SOCY1096 · Sociology

Aging and Society

Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences

"Age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese," quipped actress Billie Burke (the Good Witch in <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>). Nevertheless, age does matter within societies. This class will cover specific topics in four general areas of sociological study: roles and relationships (e.g., within the family), inequalities (e.g., ageism), institutions (e.g., health care), and social change (e.g., the aging of the population). By the end of the course, you will have acquired a new approach to thinking about how you and others age in the social world and the ways in which age is portrayed in the media.