Ellie Berger

Biography

Dr. Ellie Berger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Nipissing University and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Health, Aging & Society at McMaster University and in the Department of Sociology at Laurentian University. She is also an Associate Member of the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging at McMaster University. She is the former Chair of the Social Policy and Practice Division of the Canadian Association on Gerontology and the former Leader of the Aging and Paid Work Thematic Committee, part of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster. Her work focuses on the aging workforce, ageism, gender relations, retirement, workplace transitions, and work-family balance.

Dr. Berger has used her expertise to advise the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Statistics Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, the Forum of Labour Market Ministers, the National Seniors Council, and the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. She has also been retained as an expert witness in "ageism" by various legal professionals and is a member of numerous organizations including the Canadian Association on Gerontology, the Gerontological Society of America, the Canadian Sociological Association, Ontario Interdisciplinary Council for Aging and Health, Council of Ontario Universities, the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly, and the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health.

Positions

Full-time Faculty

Faculty of Arts and Science - Social and Cultural Studies - Sociology

Graduate Program Faculty

Graduate Studies - Sociology, MA

Education

PhD, Sociology, McMaster University

2004

MSc, Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto

1999

BA, Gerontology & Sociology, McMaster University

1996

Areas of specialization

Sociology of Aging

Work and Health

Teaching Areas

Undergraduate Programs

Sociology

Graduate Studies

Sociology, MA

Research

Research Interests

Sociology of aging
The labour market
Ageism
Sexism
Ableism
Discrimination
Retirement
Workplace transitions
Work-family balance

Open to Media Inquiries

Publications

Books

Berger, E. (2021). Ageism at Work: Deconstructing Age and Gender in the Discriminating Labour Market. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, Available at: https://utorontopress.com/9781442615281/ageism-at-work DeRoche, C. & Berger, E.D. (2017). The Parent Track: Timing, Balance, and Choice within Academia. Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. Available at: https://www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/T/The-Parent-Track

Articles

Berger, E.D. (2009). Managing Age Discrimination: An Examination of the Techniques Used When Seeking Employment. Gerontologist, 49(3), 317-332. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnp031

Berger, E.D. (2006). ‘Aging’ Identities: Degradation and Negotiation in the Search for Employment. Journal of Aging Studies, 20(4), 303-316. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2005.11.002

McMullin, J.A. & Berger, E.D. (2006). Gendered Ageism / Age(ed) Sexism: The Case of Unemployed Older Workers. In T.M. Calasanti & K.F. Slevin (eds.), Age Matters: Re-Aligning Feminist Thinking (pp. 201-223). New York: Routledge. Available at: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203943434-11/ge…;

Berger, E.D. & Denton, M.A. (2004). The Interplay Between Women’s Life Course Work Patterns and Financial Planning for Later Life. Canadian Journal on Aging, 23(suppl. 1), S99-S113.

Other Publications

Casey, R. & Berger, E.D. (2016). Enriching or Discouraging? Competing Pictures of Aging and Paid Work in Later Life (Revised). Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail: Vol. 3: Iss. 3, Article 3. Available at: http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/pclc/vol3/iss3/3