Skip to main content

Cultural Dimensions of Ageism

East Meets West Toward an Age-inclusive Society

  • 1st Edition - March 1, 2027
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Takashi Yamashita, Li-Mei Chen
  • Language: English

Cultural Dimensions of Ageism: East Meets West Toward an Age-Inclusive Society explores ageism in two contrasting nations—Japan and the United States—and their respective… Read more

Description

Cultural Dimensions of Ageism: East Meets West Toward an Age-Inclusive Society explores ageism in two contrasting nations—Japan and the United States—and their respective approaches to addressing it. Despite its longstanding presence, ageism remains an underrecognized form of discrimination and stereotyping. As populations age rapidly worldwide, ageism manifests with striking similarities and profound differences across cultures, significantly shaping the lives of older adults. Drawing on these cross-cultural perspectives, the book offers strategic solutions for combatting ageism in a transcultural context, providing valuable insights for building a more inclusive, respectful global society. This groundbreaking contribution integrates novel, critical cross-national insights from two distinct cultural zones: Japan, a super-aged society with the world's highest life expectancy, and the United States, an economically developed nation with demographically and culturally diverse populations. Readers will find comprehensive coverage of ageism, cross-cultural comparison, and global aging in one succinct resource. For scientists and researchers, the book offers cross-cultural observations of ageism research from East/Japan and West/North America, with reflective questions and key takeaways to facilitate engagement. Clinicians will benefit from increased knowledge about ageism in diverse global communities, enriched by case studies and personal stories that bring a human element to the research. This is an essential resource for anyone dedicated to understanding and addressing ageism in our rapidly aging world.

Key features

  • Offers a comprehensive cross-cultural analysis of ageism in Eastern Asia and North America
  • Provides strategic approaches to combat ageism globally, informed by cross-national studies
  • Includes reflective questions and key takeaways to enhance reader comprehension
  • Enriches theoretical research with case studies and personal narratives from older adults and experts

Readership

Researchers who study aging and older populations in multiple fields; undergraduate and graduate students in gerontology and social science programs

Table of contents

1. Overview of Ageism in the Global Community

2. Why East Meets West? Why We Chose East/Japan and West/North America

3. East Study 1: Tradition vs Modernity: Conflicting Images of Aging in Japan; Why don't people wish to live to 100?

4. East Study 2: Structural Discrimination and Changing Attitudes and Respect for Older Adults: The effects of workplace age discrimination on negative ageist attitudes and well-being of older adults

5. East Study 3: To be determined

6. West Study 1: The Combined Effects of Ageism on Racial and Ethnic Minorities: Productive Aging Activities and Health Equity

7. West Study 2: Ageism in the Family and Caregiving

8. West Study 3: Media Representation of Ageism in the West: Ageism in Social Networking Service (SNS)

9. Discussions and Implications: Lessons from East Meets West Research on Ageism; next steps in future research

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: March 1, 2027
  • Language: English

About the editors

TY

Takashi Yamashita

Dr. Takashi Yamashita is a professor of sociology and gerontology at University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), and the director of the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) and UMBC doctoral program in gerontology. Dr. Yamashita is a social gerontologist and his recent scholarly work addresses aging in Japan and the United States. He has taught aging and health in Japan (study abroad program), sociocultural gerontology, sociology of aging and gerontology theories and methods. He is one of the conveners of the Japanese and Japanese American Aging Studies Interest Group of the Gerontological Society of America.

Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Public Health, & Doctoral Program in Gerontology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, USA

LC

Li-Mei Chen

Dr. Limei Chen is Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, College of Public Health at George Mason University. She specializes in social gerontology with a focus on research with racial and ethnic communities, productive aging, civic engagement as a social prescription, participatory research, and dementia care. Prior to joining George Mason University, she had a career teaching in Japan and the United States at institutions including Kansei Gakuin University Graduate School of Human Welfare Studies, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Social and Cultural Urban Studies, University of Houston and Washington University in St. Louis. Currently, she serves as a fellow of the largest scientific interdisciplinary association in aging, Gerontological Society of America and as one of the interest group conveners of Japanese and Japanese American Studies Interest Group.

Affiliations and expertise
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, USA