[Critical Gerontology : An orientation]. / Kritische Gerontologie : Eine Ortsbestimmung.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Critical gerontology remained unheard of in German language research on ageing for a long time and has so far only hesitantly been taken up in the discourse. This article first traces the development of the approaches that today are assembled under the label of the "thought space" of critical gerontology. Subsequently, the concept of the critique of critical gerontology is examined more closely in order to clarify the question of what is critical about critical gerontology and which social theoretical considerations underlie the respective directions. RESULTS: It is argued that despite their shared orientation towards the emancipation and autonomy of older and old people, the individual approaches differ considerably in their understanding of critique and their conception of the status of scientific theories. Thus, it remains diffuse what the specific perspective of critical gerontology is in order to distinguish it from other social gerontological approaches. CONCLUSION: A total of four criteria are formulated that critical gerontology should fulfil.