Thinking about Generations: Conceptual Positions and Policy Implications

Abstract

Three traditions of social theory are examined in this article, with a special emphasis being given to the ways that the concept of "generation" has been conceived and developed over time. These include Psychodynamic, Sociological, and Gerontological approaches with attention drawn to the similarities and differences among them. It is concluded that while conceptual development has been uneven, taken together, they provide a rich basis for a critical examination of contemporary social problems with implications for policy toward intergenerational relationships.This article examines the way the concept of generation has been used in various theories and approaches to the adult lifecourse. Generation goes to the heart of a number of debates about the nature of contemporary society. It has biological roots through the family, where generations generally refer to successive parentchild bonds. There are psychological dimensions in the sense of belonging and identity that can arise, depending upon the stance that an individual takes toward the generation in question. Generation is also used to locate particular birth cohorts in specific historical and cultural circumstances, such as the "baby boomers." It is a truly crossroads phenomenon that links a number of different fields and levels of analysis.The adult lifecourse, and its influence on intergenerational relations, is in a period of considerable flux. Scientific advances promise to extend the lifecourse, there are social and economic concerns about the sustainability of society's payas-you-go approach to pensions, and lifestyle changes appear to be redefining traditional roles and aspirations associated with later life. Each of these factors will influence the way that succeeding generations define each other and the degree of solidarity and rivalry that might result.

Age Relations and Family Ties Over the Life Course: Spanning the Macro–Micro Divide

“…Old and young adults need training to do their jobs well, decent incomes, care for dependents to support themselves and others, and reasonable financial security to be able leave the labor market without becoming dependents. Biggs (2007) warned of the limits to creating effective policy when we rely on families as the solution to socially created challenges. He argued that attending to ambivalence in intergenerational ties draws attention to power relations and cumulative disadvantage, issues that call for integrated polices that connect public and private domains.…”

Self-Build Homes

“…However, an academic understanding of the ageing process has shifted considerably over the last half-century, from a view of decline and dependency in later life as something innate, toward the idea that 'old age' is socially constructed, with what we consider to be 'unavoidable' behaviours and tropes of old age actually fluid and negotiable in myriad ways (Biggs, 2007). If broader society remains ageist in many of its attitudes, there is evidence that older people themselves think differently about what it means to be 'old' (Gilleard, 2008), popularised most notably by the polemical work of Peter Laslett in the late 1980s.…”

Reflections on the Study of Generations in Politics

“…To start, there are two generation concepts, not one, that are of interest to political scientists (Braungart and Braungart 1986;Alwin and McCammon 2003;Biggs 2007). Alwin and McCammon (2003) distinguish them by calling them "generation" and "Generation," whereas I will use the terms "lineage generation" and "generation" (or "political generation"), respectively.…”

“…This topic joins the two generational concepts because differences in political generation can be a source of conflict and misunderstanding between grandparents, parents, and children, a topic of some interest to sociologists and psychologists. At the same time, the bonds that tie family members to one another may work to diminish the distinctiveness of successive political generations (Biggs 2007). …”