Carnegie Corporation of New York. Aging Society Project

Project established to study the public policy implications of an aging society.

From the description of Carnegie Corporation of New York, Aging Society Project records, 1982-1986. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34422038

The Aging Society Project was an inquiry into the public policy implications of an aging society. It originated in the Spring of 1982, when Alan Pifer, the outgoing president of the Carnegie Corporation, began to explore the significance of demographic changes in the United States during the previous thirty years. He commissioned two preliminary studies, by Michael Teitelbaum and D. Lydia Bronte, which pointed to the need for a more thorough study on the issues of aging.

In December 1982, the Carnegie Corporation approved funding for a one-year planning phase for the Aging Project, which was to be chaired by Alan Pifer and directed by D. Lydia Bronte. They began to familiarize themselves with the literature of the field, to build a small library and to acquaint themselves with the leading scholars in the field.

Beginning in February 1983, the project sponsored a series of Conferences dealing with the economic, political, social and ethical implications of the Aging American Society. These Conferences also dealt with particular segments of the American Society, such as women, Blacks and Hispanics.

In November of 1983 discussions began with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for publication of a Collection of essays on aging in an issue of their journal Daedalus. For the remainder of 1983 and 1984, the project staff prepared for the book of essays, met with the essay authors in June 1984, convened additional conferences on aging, and visited Sweden, which has one of the oldest populations in the world.

On February 11-14, 1986 the Aging Society Project held its last Conference, in Japan, entitled "Population Aging in the United States and Japan: National and International Implications."

In the Winter 1986 issue of Daedalus, "The Aging Society" was published. This Collection of essays was also issued with additional articles and in a different form by W.W. Norton and Company under the title Our Aging Society: Paradox and Promise on May 19, 1986. Shortly, after the completion of this book the Aging Society Project ended. The records of the project were donated by D. Lydia Bronte to the University of Michigan's Institute of Gerontology. After processing, this material was transferred to the Michigan Historical Collections/Institute of Gerontology's Joint Archives in Gerontology located in the Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

From the guide to the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Aging Society Project (1982-1986) records, 1982-1986, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)