New Directions in Life Course Research

TLDR

Life courses are examined in sociology and related fields as developmental processes, cultural stages, biographical meanings, aging processes, institutional outcomes, demographic accounts, or empirical linkages across the life course. The review aims to report trends in life course research since 2000 and to assess the field’s overall development. The study focuses on empirical research published since 2000 to identify trends in life course research. Major advances are seen in national longitudinal databases, institutional context impacts, life courses during societal ruptures, and health, while progress is slower in internal dynamics, interaction of development and socially constructed life courses, theory development, and new methods; overall, the field still has much to achieve.

Abstract

Life courses are studied in sociology and neighboring fields as developmental processes, as culturally and normatively constructed life stages and age roles, as biographical meanings, as aging processes, as outcomes of institutional regulation and policies, as demographic accounts, or as mere empirical connectivity across the life course. This review has two aims. One is to report on trends in life course research by focusing on empirical studies published since the year 2000. The other is to assess the overall development of the field. Major advances can be observed in four areas: national individual-level longitudinal databases, the impact of institutional contexts on life courses, life courses under conditions of societal ruptures, and health across the life course. In four other areas, advancements have been less pronounced: internal dynamics and causal linkages across life, the interaction of development and socially constructed life courses, theory development, and new methods. Overall, life course sociology still has far to go to reach its full potential.