This book provides a broad and varied overview of ‘ageing’ as a concept, and makes a timely and positive contribution to the field of ageing studies – particularly now given the policy prominence of ageing populations. It aims to address the wider context in which debates about ageing are set; the meanings of ‘ageing’ and associated terms; and possibilities for the future of an ageing population. A key strength of this publication is the rich contextual background it provides, with welcome coverage of international variations in ageing. The chronological nature of some chapters is particularly useful in giving historical perspective and enabling the reader to see how key debates have developed over time. Phillipson is careful to emphasise variation throughout the book, which results in interesting comparisons within and across groups. A sizeable section is dedicated to the future potential of ageing societies, with thought-provoking suggestions as to how institutions can successfully adapt to the changing demographic.

The book is split into three parts, the first of which outlines the demographic, theoretical, historical and international contexts within which ageing is studied. This begins in Chapter Two with an overview of population ageing and demographic change from an historical and global perspective, aided by key statistics and explanations. Chapter Three provides an outline and appraisal of social theories of ageing from the 1940s to the present day, with particular consideration given later in the chapter to issues of social inequality and globalisation. Phillipson discusses the potential challenges to the future development of ageing theory, and how these may be overcome. The next two chapters outline changing perspectives on ageing, again from an historical perspective. Chapter Four presents the historical development of thinking about ageing through to the twentieth century, emphasising the rise in importance of the idea of chronological age. This theme is continued in Chapter Five, which reviews changes in social ageing up until the present day, with a particular focus on retirement and developments in the welfare state.

Part Two of Ageing focuses on the developments and implications of specific issues affecting older people, including pensions, intergenerational relationships and later old age. Although the number of topics included is necessarily limited due to the small size of the publication, Phillipson gives robust justification for the choice of coverage. Pensions are the focus of Chapter Six, which opens with a description of changes in provision from the 1950s onwards. The issue of pension privatisation is illustrated with key statistics, and the discussion addresses its impact on pensioner income and inequalities in terms of social class, sex and ethnicity. Chapter Seven comprises an outline of developments in intergenerational relationships during the last century, suggesting that the extent of change may have been exaggerated. Attention is given to the effects of demographic change and global migration on communities and relationships, and the chapter concludes with thoughts on the future of intergenerational ties. Chapter Eight begins with a review of issues arising from constructions of late old age, moving on to discuss the increased medicalisation of this period of life, to the detriment of sociological perspectives. The funding disparity between health and social care is highlighted, with an outline of the resulting problems for the latter.

The final part of the book sets out new ways of thinking about later life, presenting possibilities for realising the potential of an ageing society. First, there is a focus in Chapter Nine on the positive changes that might be made by institutions to adapt to the ageing population. For example, ideas are presented as to how higher education institutions could facilitate greater participation amongst older people and provide professional development opportunities for those working with this group. This section could have been usefully expanded to tackle the potentially more challenging issue of adapting health and social care institutions in response to the changing demographic. However, the focus on education is in keeping with Phillipson's emphasis on the possibilities rather than the difficulties of an ageing society. Finally, Chapter Ten argues that the potential of the ageing population may be recognised and valued through the acknowledgement of developing solidarity across different groups and generations, countering the increasing fragmentation inherent in modern society.

The book fully delivers on its aims, and presents a comprehensive yet accessible outline of key theories and debates in the field. Phillipson provides a refreshingly positive outlook on ageing which notably focuses on realising the potential of an ageing society rather than portraying ageing as a problem. Overall, this is a highly readable publication which gives a useful overview of key debates in ageing from their origins to the present day, and thus will appeal to new students and experienced researchers alike.