Abstract:
The article provides an overview of the institutionalization of aging as a subject of interest in the social sciences. Gradually drifting from the purely medical-biological field, aging begins to be studied within a separate discipline — gerontology, which in turn transforms first into social gerontology, then critical gerontology appears, and finally cultural gerontology. Currently, aging is actively studied by representatives of the social sciences and sociologists in particular, predominantly Western ones. The institutionalization of the topic is achieved through the creation and development of thematic journals, the inclusion of aging as a regular theme at major international conferences in social sciences, the emergence of research projects and even separate organizations focused on aging. The development of the topic in the Russian context, like many others, has a catching-up character, but nevertheless is embodied in various forms.