AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

- To understand the different sociological perspectives on aging - to understand the concepts relating to the dimension of demographic aging, with specific references to the Italian and Ligurian context - to understand the generational differences in terms of identity, values and lifestyle among the senior population - to understand the concepts relating to differentials in health, socio-economic condition, lifestyles, consumption and social participation, with particular reference to the relationship between clinical fragility and social vulnerability, as well as the processes of fruition and social and cultural activation of seniors.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Knowledge and understanding. At the end of the course, students will be able to:
  • describe the main sociological theories of ageing and their interpretative implications;
  • understand the dynamics of demographic ageing and the main socio-demographic indicators related to the older population;
  • recognize generational differences within the senior population in terms of identity, values, cultural practices, and lifestyles;
  • understand the main social factors influencing health, quality of life, social participation, and vulnerability among older adults;
  • identify the characteristics of the senior population as a differentiated target group in terms of consumption, markets, and services.
• Applying knowledge and understanding. At the end of the course, students will be able to:
  • interpret demographic and social data related to population ageing;
  • critically analyse social phenomena related to ageing using appropriate sociological concepts and categories;
  • recognize forms of inequality, social exclusion, and ageism in different social and institutional contexts;
  • apply sociological interpretative tools to the analysis of services, policies, and practices addressed to the older population;
  • analyse needs, consumption patterns, and forms of social participation among the senior population.
• Learning skills. At the end of the course, students will be able to:
  • independently explore topics related to the sociology of ageing through scientific literature and statistical data;
  • use theoretical and methodological tools useful for analysing social phenomena connected to ageing;
  • develop reflective and critical skills regarding contemporary demographic and social changes.

TEACHING METHODS

Face-to-face lessons, with the possibility of participating in practical-guided experiences on the topics covered, Aulaweb.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• The different theoretical approaches in the sociology of aging
• Demographic aging: different perspectives at the international, Italian, and local levels
• Generational differentiation: from the oldest old to the emerging profile of baby boomers
• Physical and cognitive decline, frailty in aging processes, and social vulnerability
• The social construction of old age: body, gender, and roles in aging processes
• Socioeconomic factors associated with inequalities in trajectories of active and healthy aging
• Attitudes and lifestyles of the elderly and their impact on differences in aging
• How the physical aspects of society (environment, buildings, spaces, and transport) and technology influence the experience of aging
• The issue of ageism and its various connotations
• Methodological notions for the social investigation of aging processes

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Text:

V. L. Bengtson & R. A. Settersten, (2016) Handbook    of         Theories          of        Aging, Third Edition, Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

Only the following chapters:

• CHAPTER       1 Theories       of        Aging:  Developments  Within and      Across Disciplinary Boundaries, pp. 23-30;
• CHAPTER       2. Concepts      and      Theories          of        Age      and      Aging, pp. 31-49;
• CHAPTER 5 How Theories of Aging Became Social: Emergence of the Sociology of Aging, pp. 96-117.
• Part IV- pp.357-465

Foreign students are advised to choose also one of the following articles. One open ended question regarding the article chosen by the student will be included in the written exam.

• Poli S. (2023) A Qualitative Study on Co-designing a Domestic Robot with Senior People: Attitudinal Differences Among the Profiles of Boomers and the Silent Generation, Italian Journal of Sociology of Education, 15(2), 55-74. DOI: 10.14658/PUPJ-IJSE-2023-2-4
• Poli, S., con Pandolfini V. e Torrigiani, G. (2020) Frailty and Its Social Predictors Among Older People: Some Empirical Evidence and a Lesson From Covid-19 for Revising Public Health and Social Policies, Italian Journal of Sociology of Education, 12, pp. 151-176, ISSN:2035-4983 vol. 12, DOI:10.14658/pupj-ijse-2020-3-8.
• Poli, S. (2018), Attitudes Toward Active Voluntary Euthanasia Among Community-Dwelling Older Subjects, SAGE Open, January-March 2018: 1–11, DOI: 10.1177/2158244017753868, in press.
• Palumbo, M., Poli, S. (2017), Aging in the Contemporary Urban Context: The Mortality Rates of Older Residents in Genoa, Italy. In A. Karakitsiou et al. (eds.), City Networks, Springer Optimization and Its Applications 128, Springer International Publishing AG 2017, 10.1007/978-3-319-65338-9_9.
• Poli, S., Pilotto, A., Zora, S., Veronese, N., Zini, E., Giannoni, P., Pandolfini, P., Torrigiani, C., Cella, A., (2022), ‘Ageism’ Is Associated with Multidimensional Frailty in Community-dwelling Older Subjects: a Population-based Study, Frontiers in Medicine, section Geriatric Medicine, vol. 8, pp.1-7, DOI:10.3389/fmed.2021.734636, ISSN:2296-858X.
• Poli, S., Cella, A., Puntoni, M., Musacchio, C., Pomata, M., Torriglia, D., Vello, N., Molinari, B., Pandolfini, V., Torrigiani, C., Pilotto, A. (2016) Frailty is associated with socioeconomic and lifestyle factors in community-dwelling older subjects, Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, pp. 1-8, published online 27 August 2016, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. DOI: 10.1007/s40520-016-0623-5.
• Poli, S, (2014), Beyond Stereotypes: Talent, Resources and Social Activity among the Postmodern Elderly, Research on Ageing and Social Policies, 2 (1), July, pp. 58-86, doi: 10.4471/rasp.2014.03.
• Poli, S., Palumbo, M., Operto, S., (2022), How to Improve Social Participation of Senior Citizens Thorough ICTs: A Techno-Demographic Challenge for an Effective Smart City, in Visvizi, A. e Troisi, O., (eds), Managing smart cities, Springer Nature, Cham, Switzerland, 10.1007/978-3-030-93585-6.
• Palumbo, M., Poli, S., (2017), Aging in the Contemporary Urban Context: The Mortality Rates of Older Residents in Genoa, Italy. In A. Karakitsiou et al. (eds.), City Networks, Springer Optimization and Its Applications 128, Springer International Publishing AG 2017, 10.1007/978-3-319-65338-9_9.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam with the possibility of oral integration. Students wishing to take the exam must enroll in the "Written and oral" mode in the sessions indicated in the exam session. Registration for the exam is mandatory.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam will be carried out in written form (5 open-ended questions), with possible oral integration if requested by the teacher or student for further verification of preparation.

FURTHER INFORMATION

All students are invited to periodically consult the page of this course on the AulaWeb e-learning portal (accessible from the University website or at: http://www.aulaweb.unige.it/). All information and materials relating to this course are published exclusively on this site.