Ageing and fiction

Project overview

Since 1945, the field of fiction has been notable for the scale of its resistance to reductive, one-dimensional narratives and images of ageing which have dominated other forms of mass media.

Older writers, older readers and the subject of ageing continue to retain important and privileged positions within the fiction industry.

Building on the cultural turn in social gerontology, ‘Fiction and the Cultural Mediation of Ageing’ systematically researched how older people, both as authors and readers, engage with representations of ageing.

By focusing on the role this interaction plays in the shaping of self-image and social attitudes, the project team produced an integrated analysis which fed into direct public policy recommendations.

Findings

Fiction and the Cultural Mediation of Ageing: The Importance of Reshaping the Narrative of Ageing (PDF, 2.3MB)

View all project findings.

Further information

For more information, read the full project details.