on leisure, grand- parenting and intimate relationships between adults, leading to conclusions about the relationship between class factors in the determination of late life experiences and self perceptions of the meaning of old age.

Type
Artilces
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , March 1992 , pp. 23 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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