11 Rethinking Ageing in a Global World

Population ageing is one of the most significant phenomena of the 21st century, transforming almost every aspect of societies worldwide. While often framed as a threat to public services and economic growth, it also opens opportunities to rethink and reshape policies, social institutions and societal narratives. This chapter calls for a stronger sociological engagement with ageing issues, not only to understand how structural forces influence the way we age, but also to drive alternative ways of ‘thinking about’ and ‘experiencing’ ageing, based on values of equity, inclusion and solidarity. Following a brief overview of key demographic trends, the chapter presents a social constructionist perspective on ageing to explore how structural inequalities and globalization shape the experience of growing older. Adopting a life course perspective, the chapter demonstrates how inequalities accumulate with age for certain groups. At the same time, the discussion emphasizes the agency of older people, and the roles they play in advocating for social justice, mobilizing collective action and promoting community solidarity. The chapter argues there is an urgent need to move away from viewing ageing as a biomedical issue or an individual responsibility, towards it’s reimagination as a social and community endeavour driven by emancipatory social science.