Age Inequality

Question 1

Outline the functionalist perspective on age inequality and evaluate

Answer 1

• based on consensus and social agreement
• disengagement: gradual process of the elderly withdrawing from society and passing roles to the younger generation (Cumming and Henry)
• they assume the ageing process is the same for everyone, regardless of social circumstances; overlooking ethnicity, class and gender

Question 2

Cumming & Henry

Answer 2

Disengagement occurs
- gradual process of the elderly withdrawing from society and passing roles to the younger generation

Question 3

Eisenstadt

Answer 3

It is the role of the old to socialise the young and prepare them for their own futures - this contributes to consensus and cohesion
(func)

Question 4

Outline the Marxist perspective on age inequality and evaluate

Answer 4

• the young and elderly are significant parts of the reserve army of labour - if they do work they are in the lower sectors of the working class
• the young are vulnerable to being in short term, low wage jobs with no prospect of promotion e.g zero hours contracts

Question 5

Althusser on inequality

Answer 5

• critical of welfare payments to the younger generation and old
• these benefits legitimised the power of the ruling class and are part of the ISA

Question 6

Outline the feminist perspective on age inequality and evaluate

Answer 6

• women are more likely to live longer and be the victims of poverty
• women earn less and save less in their lifetime
• gender stereotypes of older women can be very negative

Question 7

Define intersectionality and map out who said it

Answer 7

Crenshaw
women experience a range of discrimination

Question 8

Featherstone and Hepworth

Answer 8

There are no distinct life stages, as older people are keeping themselves more youthful

Question 9

Outline the postmodern viewpoint on age inequality

Answer 9

Age discrimination is not an issue for older people and not a particular source of inequality - consumer culture has changes stereotypes

Question 10

Outline the new right perspective on age inequality and evaluate

Answer 10

• an equal society is not possible because we are all different
• inequality can be explained in terms of loss of health and ability
• people do not prepare for old age because the state has encouraged them that it will provide (pensions and health services)
• ignore the fact that few people earn enough to set aside savings

Question 11

What did the Cornish widows pension find in their survey

Answer 11

51% of retirement age adults rely on basic state pension
1/4 of adults have no pension savings at all

Question 12

Feminism and age inequality

Answer 12

• women earn less and save less in their lives leaving them more vulnerable to poverty in old age
• fewer women in government (29% in last Tory) means the rights of older women are overlooked
• women are more likely to take on caring roles in old age
• women have lower pensions because they were more likely to be in low status positions
• young women are often subject to more judgement of their bodies by men