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Seniors and Portrayals of Intra-generational and Inter-generational Inequality in the Globe and Mail*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Julia Rozanova ,
Herbert C. Northcott  and
Susan A. McDaniel
Julia Rozanova*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Alberta
Herbert C. Northcott
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Alberta
Susan A. McDaniel
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Windsor
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to:/Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être addressées à : Julia Rozanova, Department of Sociology, University of Alberta, 419 HM Tory Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H4. ([email protected])
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Abstract

In this article, we examine how seniors are portrayed in the Globe and Mail. Thirty articles published in 2004 were selected and thematically analysed. Seniors were discussed in six different contexts, including family, work/retirement, community networks, scientific studies of population, social and health care policy, and social attitudes to aging. Issues pertaining to seniors were captured in three themes. The theme diversity of seniors made visible seniors of different genders, ages, health statuses, abilities, and needs. The successful aging theme provided positive examples of aging well but marginalized seniors who did not meet these expectations, thereby fostering intra-generational ageism. The apocalyptic demography/inter-generational conflict theme underscored the importance of society's support system for the elderly but raised the issue of inter-generational inequality, of presenting the elderly as a burden on younger persons in families and on society at large. Critical analyses suggested that both negative and positive newspaper portrayals of seniors might be ageist.

Résumé

Cet article examine comment les personnes âgées sont décrites dans le Globe et Mail. Trente articles publiés en 2004 ont été sélectionnés et analysés thématiquement. Dans ces articles les personnes âgées étaient présentées dans six contextes différents: la famille; le travail et la retraite; les réseaux communautaires; les études scientifiques de population; la sécurité sociale et la politique santé; les attitudes sociales sur le vieillissement. Les questions concernant les aînés reflètent trois thèmes: le thème de la diversité des personnes âgées a fait apparaître les aînés de différents âges, sexes, degrés de santé, besoins et ressources; le thème de la vieillesse a réussi à projeter des exemples positifs de vieillissement, mais a marginalisé les aînés qui ne correspondent pas à ce modèle et, par conséquent, a encouragé un âgisme intra-générationnel; le thème de la démographie apocalyptique et du conflit inter-générationnel a souligné l'importance de la sécurité sociale pour les aînés, mais aussi a manifesté le problème d'inégalité entre les générations en décrivant les aînés comme un fardeau pour les personnes plus jeunes dans les familles et dans la société. Les analyses critiques ont proposé que les descriptions négatives et positives des personnes âgées dans les journaux, puissent manifester les signes d'âgisme.

Keywords

agingseniorsnewspaper portrayalsdiversityinequalityinequalityageismvieillissementaînésdescriptions dans les journauxdiversitéinégalitéâgisme
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , Winter/Hiver 2006 , pp. 373 - 386
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2006

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Footnotes

*

We thank Judith Golec for her useful comments on earlier drafts and the anonymous reviewers for their insightful and helpful feedback. Julia Rozanova received support from an Izaak W. Killam Memorial Doctoral Scholarship and from Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Studentship.

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