Review

Author(s): Marjorie E. Starrels

Review by: Marjorie E. Starrels
Source: Contemporary Sociology, Vol. 23, No. 3 (May, 1994), pp. 408-409
Published by: American Sociological Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2075349
Accessed: 16-12-2015 19:38 UTC

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408 REVIEWS
rates,statevariations in "emptybed" regula- productivity as an individualand societal
tions or personal needs allowances, or goal. The authorsprovidean even-handed,
nursing-home profits overthepastdecade. In creative,andcompelling treatment ofproduc-
part,Diamond'spointis thateveryheartrend-tivityas a social objective. Althoughthe
ingstoryis a directoutcomeof some stateor authorsgenerallylaud productivity as impor-
federalregulation orprofit-oriented edict,and tant,owingto itsadvantagesforcollectivities
I wantedto knowmoreaboutthosepractices. and individuals, theyalso addressitspossible
MakingGrayGoldis a worthy additionto a disadvantages.For example, some elders
growingbody of literature thatportraysthe could feelcompelledto live accordingto the
humancostsof an increasingly commodified guidelinesand priorities of youngerpeople.
health-care industry. It also intersectswithan Theyrecognizethatold age is notmerelyan
establishedbody of literaturefocusingon extensionof earlierlife stages,but a unique
gender,race, class, and paid and unpaid periodof personalgrowthand exploration.
domesticwork: women, mainlywomen of The editorsdefineproductive agingas any
color, performing backbreakingand mind- activityby an older person that produces
numbing workovermultiple shiftsandjobs to goodsor services,or developsthecapacityto
support families.Anditis a personaladdition producethem,whethershe or he is paid or
to thetroublingly impersonal nationaldebate not.Theyparticularly emphasizeemployment
over health-carereform.Finally, it is a and volunteerwork for two reasons-the
haunting reminder thatno matterhow nicely significant barriersolderpeopleexperiencein
they decorate the lobbies, nursinghomes these spheresand the normativenatureof
remaina place fewwantto end up in. suchas caringfora disabledspouse.
activities
For employment, thereis much skepticism
aboutthecapabilitiesof olderpeople. And in
Achieving a Productive AgingSociety,edited many cases, elders themselveslose confi-
by Scott A. Bass, Francis G. Caro, and dence in theirabilityto be effective.The
Yung-Ping Chen. Westport,CT: Auburn authorsdiscussa rangeof institutional forces
House, 1993. 312 pp. $65.00 cloth. ISBN: thatencourageearlydeparture fromthework
0-86569-032-4. $22.95paper.ISBN: 0-86569- force.They also highlight theimportance of
033-2. determining howvolunteer rolescan be made
significantly
moreattractive so thatvolunteer-
MARJORIEE. STARRELS ing amongolderpeoplewill expand.
School of Social Work Definingproductivity emphasizesthatsome
University ofMichigan types of activityare frequently considered
intrinsicallymore worthwhilethan others.
The goal of Achievinga ProductiveAging Such definitions remindus thatactivitiesare
Societyis to examinehow the policies and givenmeaningdifferently at boththecollec-
practicesof major social institutions (e.g., tive and individuallevels. They also have
government, theeconomy,volunteerism, ed- implications forgroupssuch as womenand
ucation,family,mass media, and religion) people of color. Women,for example,are
influence therolesof olderpeople. The book morelikelythanmento be caregiversand to
discussesthe need for manyeldersto find workwithoutpay and overtsocial recogni-
optionsbeyondtraditional leisure activities tion.People of color,as Jackson,Antonucci,
and familyobligations.Althoughprevious and Gibson discuss, engage in social and
researchfocuseson problemsof a reduced irregular economicexchangesmoreoftenthan
laborforce,dissatisfied retiredor disengaged whites.
olderpersons,and traditional conceptionsof The editors'focusreflectsmoststrongly a
elderswhichoftenprevail,thisvolumeunites white,middle-class,male perspective.Not-
these disparate issues. It concludes that withstanding the importanceof labor-force
Americansocietylacks a consensusthatall activity, it wouldbe usefulto emphasizecare
citizensare needed-and thatbeingneededis giving as well. Such an emphasis would
as important as beingfree. -addressthe ideals and experiencesof more
That is one of the volume's unique people and would have farther-reaching
contributions, butit also succeedsin offering policy implications.If productiveaging
a provocative, vitaldiscussionof thevalue of becomesa social objective,thencare giving

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 REVIEWS 409
should arguablyfigureprominently in the ment;contributions byemployers andemploy-
program.It is well-established that social ees to theSocial Securityfundwerea block
supporthas beneficialeffectsand thatshort- ofcapitalremovedfromtheprivatecontrolof
and long-term healthcare,childcare, and so capitalistsand placed in thepublicsphereof
on, produceeconomicbenefits.Even though, politicaldecisionmaking.Given these sub-
as the editorsclaim, some care giving is stantialchanges in the historicalcircum-
normative,it does not follow that family stance,social relations,and politicalsalience
membersand friendsalways providesuffi- ofelderlyAmericans, the"birth"ofgerontol-
cientsupportor thatsocial exchangeof this ogy in theearly1940s is no surprise.
sortshouldbe minimized in anyfuture social But Green's book is not about history,
agenda. economicand politicalrealities,or, forthat
Overall,thisis a provocative,well-written,matter,empiricalmatters.He advanceshis
clearly organizedvolume based on high- thesisof constitutive realismas the correct
qualityscholarship.It will likelyhave broad conceptionof social reality throughthe
appeal to scholars,policymakers, and stu- applicationof his ten-stepmethodological
dentsat variouslevels. approachto discourseanalysis.By applying
thismethodology to gerontology, Greenseeks
answersto substantively important questions:
Gerontologyand the Construction of Old How do gerontologists use languageto create
Age: A Study in Discourse Analysis, by a comprehensible bodyof knowledgein their
Bryan S. Green. New York: Aldine de field?Whatis gerontology and-most impor-
Gruyter, 1993. 226 pp. $47.95 cloth.ISBN: tant-whatis old age?
0-202-30450-7. Green frameshis methodology painstak-
ingly,borrowing fromliterary theory,linguis-
DEBRA STREET tics, and semioticsto build the case for
FloridaState University gerontologyas constitutiverealism. His
projectis carefullyframed;he applies his
Passage of the Social SecurityAct of 1935 methodology with internally logical consis-
and subsequentexpansionsof it have shaped tencyto the discourseanalysisof gerontol-
the lives of older Americans and their ogy. Using analyticdevicessuch as semiotic
familiesfor over half a century.On one structures,"legisigns," and grammars,he
level Social Securityhas been understood as maps how thefieldorganizesits knowledge
social insuranceagainsttheeconomicvagar- about"theaged" and "aging." Accordingto
ies historicallyassociated with old age. Green,it is through theirlanguagepractices
Criticalgerontologists builton thiscommon- thatgerontologists createthesocial realityof
sense knowledgeto show thatSocial Secu- theirfield.
rityrepresented morethanjust an insurance However, from my perspectiveas an
programfor citizens. It also changed the unrepentant empiricist,substantiverealist,
matrixof economic, political, and social and criticalgerontologist, Green only par-
relationsin ways thatrepresented a qualita- tiallyanswerssomeofthequestionshe raises.
tiveshiftin thestructure and meaningof old Criticalgerontologists have paid close atten-
age. tion to just how "old age" is socially
Social Securitycodifiedthe individual's constructed.In his final chapter, Green
entitlement to a retirementwage through state overlooksthe last decade of work by the
provision.No longerwereelderlyAmericans radical gerontologists he critiques.Myles,
dependentsolely on theirown savings,the Walker, Phillipson,Estes, and Guillemard
goodwillof(occasionally)beneficent employ- have arguedconvincingly thatthe socially
ers, or the resourcesof theirfamilies.The constructed worldsthatolderpeople experi-
transformation fromprivate-onlyto thepublic ence are shaped by historicalprocessesas
guarantee of at leastpartialeconomicsecurity well as by social, economic,and political
in old age changedthe relationship of older relationships.
Americanswithintheirfamiliesas well as The explicationand applicationof Green's
between them and the state. The Social methodology to a substantive fieldof study
SecurityAct meantthatcapitalistswere no shouldproveusefulto otherdiscourseana-
longerthe sole arbitersof pensionentitle- lysts.His attention to theparadoxes,ambigu-

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