Date of Award

1999

Document Type

Honors Thesis (Colby Access Only)

Department

Colby College. Sociology Dept.

Advisor(s)

Thomas Morrione

Abstract

Propelled to the forefront of public discussion and policy planning by the effects of massive demographic changes, the baby boomers have become prominent objects of national attention in the midst of a transition to the 21st century. This generation is a moving target that is being stealthily tracked by several diverse interest groups - all of whom have a stake in how this generation is shaping the nation's future. This paper focuses on the role of these interest groups in the identification and treatment of aging as a social problem, as demonstrated by their approach to the baby boom generation. Herbert Blumer's 5-stage framework on the processual development of social problems from Social Problems and Collective Behavior (1971) is the principle theory used to demonstrate the career of the baby boomers' aging as a social problem.

Comments

Full text restricted to Colby College.

Keywords

American demographics, aging in society, generations, postwar generation

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