Inequalities within progress: social stratification and the life course among the elderly population in Switzerland 1979-2011

Abstract

Instead of aiming to contribute to the growing body of literature that documents the progress and improvements in health and economic well-being that elderly people in Switzerland have experienced over the last decades, this thesis addresses the persis- ting inequalities among this population. It tries to find out why there seem to be people who do not or only marginally benefit from these overall progresses. Drawing on a social stratification and class-analysis approach, it studies retired citizens whose lives are characterized by poverty, poor functional health and depression. This analysis is carried out from two angles: Firstly, from a historical and comparative perspective emphasizing the evolution of the situation and the underlying dynamics over the last three decades, from 1979 until 2011. Secondly, this research extends the initial theoretical framework with a life-course perspective and assesses the impact of events (eg. divorce), or of whole trajectories (eg. people’s work-life).