Population ageing and the consequences of demographic change will be amongst the major issues confronting societies globally this century. Responses at both national and international levels have been predominantly framed as a looming crisis, but should ageing populations necessarily be a ‘problem’? In addressing this question, Phillipson sets out to challenge the assumptions about ageing and provide a systematic overview of the nature and development of ageing societies. Ageing builds on his earlier work Reconstructing Old Age: New Agendas in Social Theory and Practice (1998) in which he argued that the two key institutions that support older people – mandatory retirement and the welfare state – were in decline with no clear indication of what would replace them. In Ageing, he reassesses this argument and presents a compelling case for shifting the focus towards what he describes as the ‘possibilities and potential inherent in ageing populations’ (p. 2).

The intervening period between the two books has seen further shifts in the dismantling of the welfare state and increases in retirement age. But alongside these has been the intensification of wider anxieties concerning the increased numbers of older people and the expected rise in demand for health and social care services. Within the current context of economic crisis and austerity, a progressively more hostile discourse has emerged surrounding the generation of ‘greedy’ baby boomers entering into retirement, fuelling generational conflict over welfare resources. Arguably, we are witnessing a new form of ageism (Walker, Reference Walker2013) in which, at least in the UK, population ageing is cited as the justification for the major reforms to the National Health Service (NHS) and the public sector. This has employed an explicit language of scaremongering over scarce resources, in the process making the pensioner group a fair target for welfare cutbacks. Given this, it is an appropriate time to critically examine the assumptions surrounding population ageing and this book offers a welcome and valuable contribution to these debates.

The book is structured in three parts. The first contextualises demographic change using sociological and historical perspectives. It traces developments globally, highlighting differences in the pace of change in contrasting parts of the world. The variation in the combined declines in fertility and mortality rates has had differential impacts, generating responses at national and international levels. In addition, Phillipson offers a detailed analysis of the development of theories on the social aspects of ageing. This provides ample evidence that how we experience ageing goes well beyond the ‘natural’ biological processes and the different ways in which ‘age’ as a social category has been constructed historically.

Part II reviews changes affecting ageing populations. Here we return to the decline in the support mechanisms in old age that had characterised the welfare settlement. It offers an insightful analysis of the impact of neoliberalism on pensions and how this has in turn shaped expectations and attitudes towards ageing. It questions the extent to which the family and intergenerational relations are still a means of support and how changing family ties and transnational communities impact on the experience of growing old. The chapter on ‘late’ old age draws attention to the medicalisation of old age, largely driven by the pharmaceutical industry. Phillipson argues persuasively that sociological perspectives offer crucial correctives to biomedical approaches with examples of research on identity and embodiment, care provision and the social marginalisation of the oldest old. These issues are particularly salient in light of the unrelenting evidence on the lack of dignity in care that many older people experience towards the end of life.

In the final section, Phillipson turns to the necessity of preparing for ageing societies by recognising the potential they bring. Key to his argument is the need to shift from an age-differentiated society to one in which ‘old age’ is one stage within the context of the life course as a whole. There is abundant evidence that ageing is being reshaped by older people themselves through the economic and social contribution they make as grandparents, volunteering and social life. Yet the idea that ageing is an economic burden continues to hold currency in the current climate and responses to changed demographics at an institutional level remain severely limited. Phillipson focuses on the areas of work and education and proposes policy initiatives to expand workplace training to support older workers and lifelong learning. He argues for the development of new forms of solidarity at a generational and global level which recognises mutuality and interdependence. This argument resonates with a growing body of work which highlights human interdependency and the significance of care throughout the life course (Lloyd, Reference Lloyd2012; Tronto, Reference Tronto2013).

Chris Phillipson is a leading scholar on ageing and this book draws on his long-standing experience in the field to provide a comprehensive and accessible overview of the key issues and debates. As population ageing impacts on such a wide arena, it will be of particular value to those outside of gerontology who want to make sense of the wider contexts informing discussions about ageing.