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Generations, Age Groups and Cohorts: Conceputal Distinctions1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Victor W. Marshall
Victor W. Marshall
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
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Abstract

Current scholarship in the sociology of age relations suffers from conceptual ambiguity and confusion in the area of age and generational relations. This paper recommends precise definition and use of the terms cohort, generation, age grade, age stratum, age group, and generation groups. Concrete or real definitional constructs are distinguished from nominal constructs and their advantages are described. The central thrust of the paper is a call for a return to the conceptualization of Mannheim about generations and a parallel conceptualization concerning age groups. The usefulness of this approach is discussed in terms of the political sociology of age relations.

Résumé

Les études actuelles dans le domaine de la sociologie des rapports d'áge sont entachées de confusion et d'ambiguité conceptuelle en ce qui conceme les rapports entre les âges et les générations. Il est recommendé que soit adoptée une définition précise de chacun des termes suivants: cohorte, génération, classe d'âges, couche d'âges, groupe d'âge et groupe générationnel. L'auteur distingue les construction concrètes et réellement définitoires d'une part, et d'autre part les constructions nominales, tout en exposant leurs avantages respectifs. L'auteur insiste sur la nécessité de revenir au concept proposé par Mannheim pour définir la génération, et d'élaborer un concept parallèle en vue d'arriver à une définition du groupe d'âge. Il discute l'utilité de cette approche dans le cadre de la sociologie des rapports d'âge.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , October 1983 , pp. 51 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1983

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