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Aging as a Social Process , Barry D. McPherson. Butterworth & Co. (Canada) Ltd., Toronto, 1983.

Aging as a Social Process is what one might term a senior level introductory text in social gerontology. It is a sophisticated review of the literature which links a survey of theoretical approaches with the empirical or substantive discussion. The research discussed is current and the approach taken to the material is North American. Canadians working in social gerontology can appreciate the need to be informed on the American literature. At the same time, it is extremely refreshing to see the results of Canadian reflection and investigation contributing to the analysis of aging in North America. The text is divided into four sections. In the first, "An Introduction to Individual and Population Aging", there are four chapters covering individual and population aging, demography, historical and cross cultural issues, and a discussion of scientific perspectives. Too often introductory texts overemphasize population aging and neglect matters of historical import. McPherson avoids this and does a good job of integrating the two. The second and third parts of the text involve a micro and macro treatment of individual and social processes respectively. The fourth component considers "Aging and Participation in Social Institutions." The organization of these sections is good and the treatment quite comprehensive, almost too much so for an introductory book. Several points emerge in the course of working through the text which warrant discussion. To begin with, in an introductory chapter and again in the chapter focusing on social structure and social process, McPherson briefly discusses gender and class stratification. And while the author acknowledges the reality of both, that is that one's class position and one's gender are important predictors of the quality of life throughout the lifespan, this is not integrated into the overall approach of the book. It is age, and to some extent age grading, which provides a framework for treating the processes of later life. This is important because it means that in a discussion of poverty, for instance, while both inter and intra cohort differences are examined, it is the former which holds centre stage. A discussion of unemployment experienced by men and women, and the low paying jobs women tend to occupy relative to men, while mentioned, needs to be emphasized more in terms of the implications these relationships have for income security later in life.