Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life : Towards a Better Understanding of the Loneliness Paradox in Europe / edited by Marja Aartsen, Iuliana Precupetu, Bianca Suanet.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Aartsen, Marja, Editor.

Precupeṭu, Iuliana, Editor.

Suanet, Bianca., Editor.

Series:

International Perspectives on Aging, 2197-585X ; 47

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Age distribution (Demography).

Gerontology.

Quality of life.

Clinical health psychology.

Aging Population.

Quality of Life Research.

Health Psychology.

Local Subjects:

Aging Population.

Gerontology.

Quality of Life Research.

Health Psychology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (XIII, 366 p. 20 illus.)

Edition:

1st ed. 2025.

Place of Publication:

Cham : Springer Nature Switzerland : Imprint: Springer, 2025.

Summary:

This open access book explores the macro-social influences on loneliness in later life, emphasizing how societal structures, cultural contexts, and broader social transformations shape the experience of loneliness. Dedicated to the social construction of loneliness and the notable heterogeneity in its prevalence across European countries, this volume gathers a distinguished selection of experts who share their latest insights on meso- and macro-level influences, cultural and structural theories, and the impact of digitalization, climate change, and societal crises. By adopting a macro-social lens, this book deepens our understanding of late-life loneliness as a phenomenon profoundly connected to the social environments in which older adults live. It lays a foundation for evidence-based interventions that extend beyond individual-level solutions. It is our hope and expectation that the book and its content will fundamentally change our understanding of loneliness and the strategies to mitigate it.

Contents:

Part 1. Central Theme of the Book

1. Introduction. For a Macro-social Perspective on Loneliness (Marja Aartsen, Iuliana Precupetu, Bianca Suanet)

Part 2. Theoretical Perspectives

2. Theorizing Loneliness in Later Life - Micro, Meso, and Macro Perspectives (Fredrica Nyqvist, Joanna McHugh Power, Laura Coll-Planas)

3. Unravelling the Socio-cultural Influence on Loneliness (Theo G. van Tilburg)

4. Social Exclusion Perspective on Loneliness in Later Life (Sofie Van Regenmortel, Elisa Tiilikainen, Hanna Ristolainen, Vanessa Burholt, Lena Dahlberg)

Part 3. Empirical Dimensions

5. Loneliness Prevalence in Different Age Groups in Europe (Marian Vasile and Marja Aartsen)

6. Understanding Late-Life Loneliness: Micro and Meso-Level Determinants (Sunwoo Lee)

7. The Social Infrastructure of Loneliness. A Scoping Review of Societal Influences and their Implications (Laura Tufă)

Part 4. Recent Developments and Loneliness

8. Information and Communication Technologies and the Risk to Loneliness (Alexander Seifert)

9. Climate Change and the Risk of Loneliness (Liat Ayalon)

10. The Influence of Societal Crises on Social Integration and Loneliness (Lisa J. Klasen, Mareike Bünning, Nadiya Kelle, Clemens Tesch-Römer, Oliver Huxhold)

Part 5. Future Directions (11. Macro-level Influences on Loneliness in Later Life. An fsQCA Analysis (Iuliana Precupetu, Cosmina Pop, Marja Aartsen)

12. ‘And, You Know: There’s such a thing as Society’: Towards a Clarification of the ‘Loneliness Paradox’ by a Macrofication of Loneliness Studies (Bianca Suanet and George Pavlidis)

13. Policy Recommendations to Address Loneliness in Later Life (Mihaela Ghența and Aniela Matei)

14. Linking Life Course Theory to Multi-Level Explanations of Loneliness: Towards a Sociology of Loneliness (Bianca Suanet and Marja Aartsen)

15. Loneliness Re-examined: Societal influences and Future Research Directions (Marja Aartsen, Bianca Suanet, Thomas Hansen, Iuliana Precupetu).

ISBN:

3-031-94565-4