Social Divisions Age Outcomes for the lesson Define

Social Divisions: Age

Outcomes for the lesson • Define age as a social division • Refer to examples of how the concept of age changes depending on culture • Analyse evidence either positive or negative to support the concept of age inequality and ageism

Age • • Who is classed as ‘old’ Who is classed as ‘young’ how do we stereotype old people? What behaviours do we associate with old people?

Media and the portrayal of old age

Old age today: • Video time: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=YHTx. FV_LEM c • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=u. Yz. Ls. Ni. At 00 • And comments • Ageism report and worksheet

But once upon a time…Real world examples • “Old age is viewed as respect. The able, younger generation feels duty bound to care for those people as a token of appreciation because what the younger generations have now is a result of elderly peoples’ hard work” (East African cultures)

Cultures celebrating ‘Old Age’ The ‘crone’ in British paganism was celebrated as the wise woman and closest to the great spirit Hwangap: Korea celebration for people who reach 60 and 70 Celebration of the passage into old age

Other Examples In Indian traditions, elderly are celebrated as the head of the family. Within Native American families, it's common for the elders to be expected to pass down their learnings to younger members of the family

Group discussion time • What has changed?

A natural division? • Bradley (1996) ‘age is the neglected dimension of inequality’. • What do you think he means?

Bradley 1996 • Elderly people are one of the most impoverished groups • In Britain many elderly are seen as lacking the ability to contribute meaningfully to society

Getting you thinking- current states • Task 2 - Handout- page 368

Age and other divisions • Age combines with other social divisions such as ethnicity and gender causing even more inequality and social divisions • Oppenheim and Harker (1996)- 73% of males received company pensions, yet only 68% of full time female workers did, and 31% of part time female workers did!

Check learning

Feed forward to next lesson • Independent gathering of examples around: • Is ageism still alive today? • Examples of divisions in income, housing, education