Book Review: Understanding the Life Course; sociological and psychological perspectives

Understanding the Life Course: sociological and psychological perspectives
★★★★★

Lorraine Green
Polity Press
ISBN 9780745640167
£17.99

This is a most welcome book, written in a clear accessible style. It opens up some complex and challenging issues in ways that engage the reader and illuminate contemporary people-work.

The author argues persuasively for a multi-disciplinary understanding of this topic, and also recognises the social impact of oppression and discrimination.

There are separate chapters on traditional psychological approaches and new social studies of childhood, in which she guides the reader through some important contemporary approaches in a balanced way.

Her chapter on death, dying, grief and loss combines a critique of traditional approaches (the stages model, for example) with discussion of more contemporary theorising, including Doka’s disenfranchised grief.

However, more space could be given to the dual process model and the meaning reconstruction approach, both of which can be hugely informative and helpful for practitioners.

The theme of religion and its impact upon the life course is dealt with sporadically throughout the text, but no mention of spirituality is made in the index. Both themes deserve fuller treatment to help the reader understand how such world views can have a profound impact (for good or ill) upon people’s life course and well-being.

This book richly deserves to be required reading for anyone entering people-work; it also will benefit experienced practitioners who often need to see the world through fresh eyes.

Bernard R Moss is emeritus professor and former director of the centre of spirituality and health at Staffordshire University