Stereotypes Contested: A Case Study on Older People’s Political Activism, ICT Usage, and Intergenerational Solidarity
It has become common to think about older people as engaged voters and thus more politically involved than younger people. Studies have suggested that in some European countries older people seem to participate more than younger people in elections (Goerres, 2007; Quintelier, 2007). However, not many people envision older people’s political participation within social movements, in the form of protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, blockades, and other non-institutionalized ways of participating in the political sphere. This piece reflects on some of the stereotypes of older activists.