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Cover of Figuring Age

Figuring Age

by Kathleen Woodward

Book Details

Publisher:Indiana University Press
Published:1999-03-22
Pages:398
Format:BOOK
Language:en

Reading Info

About This Book

Figuring Age engages the virtually invisible subject of older women in western culture. Like other markers of social difference, age is given meaning by a culture. Yet unlike gender and race, the subjects of age and aging have received little sustained attention. Central to Figuring Age is the crucial question of how women are aged by culture. How are older women represented in a visual culture that is dominated by images of youth in television, film, and life performance? How do psychoanalysis,

Our Review

This cultural analysis tackles the often-invisible subject of older women in Western society, examining how age is constructed and given meaning. Kathleen Woodward explores how women are "aged by culture," scrutinizing their representation within a visual landscape saturated with youth. The book investigates depictions in film, television, and performance, while also questioning the foundational assumptions about aging within fields like psychoanalysis.

Woodward's work stands out for its sharp focus on a demographic frequently overlooked in broader discussions of social difference, making it a vital contribution to cultural and age studies. Readers interested in feminist theory, media analysis, and the sociology of aging will find a powerful and necessary framework for understanding the cultural forces that shape the experience of growing older as a woman. This is a thought-provoking read that challenges ingrained perceptions and gives voice to a silenced narrative.

Themes

Social Science

Subjects

Social Science