ANT 337 - GLOBAL AGING

College of Arts & Sciences

Credit(s): 3

In this course, the discipline of anthropology provides the framework for the study of aging in cross-cultural perspective. Aging is a universal human phenomenon and a basic and inevitable biological reality, but the social and cultural experience of aging varies a great deal cross-culturally. Culture shapes biology and this cultural variation provides the topic of this course. What does it mean to get older in our own and other cultures? We will begin with the global demography of the world s elderly population. Course readings and discussions will include such topics as social support, intergenerational relationships, attitudes and stereotypes about aging, conceptualizations about the life course, gender and aging, religion and aging, aging and technology, and peer relationships among elders. One of the features of the course will be an examination of the diversity of aging in the US including ethnicity and LGBTQI. Some of the cultures we will study are in Morocco, India, China, Europe, and Japan. One of the main themes of this course is successful aging. Students will be encouraged to explore their own interests as well.