Part 1. Central Theme of the Book -- 1. Introduction. For a Macro-social Perspective on Loneliness (Marja Aartsen, Iuliana Precupetu, Bianca Suanet) -- Part 2. Theoretical Perspectives -- 2. Theorizing Loneliness in Later Life - Micro, Meso, and Macro Perspectives (Fredrica Nyqvist, Joanna McHugh Power, Laura Coll-Planas) -- 3. Unravelling the Socio-cultural Influence on Loneliness (Theo G. van Tilburg) -- 4. Social Exclusion Perspective on Loneliness in Later Life (Sofie Van Regenmortel, Elisa Tiilikainen, Hanna Ristolainen, Vanessa Burholt, Lena Dahlberg) -- Part 3. Empirical Dimensions -- 5. Loneliness Prevalence in Different Age Groups in Europe (Marian Vasile and Marja Aartsen) -- 6. Understanding Late-Life Loneliness: Micro and Meso-Level Determinants (Sunwoo Lee) -- 7. The Social Infrastructure of Loneliness. A Scoping Review of Societal Influences and their Implications (Laura Tufă) -- Part 4. Recent Developments and Loneliness -- 8. Information and Communication Technologies and the Risk to Loneliness (Alexander Seifert) -- 9. Climate Change and the Risk of Loneliness (Liat Ayalon) -- 10. The Influence of Societal Crises on Social Integration and Loneliness (Lisa J. Klasen, Mareike Bünning, Nadiya Kelle, Clemens Tesch-Römer, Oliver Huxhold) -- Part 5. Future Directions (11. Macro-level Influences on Loneliness in Later Life. An fsQCA Analysis (Iuliana Precupetu, Cosmina Pop, Marja Aartsen) -- 12. ‘And, You Know: There’s such a thing as Society’: Towards a Clarification of the ‘Loneliness Paradox’ by a Macrofication of Loneliness Studies (Bianca Suanet and George Pavlidis) -- 13. Policy Recommendations to Address Loneliness in Later Life (Mihaela Ghența and Aniela Matei) -- 14. Linking Life Course Theory to Multi-Level Explanations of Loneliness: Towards a Sociology of Loneliness (Bianca Suanet and Marja Aartsen) -- 15. Loneliness Re-examined: Societal influences and Future Research Directions (Marja Aartsen, Bianca Suanet, Thomas Hansen, Iuliana Precupetu).

Open Access

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 gathers 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. By adopting a macro-social lens, this book deepens our understanding of late-life loneliness as a phenomenon profoundly connected to the social environments in which older adults live. It lays a foundation for evidence-based interventions that extend beyond individual-level solutions. It is our hope and expectation that the book and its content will fundamentally change our understanding of loneliness and the strategies to mitigate it.

Accessibility summary: This PDF has been created in accordance with the PDF/UA-1 standard to enhance accessibility, including screen reader support, described non-text content (images, graphs), bookmarks for easy navigation, keyboard-friendly links and forms and searchable, selectable text. We recognize the importance of accessibility, and we welcome queries about accessibility for any of our products. If you have a question or an access need, please get in touch with us at accessibilitysupport@springernature.com. Please note that a more accessible version of this eBook is available as ePub.

No reading system accessibility options actively disabled

Publisher contact for further accessibility information: accessibilitysupport@springernature.com