Select Two Sociological Approaches to Aging (Functionalism,conflict,symbolic Interactionism,feminism,post-Structuralist)and Compare and Contrast

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The Answer is Functionalists stress harmony between society's institutions and the need for smooth transitions from one generation to the next.One functionalist approach concerned with aging is disengagement theory,which proposes that successful aging requires the gradual withdrawal from social activity.
The conflict perspective highlights the roots of institutional ageism in that it focuses on the constant tension between the old and the young.Conflict theory also suggests that the pressure either to exclude or to embrace the elderly is a direct consequence of labour market conditions.That is,during times of economic prosperity,older workers are enticed to stay on,but during a downturn,when fewer jobs are available,these workers become much less attractive.
Symbolic interactionists stress that one's identity is constructed by performing many interacting roles.In contrast to disengagement theory,activity theory holds that people should remain engaged and active for as long as possible.
The feminist perspective on aging explores,for example,how women respond to an aging body in a society fixated on appearance and youth.While much feminist literature accentuates the cultural preference granted to the masculine,we should appreciate that young,attractive women also possess social power.As women age,they lose this power;as well,as they reach menopause,they are devalued because they can no longer bear children.Contemporary feminist scholars explore what this transition means to women's perceptions of self as they age.
Post-structuralist thinkers approach the concept of aging as embedded in a framework of truth and knowledge that develops through circulating power relations within society.One of these "truths" about aging is that older people consume more of society's health-care resources,which to some suggests that older people should remain in the labour force longer to help pay their way.Since so many seniors remain healthy well into their eighties and beyond,post-structural theorists question how social transitions like growing old are defined and how they change over time.
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Select Two Sociological Approaches to Aging (Functionalism,conflict,symbolic Interactionism,feminism,post-Structuralist)and Compare and Contrast

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