Vortrag
Exploring ‘Ageivism’: The role of organisations in the history of care for older people in East Germany

The paper provides an insight into the ways older people in East Germany self-organized throughout the second half of the twentieth century. Since older people’s self-organization, or rather: ‘ageivism’ (Doron, 2018) typically addressed needs for care or representation of that age group, the paper will highlight firstly, the role of organizations in the history of care for older people, and secondly, the role of older people in these organizations. The paper will discuss to what extent ‘ageivism’' from within organizations helped to shape (or suspend) politicization and gendering of care, in particular in the (post) socialist transformation of East German society.

The paper is part of the themed panel colloquium "Politicising and Gendering Care for Older People: Multidisciplinary Perspectives from Europe".

The colloquium explores the processes of politicising and gendering care for older people, understood as a fundamental aspect of human life. Bringing together diverse perspectives from various European contexts and societal strata, it delves into the manifold manifestations and interpretations of these dynamics. Some case studies are related to the volume’ Politicising and gendering care for older people: multidisciplinary perspectives from Europe’, co-edited by Anca Dohotariu, Ana Paula Gil and Ľubica Voľanská. The book will be published in August 2024 at Manchester University Press. Recognising that providing care for older adults and being cared for in old age are potential aspects of any individual’s life journey, the colloquium underscores the contextual nature of caregiving experiences. The discussions encompass various topics, ranging from the complexities of caregiving needs to the intricacies of long-term care policies, home-based care services, institutional arrangements, and family dynamics. It brings together the following presentations: ‘A condition of our existence’: politicising and gendering care for older people in Europe’ (Anca Dohotariu, University of Bucharest); ‘Exploring ‘Ageivism’: The role of organisations in the history of care for older people in East Germany’ (Maren Hachmeister); ‘The Hungarian care fare regime and its implications for the care for older people’ (Noémi Katona and Dóra Gabriel); ‘An agency for politicising older people’s care. A Romanian case study’ (Diana Margarit); ‘Community Activism for and with Older Adults’ (Ľubica Voľanská) and ‘Intersections between care, gender, and transnational family: Slovak care workers in Austria during the pandemic’ (Martina Wilsch).

Please find more information here.