The sustained expansion of the life span and the attendant demographic changes in the West have
fuelled the production of cultural texts that explore alternative representations of aging and
old age. The contributors to this volume show how artists in science-fiction fantasy and the
avant-garde develop visions of late life transformation improvisation and adaptation to new
circumstances. The studies particularly focus on perspectives on aging that challenge the
predominant narratives of decline as well as fantasies of eternal youth as defined by
neoliberal notions of health able-bodiedness agency self-improvement progress plasticity
and productivity.
