Inside aging masculinities and gerontological careers

Abstract

This roundtable discussion is a creative contribution to this special issue on 'aging masculinities' based on questions posed by editor Stephen Katz to three leading senior scholars in the critical gerontological field in the United States. W. Andrew Achenbaum is a renowned historian who has devoted his career to writing about the relevance of past politics, cultures, and knowledges of aging to comprehending our current dilemmas. Thomas R. Cole is an acclaimed historical scholar and mentor to generations of Humanities researchers across the globe. His work also includes film, literature, ethics, and spirituality. Brian de Vries is a social gerontologist whose bold research on LGBTQ aging is a powerful voice in critiquing the multiple forms of discrimination, violence and hardships, and denied rights and life-chances imposed by hetero-patriarchal regimes in later life. That these men have shaped and been shaped by their work and advocacy is the key theme that inspires our conversation.

Keywords: Aging; Critical thinking; Life-course; Masculinity; Reflexivity; Roundtable.