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Socio-Gerontechnology – Theorizing the Digital Life Worlds of Older People
Language: English
New technological developments are often discussed as one possible solution to demographic challenges. Reacting to these challenges, large scale research and innovation programs seek to support active, healthy and independent ageing with the aid of new technologies. However, most research projects in the field still struggle with the theoretical conceptualization of the intersection between ageing and technology: How is ageing being shaped by the use of new technologies? Which imaginaries of older end-users shape technological developments?
These questions are, i.a., addressed by Actor-Network-Theory (ANT) , but could further benefit from the integration of sociological concepts of ageing such as generations, life-course, life-stages or ‘doing age’. The aim of this session is to critically explore the theoretical contribution of sociological theories of ageing to the study of ageing and technologies. Which perspectives does the sociology of ageing offer and how could the field of gerontechnology benefit from these inputs?
For this session we invite theoretical and empirical submissions that address how age is perceived, constructed and ‘done’ through digital environments and researchers that would like to expand theoretical development in this field. Also, we especially want to encourage early career researchers to submit.