1. Social Divisions: Age

2. 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

3. 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?

4. Media and the portrayal of old age

5. Old age today: Video time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHTxFV_LEMc
And comments
Ageism report and worksheet

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. Group discussion time
What has changed?

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

11. 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

12. Getting you thinking- current states
Task 2- Handout- page 368

13. 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!

14. Check learning

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