Courses / Module

Ageing is not a uniform process nor is age a category determined by numbers. Instead it is a space for social and cultural space of cultural expectations and contestations. It has become apparent through research that it is important to emphasise the heterogeneity of “older people” and to deconstruct “age” as a in similar ways as gender, race or ethnicity and to discuss the breaking of legal, economic and social norms associated with aging. This includes scrutinizing the “burden discourse” and to engage with older adults as cultural and social producers (e.g. volunteering, informal care givers).

- Traditional approaches to ageing research and gerontology.
- Ethnographic and qualitative approaches to deepen our understanding of needs, obstacles and interpretations of older adults’ ways of living.
- The role of Smart and Healthy ageing environments.
- The genesis of a new research paradigm: The capability approach to healthy ageing.
- Participatory methods in Ageing Research.
- European guidelines and policies for age-friendly environments.
- Universal environmental design.