老龄社会学的基本议题

Basic Issues in the Sociology of Aging

通过反思以往从社会科学角度对老年人和老龄化的研究,对老龄社会学的若干基础性问题进行了探讨。老龄社会学采用社会学的视角和方法研究老龄社会,对老龄社会特征的描述不仅和年龄结构相关,还和社会经济类型、文化传统等其他因素相关。在方法论上,对老年人群体的研究应基于对个体社会行动及其主观意义的理解,并由此得出包括老年人群体在内的整体社会现象的解释。在研究方法上,除了量化方法,还应采用更多的质性研究方法。在研究议题上,除了经济层面的问题,还应关注社会生活的其他方面,特别是社会规范、家庭伦理、精神信仰等方面的问题。老龄社会学应在经验研究领域多做扎实的积累,才能逐步建构符合我国文化传统和社会实际的老龄社会学概念架构和理论体系。

Through reflection on previous studies on the elderly and the aging problems from the social science perspective, this paper intends to discuss some basic issues in the ifeld of the sociology of aging. The main task of the sociology of aging is to study the aging society with the sociological perspectives and methods. The characteristic of an aging society is not only related to the age structure, but also to other factors like the socio-economic conditions. In terms of methodology, the study of the elderly group should be based on the understanding of the individual behavior and its’ subjective meaning, thus we can explain the social phenomenon inclusive of the elderly group. In terms of research method, more qualitative research methods should be used besides quantitative methods. In terms of research issues, in addition to the issues in economic aspect, other aspects of social life,especially social norms, family ethics and spiritual belief, should also be concerned. It is suggested in this paper that the sociology of aging should accumulate in the ifeld of concrete research, thus can the conceptual f ramework and theoretical system of the sociology of aging be established step by step, which comply with China’s cultural tradition and social reality.