Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life

This open access book explores the macro-social influences on loneliness in later life, emphasizing how societal structures, cultural contexts, and broader social transformations shape the experience of loneliness. Dedicated to the social construction of loneliness and the notable heterogeneity in i...

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collection Directory of Open Access Books
description This open access book explores the macro-social influences on loneliness in later life, emphasizing how societal structures, cultural contexts, and broader social transformations shape the experience of loneliness. Dedicated to the social construction of loneliness and the notable heterogeneity in its prevalence across European countries, this volume brings together a distinguished selection of experts who share their latest insights on meso- and macro-level influences, cultural and structural theories, and the impact of digitalization, climate change, and societal crises. Divided into five parts, the book addresses key aspects of this complex issue. The first part introduces the central themes, outlining the relevance of loneliness as a societal concern and discussing the limitations of existing research, which predominantly focuses on individual-level factors. It highlights the need for a multi-level approach that incorporates micro, meso, and macro perspectives to fully understand the contextual influences on loneliness. The second part delves into theoretical perspectives, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding loneliness at different levels. It examines the interplay between individual, relational, and societal factors while also exploring cultural and social exclusion perspectives that shed light on how loneliness manifests across different contexts. The third part presents empirical evidence, focusing on variations in loneliness across different social groups and regions in Europe. It synthesizes research on micro- and meso-level determinants while also providing a review of macro-level influences. This part highlights the role of welfare regimes, demographic trends, and broader societal conditions in shaping the prevalence and experience of loneliness. The fourth part explores recent societal developments that may influence loneliness, including digitalization, migration, climate change, and societal crises. These emerging topics illustrate how macro-level transformations can either alleviate or exacerbate loneliness, depending on how they interact with existing social structures and individual circumstances. The final part discusses methodological advancements and policy implications. It introduces an innovative approach to analyzing macro-social influences on loneliness and revisits the ‘loneliness paradox’ in light of new findings. The book concludes with policy recommendations and future research directions, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that integrates individual, relational, and societal dimensions to develop more effective interventions against loneliness. In sum, by adopting a macro-social lens, this book contributes to a deeper understanding of the societal, cultural, and policy-related determinants of loneliness. It offers a foundation for evidence-based interventions that go beyond individual-level solutions, recognizing loneliness as a socially embedded phenomenon shaped by broader societal forces. It is our hope and expectation that the book and its content will fundamentally change our understanding of loneliness and strategies to combat it.
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spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-1658632025-08-14T05:01:39Z Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life Aartsen, Marja Precupetu, Iuliana Suanet, Bianca Loneliness in Europe Comparative welfare state research Macro-social influences on loneliness Loneliness in later life Cross-cultural variations in loneliness Social impact on loneliness Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) Emergent topics in old-age loneliness research Understanding differences in loneliness prevalence Loneliness around the world Cultural influences on loneliness Loneliness and relational freedom Loneliness in individualistic and collectivistic societies thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHB Sociology::JHBD Population and demography thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations::JBSP4 Age groups: the elderly thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education::MBNH9 Health psychology This open access book explores the macro-social influences on loneliness in later life, emphasizing how societal structures, cultural contexts, and broader social transformations shape the experience of loneliness. Dedicated to the social construction of loneliness and the notable heterogeneity in its prevalence across European countries, this volume brings together a distinguished selection of experts who share their latest insights on meso- and macro-level influences, cultural and structural theories, and the impact of digitalization, climate change, and societal crises. Divided into five parts, the book addresses key aspects of this complex issue. The first part introduces the central themes, outlining the relevance of loneliness as a societal concern and discussing the limitations of existing research, which predominantly focuses on individual-level factors. It highlights the need for a multi-level approach that incorporates micro, meso, and macro perspectives to fully understand the contextual influences on loneliness. The second part delves into theoretical perspectives, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding loneliness at different levels. It examines the interplay between individual, relational, and societal factors while also exploring cultural and social exclusion perspectives that shed light on how loneliness manifests across different contexts. The third part presents empirical evidence, focusing on variations in loneliness across different social groups and regions in Europe. It synthesizes research on micro- and meso-level determinants while also providing a review of macro-level influences. This part highlights the role of welfare regimes, demographic trends, and broader societal conditions in shaping the prevalence and experience of loneliness. The fourth part explores recent societal developments that may influence loneliness, including digitalization, migration, climate change, and societal crises. These emerging topics illustrate how macro-level transformations can either alleviate or exacerbate loneliness, depending on how they interact with existing social structures and individual circumstances. The final part discusses methodological advancements and policy implications. It introduces an innovative approach to analyzing macro-social influences on loneliness and revisits the ‘loneliness paradox’ in light of new findings. The book concludes with policy recommendations and future research directions, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that integrates individual, relational, and societal dimensions to develop more effective interventions against loneliness. In sum, by adopting a macro-social lens, this book contributes to a deeper understanding of the societal, cultural, and policy-related determinants of loneliness. It offers a foundation for evidence-based interventions that go beyond individual-level solutions, recognizing loneliness as a socially embedded phenomenon shaped by broader societal forces. It is our hope and expectation that the book and its content will fundamentally change our understanding of loneliness and strategies to combat it. 2025-08-14T05:01:38Z 2025-08-14T05:01:38Z 2025-08-13T10:20:09Z 2025 book ONIX_20250813T121456_9783031945656_46 https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/105473 9783031945656 9783031945649 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/165863 eng International Perspectives on Aging open access image/jpeg n/a https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/105473/1/9783031945656.pdf Springer Nature Springer Nature Switzerland 10.1007/978-3-031-94565-6 10.1007/978-3-031-94565-6 9fa3421d-f917-4153-b9ab-fc337c396b5a 83a42c32-1a73-42d3-aa97-0eab2d20c249 9783031945656 9783031945649 Springer Nature Switzerland 366 Cham [...] open access
spellingShingle Loneliness in Europe
Comparative welfare state research
Macro-social influences on loneliness
Loneliness in later life
Cross-cultural variations in loneliness
Social impact on loneliness
Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA)
Emergent topics in old-age loneliness research
Understanding differences in loneliness prevalence
Loneliness around the world
Cultural influences on loneliness
Loneliness and relational freedom
Loneliness in individualistic and collectivistic societies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHB Sociology::JHBD Population and demography
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations::JBSP4 Age groups: the elderly
thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education
thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education::MBNH9 Health psychology
Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life
title Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life
title_full Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life
title_fullStr Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life
title_full_unstemmed Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life
title_short Macro Social Influences on Loneliness in Later Life
title_sort macro social influences on loneliness in later life
topic Loneliness in Europe
Comparative welfare state research
Macro-social influences on loneliness
Loneliness in later life
Cross-cultural variations in loneliness
Social impact on loneliness
Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA)
Emergent topics in old-age loneliness research
Understanding differences in loneliness prevalence
Loneliness around the world
Cultural influences on loneliness
Loneliness and relational freedom
Loneliness in individualistic and collectivistic societies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHB Sociology::JHBD Population and demography
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations::JBSP4 Age groups: the elderly
thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education
thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education::MBNH9 Health psychology
topic_facet Loneliness in Europe
Comparative welfare state research
Macro-social influences on loneliness
Loneliness in later life
Cross-cultural variations in loneliness
Social impact on loneliness
Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA)
Emergent topics in old-age loneliness research
Understanding differences in loneliness prevalence
Loneliness around the world
Cultural influences on loneliness
Loneliness and relational freedom
Loneliness in individualistic and collectivistic societies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHB Sociology::JHBD Population and demography
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBS Social groups, communities and identities::JBSP Age groups and generations::JBSP4 Age groups: the elderly
thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education
thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MB Medicine: general issues::MBN Public health and preventive medicine::MBNH Personal and public health / health education::MBNH9 Health psychology
url ONIX_20250813T121456_9783031945656_46