Bytheway, Bill
(2005).
Age-identities and the celebration of birthdays.
Ageing and Society, 25(4),
pp. 463–477.
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Abstract
There is a widespread view among social gerontologists that chronological age is an 'empty' variable, even though it is central to the construction of social identities, both in bureaucratic contexts and in less formal social interaction. This paper draws on material stored in the Mass-Observation Archive at the University of Sussex, England. A large panel of 'ordinary people' was asked to write about 'growing older' in 1992 and about 'birthdays' in 2002. An analysis of the ways in which they revealed their age demonstrates that the revelation of chronological age is unproblematic in certain contexts that are deemed appropriate. Difficulties arise as a result of the association of age with various more nebulous statuses such as 'middle-aged' and 'old'. The implications for the concept of 'the third age' are discussed and it is concluded that social gerontology should pay more attention to the theoretical significance of chronological age and age-identity and less to age statuses.
| Item Type: |
Journal Article
|
| ISSN: |
1469-1779 |
| Keywords: |
social identity; chronological age; birthdays; experience |
| Academic Unit/Department: |
Health and Social Care |
| Item ID: |
4288 |
| Depositing User: |
Bill Bytheway
|
| Date Deposited: |
05 Jul 2006 |
| Last Modified: |
04 Dec 2010 07:41 |
| URI: |
http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/4288 |
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