Kathrin Komp is adjunct professor of social gerontology at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Stina Johansson is professor emerita in social work at Umea University, Sweden.

• Introduction ~ Kathrin Komp and Stina Johansson;Part One: Theoretical framework:A demographer’s view: population structures tell a story about lifecourses ~ J. Scott Brown and Scott M. Lynch;A lifecourse scholar’s view: lifecourses crystallise in demographic structures ~ Andreas Motel-Klingebiel;Part Two: Critical perspectives:Generations in ageing Finland: finding your place in the demographic structure ~ Antti Karisto and Ilkka Haapola;Gender in ageing Portugal: following the lives of men and women ~ Karin Wall and Sofia Aboim;Socioeconomic status in ageing Poland: a question of cumulative advantages and disadvantages ~ Konrad Turek, Jolanta Perek-Białas and Justyna Stypińska;Ethnicity in ageing America: a tale of cultures and lifecourse ~ Takashi Yamashita, Timothy S. Melnyk, Jennifer R. Keene, Shannon M. Monnat and Anna C. Smedley;The urban–rural split in ageing Australia: diverging lifecourses, diverging experiences ~ Rachel Winterton and Jeni Warburton;Part Three: Practical implications:The individual in ageing Germany: how the self-employed plan for their old age ~ Annette Franke;Families in ageing Netherlands and ageing China: redefining intergenerational contracts in lengthened lives ~ Fleur Thomese and Zhen Cong;Social care in ageing Sweden: learning from the life stories of care recipients ~ Stina Johansson;The labour market in ageing Sweden: lifecourse influences on workforce participation ~ Mikael Stattin and Daniel Larsson;The state in ageing Canada: from old-age policies to lifecourse policies ~ Kathrin Komp and Patrik Marier;Discussion and conclusion ~ Stina Johansson and Kathrin Komp.

"The book has a refreshing approach towards the global issue of population ageing, thus stimulating readers to view the phenomenon both from a macro and micro perspective. The authors do an excellent job of linking individual diverse pathways with national developments around the globe." Kalyani K. Mehta, SIM University, Singapore "Population ageing is a key social issue, yet seldom studied as a lifecourse phenomenon. This comparative contribution fills the gap in the literature." Jani Erola, University of Turku, Finland

Kathrin Komp is adjunct professor of social gerontology at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Stina Johansson is professor emerita in social work at Umea University, Sweden.

• Introduction ~ Kathrin Komp and Stina Johansson;Part One: Theoretical framework:A demographer’s view: population structures tell a story about lifecourses ~ J. Scott Brown and Scott M. Lynch;A lifecourse scholar’s view: lifecourses crystallise in demographic structures ~ Andreas Motel-Klingebiel;Part Two: Critical perspectives:Generations in ageing Finland: finding your place in the demographic structure ~ Antti Karisto and Ilkka Haapola;Gender in ageing Portugal: following the lives of men and women ~ Karin Wall and Sofia Aboim;Socioeconomic status in ageing Poland: a question of cumulative advantages and disadvantages ~ Konrad Turek, Jolanta Perek-Białas and Justyna Stypińska;Ethnicity in ageing America: a tale of cultures and lifecourse ~ Takashi Yamashita, Timothy S. Melnyk, Jennifer R. Keene, Shannon M. Monnat and Anna C. Smedley;The urban–rural split in ageing Australia: diverging lifecourses, diverging experiences ~ Rachel Winterton and Jeni Warburton;Part Three: Practical implications:The individual in ageing Germany: how the self-employed plan for their old age ~ Annette Franke;Families in ageing Netherlands and ageing China: redefining intergenerational contracts in lengthened lives ~ Fleur Thomese and Zhen Cong;Social care in ageing Sweden: learning from the life stories of care recipients ~ Stina Johansson;The labour market in ageing Sweden: lifecourse influences on workforce participation ~ Mikael Stattin and Daniel Larsson;The state in ageing Canada: from old-age policies to lifecourse policies ~ Kathrin Komp and Patrik Marier;Discussion and conclusion ~ Stina Johansson and Kathrin Komp.

"The book has a refreshing approach towards the global issue of population ageing, thus stimulating readers to view the phenomenon both from a macro and micro perspective. The authors do an excellent job of linking individual diverse pathways with national developments around the globe." Kalyani K. Mehta, SIM University, Singapore "Population ageing is a key social issue, yet seldom studied as a lifecourse phenomenon. This comparative contribution fills the gap in the literature." Jani Erola, University of Turku, Finland

Kathrin Komp is adjunct professor of social gerontology at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Stina Johansson is professor emerita in social work at Umea University, Sweden.

• Introduction ~ Kathrin Komp and Stina Johansson;Part One: Theoretical framework:A demographer’s view: population structures tell a story about lifecourses ~ J. Scott Brown and Scott M. Lynch;A lifecourse scholar’s view: lifecourses crystallise in demographic structures ~ Andreas Motel-Klingebiel;Part Two: Critical perspectives:Generations in ageing Finland: finding your place in the demographic structure ~ Antti Karisto and Ilkka Haapola;Gender in ageing Portugal: following the lives of men and women ~ Karin Wall and Sofia Aboim;Socioeconomic status in ageing Poland: a question of cumulative advantages and disadvantages ~ Konrad Turek, Jolanta Perek-Białas and Justyna Stypińska;Ethnicity in ageing America: a tale of cultures and lifecourse ~ Takashi Yamashita, Timothy S. Melnyk, Jennifer R. Keene, Shannon M. Monnat and Anna C. Smedley;The urban–rural split in ageing Australia: diverging lifecourses, diverging experiences ~ Rachel Winterton and Jeni Warburton;Part Three: Practical implications:The individual in ageing Germany: how the self-employed plan for their old age ~ Annette Franke;Families in ageing Netherlands and ageing China: redefining intergenerational contracts in lengthened lives ~ Fleur Thomese and Zhen Cong;Social care in ageing Sweden: learning from the life stories of care recipients ~ Stina Johansson;The labour market in ageing Sweden: lifecourse influences on workforce participation ~ Mikael Stattin and Daniel Larsson;The state in ageing Canada: from old-age policies to lifecourse policies ~ Kathrin Komp and Patrik Marier;Discussion and conclusion ~ Stina Johansson and Kathrin Komp.

"The book has a refreshing approach towards the global issue of population ageing, thus stimulating readers to view the phenomenon both from a macro and micro perspective. The authors do an excellent job of linking individual diverse pathways with national developments around the globe." Kalyani K. Mehta, SIM University, Singapore "Population ageing is a key social issue, yet seldom studied as a lifecourse phenomenon. This comparative contribution fills the gap in the literature." Jani Erola, University of Turku, Finland