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Chapter 24 - Ageism, Past and Present

from Part III - Problems of Discrimination and Inequality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2018

By
W. Andrew Achenbaum
Edited by
A. Javier Treviño
A. Javier Treviño
Affiliation:
Wheaton College, Massachusetts
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Summary

“Ageism” refers to individual and societal stereotypes of persons as well as to the denigration of their assets and vulnerabilities on account of age. The age-based prejudice, which was coined in 1969, usually targets the old. Implicit and overt instances of age discrimination date back to ancient times. Modern-day investigators have reported that ageism permeates the marketplace, health care facilities, legal systems, large institutions, and ordinary discourse and intimate relations. Researchers report ageism's negative impact in developing and advanced-industrial societies. Along with racism and sexism, ageism is still permitted to fester in the United States.

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Chapter
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The Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems , pp. 441 - 458
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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