Questioning the boundaries between self and society, change and stability, the author includes classic treatments on generations by Karl Mannheim and Norman Ryder and presents a new theoretical contribution that explores the meaning of `aging' as a social process. Each of the six new essays develops a central theoretical concept, linking that concept to issues of research design and analysis. By re-examining the assumptions that underlie our approaches to the study of change, this volume provides key insights into how we can understand fundamental social processes such as: human development and socialization; the formation of public opinion and political identity; and the shaping of collective action and group behaviour.