Intersectional Perspectives on Ageing, Care, and Political Activism: Older Women’s Search for Social and Ecological Justice in Southeastern Europe

The socio-political transformations in Southeast Europe, intertwined with demographic changes like depopulation and migration, hold significance for Europe. Yet, the role of ageing population amidst these transformations remains underexplored. Directing attention to the often-overlooked experiences of older adults’ political engagement, this research focuses on the intersections of ageing, gender, and protest for democratization in Southeast Europe.

Considering political activism as a life-course practice and a structure of feeling for social change not "despite" but „through" ageing, it aims to challenge the hegemonic understanding of political activism as an integral part of youth and sheds light on the critical role of older women activists in addressing social, political, and ecological justice.

Building on ethnographic and archival research on social and ecological justice movements in Turkey and Austria, this study illuminates the critical roles older women play in addressing social, political, and ecological justice. By applying an intersectional lens, the paper explores how diverse identities—shaped by economic, social, gender, ethnic, and religious factors—inform their activism in later life. Key questions guiding this inquiry include: What motivates older individuals to engage in collective action, and how do their life stories and identities influence their activism? What collective experiences, narratives, and strategies do older activists employ to confront intersecting forms of oppression and advance democratization? Additionally, how can they forge and sustain alliances across different movements, thus enhancing intergenerational solidarity?

By expanding the scope of existing scholarship on ageing and activism—predominantly centered on North American contexts—this paper contributes a socio-historically specific understanding of the opportunities and obstacles older women face in their political engagement, shedding light on the fluid and complex nature of intersectionality within social movements.