Chapter 3: Age-friendly for all? Equality and equity in the changing landscape of the social democratic welfare state

In this week we are covering Chapter 3,  Age-friendly for all? Equality and equity in the changing landscape of the social democratic welfare state authored by Gudmund Ågotnes and Bodil H. Blix.

In this chapter our authors discuss how Nordic countries are often celebrated for their strong social welfare systems but these systems are built on a key assumption: that the population is relatively homogeneous. Because of this, many policies are designed as “universal” solutions meant to level out socioeconomic or gender-based inequities for everyone in the same way.

In this piece, our authors work to take a closer look at how age-friendliness is understood in Norway and how it shows up in political and public conversations. Through this chapter, what becomes clear is that the idea of equality in the Norwegian welfare state is deeply connected to the belief in sameness. The emphasis on sameness also shapes how age-friendly policies are created and communicated, and it can create real tensions when it comes to equity.

By examining these contradictions, this chapter opens up a broader conversation about what true age-friendliness and age equity could look like in a changing Norway.

To read the full chapter and the rest of our book find it here on the Bristol University Press Digital webpage