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This paper reviews life course approaches applied in epidemiology, sociology and psychology and proposes a theoretical framework that integrates the concept of socialisation. We argue that the paradigmatic principles of interdisciplinary life course research (human agency, timing in lives, linked lives and historical context) provide a strong basis for a more holistic and theory-driven view of the life course and its interdependent pathways. The ´agency within structure´ paradigm on which these principles are based is an essential part of socialisation theory. We emphasize that socialisation theory has the potential to act as a theoretical link between social science and epidemiology, because it offers a multi-causal framework to illuminate the association between social structure and health across the life course. In order to better understand the development of health and health inequalities in a life course perspective, an interdisciplinary approach is required. The increased attention to socialisation principles might open new dialogue and empirical research perspectives for health sociology and epidemiology. Keywords: ageing, health, life course, social inequalities, socialisation theory |
