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Civic engagement is one of the cornerstones of participatory democracy and fundamental to preventing old-age social exclusion. Even though civic engagement late-in-life has received considerable attention, there is a lacuna of research on older migrants' civic engagement. This study aims therefore to examine potential predictors of civic engagement in terms of formal volunteering and participation in political organisations among foreign-born and native-born older adults in Europe. Attention is hereby given to how socio-structural resources and social capital are associated with civic engagement, and whether these associations differ between foreign-born and native-born. Data from wave 7 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe [n = 74,150; 5710 of them are foreign-born] were used in multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results show that socio-structural and social capital variables are positively associated with volunteering and participation in political organisations, both in native-born and foreign-born older adults. The study also suggests that place of birth (in Europe vs. outside Europe) and age-upon-migration play a role in predicting civic engagement among foreign-born older adults, and are therefore features worth considering when studying older migrants' civic engagement.

This chapter draws attention to the ways in which ethnicity and race have been conceptualised in the social sciences, and argues that research on the nexus of migration and ageing is most often informed by either social gerontology or migration studies. The chapter describes the three approaches to ethnicity and race there are (i.e. primordialism, circumstantialism and social constructionism), and how these approaches have informed how these identification grounds are made sense of in social gerontology, and migration studies respectively. The chapter presents what research on older ethno-racialised minorities has already shown about the approaches that most often inform social gerontology (i.e. primordialism and circumstantialim), and critically dissects how research on older migrants approaches these identification grounds. The chapter argues that scholarship (not just policy and practice) is a construction site that spreads ideas about ethno-racialised populations (incl. migrants), which is why a critical lens on the approaches that inform research is needed.

This comprehensive Handbook explores the fundamental concepts surrounding the ageing-migration nexus. It is indispensable reading, presenting interdisciplinary research to investigate the unique experiences of older migrants, migrant eldercare workers and older people left behind. 

This chapter introduces readers to the concepts that are racialisation and racism and argues that these concepts will help us advance how scholarship on older ethno-racialised minorities (incl. migrants) makes sense of ethnicity and race. The chapter showcases how racialisation and racism inform social gerontological research on older ethno-racialised minorities, and reviews the ways in which these concepts inform research on older migrants. By proposing some of the angles of investigation that must be included in an agenda for future research, this chapter argues that attention must be paid to the racialisation practices that inform our research. The chapter argues also that designing research inquiries that explore how racism impacts the lives of older ethno-racialised minorities (incl. migrants) is a must if we want to unleash our own scholarly imagination about these populations.

This original collection explores how critical gerontology can make sense of old age inequalities to inform and improve social work research, policy and practice and empower older people. With examples of practice-facing research, this book engages with key debates on age-related human rights and social justice issues. The critical and conceptual focus will expand the horizons of those who work with older people, addressing the current challenges, issues and opportunities that they face.

This chapter draws attention to three identification grounds that social workers are expected to consider and that policy makers see as a priority, that is, ethnicity, race and migrancy. One of the reasons why this is the case is that the globalisation of international migration is one of the greatest challenges many societies have been facing in recent decades (Torres and Lawrence, 2012; Lawrence and Torres, 2016; Torres and Karl, 2016). As a result of this, social workers must now address the challenges that increased diversity can pose. In the case of those who specialise in ageing and older people, referred to in this book as gerontological social workers, it is important to note that population ageing has also increased the number of older people who need eldercare services. Thus, gerontological social workers have to deal with both the challenges that population ageing poses and the ones that the globalisation of international migration presents. Their work is therefore impacted upon by two major societal trends that most societies are facing these days, which is why this book proposes that critical gerontology could offer a valuable tool to advance research and increase the user-friendliness of social work policy and practice as far as our ageing populations are concerned.

Population ageing and international migration are two of the major societal trends challenging European elderly care regimes at present. Virtually no research has addressed how public discourses about the implications of these trends for elderly care are shaped in different countries. This article addresses this knowledge gap, examining how Swedish daily newspaper (SvD and DN) reporting on elderly care between 1995 and 2017 (N=370) depicts the impact of increased ethno-cultural diversity on this sector. Through content analysis, this article brings attention to the representations of migrants and culture that this reporting has deployed, and the rhetorical practices that the reporting has relied on (i.e. genre stratification, hegemonisation, homogenisation, normative referencing and idealisation/ diminishment). The article exposes how the ‘Othering’ of migrants is accomplished in Sweden’s daily newspaper reporting on elderly care, and problematizes the ethea of inclusiveness and equality of care with which we have come to associate this welfare sector.