Social gerontology is a new and dynamic field reflecting the increasing interest in aging across the world. This book provides a readily accessible guide to well established and contested issues, as well as new concepts emerging through cutting edge research in the discipline. The entries give concise, lucid knowledge on what constitutes the â??building blocks" of social gerontology and sets out a clear review of the core concepts, both classic and emerging, in this subject area. Each concept is explored in terms of its history, application, usefulness to theory and research, and significance in practice.