Critical Gerontology
Conclusion
While the theories discussed (critical theory, political economy, and social phenomenology) have very different orientations to the study of aging, the analytic challenges they pose represent something new—new modes of self-consciousness—in terms of the nature and practice of gerontological inquiry (Lynott and Lynott). This does not mean to suggest, however, that a paradigm shift in definitions of and thoughts about age and aging is developing (Kuhn). On the contrary, as Jan Baars (p. 220) has pointed out, the theories, in large part, "have been excluded by the established 'mainstream."' Each of these approaches, in its own fashion, takes issue with conventional theorizing in the field, providing new insights into, and critical self-reflection on, the continuing effort to understand the aging experience.
ROBERT J. LYNOTT PATRICIA PASSATH LYNOTT
See also LIFE COURSE; THEORIES, SOCIAL.
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Additional topics
Medicine EncyclopediaAging Healthy - Part 1Critical Gerontology - Critical Theory, Political Economy, Social Phenomenology, Conclusion