Image 21/06/2016 Once a European, always a European by Erich Striessnig The future of the European project looks grim. The predominant narrative thread being woven through Europe’s media tapestry—that Europe’s near-decade-long string of crises has citizens shedding their European identities and, with it, their support for European integration—certainly gives that impression. Read more about Once a European, always a European
Image 15/06/2016 Towards an Age-friendly Europe The European Covenant on Demographic Change is bringing together the right people at the right time by Anne-Sophie Parent Despite decades of analysis, policy responses to Europe’s rapid population ageing have focused almost exclusively on the survival of national social protection systems. This is too narrow. Read more about Towards an Age-friendly Europe
Image 01/06/16 Living longer Determining whether we are using our extra years productively Our lives are getting longer, yes, but this does not necessarily imply more active years. As life expectancy continues to rise, there is a natural tendency to tack these additional years onto the economically inactive phases of our life course, namely to post-retirement. This can be costly for public budgets. It’s “natural”, though, because adding them anywhere else would require a conscious change to when we retire. Politically, touching retirement is risky, but this is not necessarily the problem. Many countries have already begun adopting measures to prolong working life.
Image 27/05/2016 Care Up and Down Five takeaways from the FamiliesAndSocieties European Policy Brief on intergenerational dependence by Daniela Vono de Vilhena Whether we are sandwiched or stretched in mid-life is a matter of metaphorical consistency. How we care for our grandparents, parents and children is a matter of policy that affects just about everyone. Read more about Care Up and Down
Image 19/05/2016 Caring for Older Parents – Is It a Matter of Social Norms? Norms of family obligations and actual support provided to parents: a cross-national approach Country differences in intergenerational relationships are not only due to economic, policy or housing contexts but also to a cultural tendency towards closer intergenerational ties. In a recent study, Cornelia Mureşan and Paul-Teodor Hărăguş investigated how norms of filial responsibility influence adult children to provide support to their ageing parents in several Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries as compared to Western Europe. Read more about Caring for Older Parents – Is It a Matter of Social Norms?
Image 22/04/2016 The Policy Pitfalls of Ageism What population ageing does and does not mean for society by Patrick I. Dick Ageism is, unfortunately, alive and well. In fact, it continues to be so pervasive that even its victims can be caught in the cycles that perpetuate it. Read more about The Policy Pitfalls of Ageism
Image 01/04/16 No silver bullet Migration in an ageing society As negotiations over Scotland’s fiscal future in the UK progressed earlier this year, one obstacle loomed ever larger: Scotland’s long-term low rate of population growth and falling support ratio, the number of people contributing to versus drawing from contribution-based social policies. Negotiators are right to fret. Falling support ratios make policies like pensions costlier for society and the economy.
Image 16/03/16 Draft scientific programme for the European Population Conference is now available The draft of the scientific programme for the 2016 European Population Conference in Mainz is now available online. You can find more information here: https://epc2016.princeton.edu/topics.
Image 08/03/16 International Handbook on Ageing and Public Policy Preview and Order Details The International Handbook on Ageing and Public Policy explores the challenges arising from the ageing of populations across the globe for government, policy makers, the private sector and civil society. It examines various national state approaches to welfare provisions for older people, and highlights alternatives based around the voluntary and third-party sector, families and private initiatives. The Handbook is highly relevant for academics interested in this critical issue, and offers important messages for policy makers and practitioners. Read more about International Handbook on Ageing and Public Policy