"Intergenerational Ambivalence as a Key Concept for Explaining Intergenerational Relations in Ageing Societies’’

The concept of intergenerational ambivalence was first proposed as an innovative theoretical approach for explaining intergenerational relations, moving away from the traditional dichotomous perception of over-emphasising positive (intergenerational solidarity) or negative (intergenerational conflict) aspects of intergenerational relations by Kurt Luescher and Karl Pillemer in an article in the Journal of Marriage and the Family in 1998. In contrast to intergenerational solidarity/conflict, intergenerational ambivalence acknowledges the coexistence of positive and negative sentiments in kinship relationships. Thus, intergenerational ambivalence can be defined as contradictions in intergenerational relationships that cannot be reconciled. Initially, the concept was almost exclusively applied to child-parent relationships and thereby to care-giving relations in particular. In the meantime, the concept has been applied to a variety of intergenerational realities.

You are cordially invited to join us for a one-day exploration of the concept in analysing rapidly changing intergenerational relations in our ageing societies! Please find the details below:

Wednesday 21st April 2010

One-Day conference 9.30 am - 17.30 pm

Oxford Institute of Ageing
University of Oxford

Hosted by Professor Sarah Harper, Director, Oxford Institute of Ageing

Keynote Lectures to include:

“Toward a Theory of Intergenerational Ambivalence”
Professor Kurt Lüscher, University of Konstanz, Germany

“Reflections on Intergenerational Ambivalence in the Research Literature
as an Alternative Concept to Explaining Intergenerational Relations”
Dr Andreas Hoff, Oxford Institute of Ageing

The Oxford Institute of Ageing would like to dedicate this workshop to the memory of our esteemed colleague
Janet Askham
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The Oxford Institute of Ageing is a multi-disciplinary research institute which believes that the production of high
quality, strategic research, which informs and is informed by good policy and practice, will lead to greater understanding
of societies as they age.
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To register please contact Angelika Kaiser angelika.kaiser@ageing.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Institute of Ageing Tel: +44 1865 612803
University of Oxford, Fax: +44 1865 612801
66 Banbury Road,
Oxford OX2 6PR