The politics of ageing

Health Consumers, Markets and Hegemonic Challenge

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2249402
AutoresB Salter (0000-0002-0779-2712, Kings College London London UK, autor correspondente), C Salter (0000-0001-8429-3899, University of East Anglia Norwich UK)
Ano2018
Volume40
Fascículo6
Páginas1069-1086
Data de publicação2018-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSociology of Health & Illness (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0141-9889 • E-ISSN: 1467-9566
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-9566.12743
PMID29740838
OpenAlexW2799759109
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas7
Referências citadas45

In recent years ageing has travelled from the placid backwaters of politics into the mainstream of economic, social and cultural debate. What are the forces that have politicised ageing, creating a sustained opposition to the supply side hegemony of pharmaceuticals, medicine and state which has historically constructed, propagated and legitimised the understanding of ageing as decline in social worth? In addressing this question, the paper develops Gramsci's theory of hegemony to include the potentially disruptive demand side power of consumers and markets. It shows how in the case of ageing individuals acting in concert through the mechanisms of the market, and not institutionalised modes of opposition, may become the agents of hegemonic challenge through a combination of lifecourse choice and electoral leverage. In response, the hegemony is adapting through the promotion of professionally defined interpretations of 'active ageing' designed to retain hegemonic control. With the forces of hegemony and counter-hegemony nicely balanced and fresh issues such as intergenerational justice constantly emerging, the political tensions of ageing are set to continue

Hegemony · Mainstream · Opposition (politics) · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Aging and Gerontology Research · Employment and Welfare Studies · Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism · Law