This is the latest in a number of handbooks and books which cover a wide range of topics and issues in gerontology. Fortunately, as the editors point out, they all take a slightly different perspective, and this particular handbook focuses solely on social gerontology. It is both multidisciplinary and global. A global approach is of growing interest across the world for policy makers and practitioners, and indeed many students expect such an approach although up to about ten years ago, with a few exceptions, the emphasis was very United Kingdom or Europe based. Not only are the topics in this volume multidisciplinary but also the authors of the chapters come from all over the world and are acknowledged experts.
The editors have taken five main themes, in sections of roughly the same length. Section One contains disciplinary overviews with summaries of findings from key disciplinary areas within social gerontology. These include psychology, history, economics, social anthropology, demography and epidemiology. There is also a chapter on the environment and one on disabilities, which do not fit quite as neatly into the disciplines but are nevertheless of great relevance.
Section Two covers social relationships and social differences and topics include social inequality, gender and ageing, the role of religion, intergenerational ties, social networks and friendships in later life. Section Three covers individual characteristics and change in later life. These chapters examine different aspects of individual ageing, including self and identity, cognitive processes and biosocial interactions, and the impacts of physical and psychological ageing. The importance of the lifecourse and issues such as loneliness and ageing bodies are covered here.
Section Four is specifically to do with comparative perspectives and cultural innovations including ageing and development, ageing in a global context, migration and cross-cultural perspectives on the very important topic of grandparents. It includes chapters that are specifically focused on particular areas of the world. The final section is concerned with policy issues. These include developments in social policy, long-term care, technology and older people, end-of-life issues, work and retirement, crime and older people, and the politics of old age.
Does this book cover all of the issues one would expect of a handbook? Clearly not all of them could be included, but it is perhaps a pity that so little attention has been given to housing. It is also perhaps surprising that there is little on the contribution of older people in the voluntary and other sectors. Each chapter is well referenced – indeed in one or two chapters the number of pages of references almost exceeds the chapter itself. There is a list of authors and a subject index though I would have liked a slightly longer version of the index.
All in all this is a very useful new contribution to the literature, and the editors are to be congratulated on bringing together a distinguished group of authors on such an interesting number of relevant topics. At £90 it is not cheap: a paperback edition would be welcome.
