Age is not just a number: Developing an integrative conceptual framework on age

Abstract

Age is omnipresent in our lives and a fundamental element in the organisation of human societies. Age relations, like other power relations, generate social inequality. As a reflection of its importance, age is frequently used in empirical studies in the field of sociology and other social sciences. However, the social theorisation of age is inchoate and dispersed, compromising empirical research on this topic. This article critically analyses relevant conceptual work on age carried out so far in social sciences, proposes a conceptual framework inspired by sociological theory that integrates and expands this work, and provides a set of propositions on age. This framework provides a multilevel perspective on age, mapping the sociocultural structures in which age is embedded and exerts its influence, as well as the dynamics that are established between them, allowing for an analysis of the relationship between age-based structures and age-related practices. Furthermore, this more comprehensive framework includes relevant constructs that have rarely been considered. It is expected that this article will encourage more conceptually informed use of age in empirical research.