Much has been written about the social policy implications of both ageing societies and austerity, yet the intersection of these two subjects remains under-researched and the real experiences of older people living through austerity are therefore not adequately captured. This timely publication applies a critical perspective, using Ireland as case, to explore a range of internationally relevant social policy issues pertinent to post-recession ageing societies. Seven key themes are focused on in separate chapters to analyse critically how experiences of ageing have been impacted by austerity measures in Ireland: demography; citizenship; participation and volunteering; work, gender and pensions; age-friendly communities and place; dementia care; and poverty and exclusion.
The book challenges the assumption that older people in Ireland (generally defined as over 65 years in this publication unless otherwise stated (p. 4) constitute a homogenous group who have escaped relatively unscathed from austerity measures. Alternatively, demographic factors including socio-economic status, health status, gender, ethnicity, carer status and age categories are recognised throughout the text as diversifying experiences of older people living through austerity, with the adverse impact of policies often being indirect.
The introductory chapter very effectively frames the analysis by contextualising the issue of ageing and austerity in Ireland, positioning Ireland within the global political economy and describing the chronological development of age-related social policy in the Irish state. The introduction also sets out the aims of the publication, establishes the critical approach that will be applied to the analysis of key themes and describes the structure of each chapter. The aim of the publication is broadly set out as: to develop a critical and applied analysis to contextualise and elaborate on current international debates relating to seven key policy themes explored within the Irish austerity setting; and to identify future directions for research and policy on ageing of relevance beyond Ireland (p. 3). Each chapter follows a consistent and coherent structure commencing with a brief review of the international literature relating to the specific theme that helps establish the magnitude of the issue and global significance. Key concepts are clearly defined for the reader where necessary. Themes are then critically analysed within the Irish context using local research evidence to first present an understanding of the impact of austerity measures on older people in Ireland, and to then extract international relevance. Finally, each chapter concludes with key learning points, some recommendations for future research and framing of alternative policy directions. The chapters are generally very well connected with frequent cross-referencing of themes and between sections, allowing the reader to appreciate the interconnected nature of these issues. The concluding chapter draws together the main arguments put forward in each section, enabling the reader to reflect on the core messages. Recommendations of areas for development in international social gerontology research and critical issues for policy are then helpfully summarised. Overall, the book is extremely well structured, facilitating ease of understanding and maintaining focus on the stated aims.
One of the key strengths of this publication is the consistent application of primary research throughout, including a substantial body of research from the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, to establish a robust evidence base for arguments. The regular use of direct quotations from research involving older Irish citizens adds richness to the analysis and ensures the experiences of the group of focus are kept central to the text. A further core strength of the book is the interdisciplinary input, drawing together discourses from across fields including sociology, political science, social policy, economics, and social and environmental gerontology (p. 5). The attention to extracting international relevance from analysis of the Irish case makes a major positive contribution to the literature.
This publication will be of interest to a wide audience, including those with an interest in critical gerontology or social policy, both in Ireland and internationally. The text is highly accessible to those who are from a non-social policy background with a more general interest in ageing research, including non-academics. This would be an excellent book for undergraduate and postgraduate students in a range of social science fields as well as researchers considering future directions for study. The publication should also be of relevance to policy makers as it is evidence-based and frames alternative policy directions.
Overall, this is a highly engaging, relevant and accessible read that makes a valuable contribution to both Irish and international social gerontology literature.
