On defining ageism

Abstract

Ageism' has entered the popular vocabulary. whilst it is easy to catalogue examples of ageism, its definition remains problematic, frequently relying upon parallels with racism and sexism. This paper endeavours to draw out the distinctive character of ageism as it relates to biological ageing and to the measurement of age, as well as to the question of whether 'elderly people' are a minority group. We argue that a radical critique which only conceives of ageism as a conflict between 'society' and 'elderly people' is inadequate. In conclusion, we offer a basis for the definition of ageism and four principles for non-ageist action.