Intergenerational Relations

History of intergenerational relations

Concepts of intergenerational relations and intergenerational fairness have featured in debates since the 2008 global financial crisis.

Project aims

To explore whether macro-level intergenerational equity discourses resonate in people’s everyday lives and life course.

The study involved:

Project findings

The study revealed the following:

there is widespread pessimism around young people’s prospects
there is evidence of a fracturing social contract
little faith exists in the principles of intergenerational equity, equality and reciprocity – factors upon which welfare states depend
despite strong family bonds, participants still felt resentment and frustration towards societal-level intergenerational unfairness
blame for intergenerational inequity was placed on a remote state rather than on older generations
despite the precariousness of the welfare state, participants of all ages strongly supported the principle of state support
participants rejected a system based on family wealth and inherited privilege
rather than increased individualism, participants desired strengthened communities that encouraged greater intergenerational mixing

Project funding

The project was funded by Newcastle University Institute for Ageing and Institute for Social Renewal

The Principal Investigator was:

The project can be located in the following publication:

Wildman JM, Goulding A, Moffatt S, Scharf T, Stenning A (2021) Intergenerational equity, equality and reciprocity in economically and politically turbulent times: narratives from across generations. Ageing and Society 1-20; doi:10.1017/SO144686X21000052