The Anthropology of Aging

In a recent article entitled “Aging is the Real Population Bomb”, Bloom and Zucker describe a world that is being disrupted by the changing shape of the population pyramid. By 2050, it is estimated that one in six people worldwide will be over 65, up from just one in eleven in 2019. This shift is reshaping everything—from healthcare demands and pension systems to labor markets and technological innovation. In this course we will examine the experiences of growing old. We will explore what it means to grow old within societies, families, workplaces, and social networks. We will examine prevalent attitudes and stereotypes about age and aging that shape interpersonal and institutional practices. Through an examination of lived experiences, cultural beliefs, and social practices, we will develop a clear understanding of the experience of aging.