The increase in ageing populations has spurred predictions on the growth of a politically powerful old-age bloc. While their protest mobilizations have risen to reach youth standards, there is scarce scholarly evidence of the role of multiple identities in older activists' involvement. We address this gap by interviewing activists in Iaioflautas, an older adults' social movement emerging from the heat of the protest cycles in Spain in 2011. In-depth interviews with 15 members of varying levels of involvement revealed the paramount role of the movement in the identity construction of its participants. Iaioflautas endows a strong sense of collective identity based on intergenerational solidarity and enables to counter the culturally devalued identity of older adults and retirees. Whereas perceptions of widespread ageist stereotypes against older adults abound in this group, they omit to view the movement through an old-age identity politics lens. Furthermore, they reproduce ageist attitudes against age peers refraining from active involvement. This paradox suggests that the non-politicization of ageism restrains the development of a collective identity based on old age. We highlight how an increase in ageing populations might advance this issue in future research.
In the last decade there has been a growing attention on the topic of political participation in the later life. Yet, there is still a lack of research on older people's participation in social movements and the meanings of their involvement. Within the current context of protests, particularly in the 15M-Indignad@ s movement, the Iaioflautas appeared. Founded in Barcelona in 2011, the Iaioflautas ("flute-grannies") is a networked social movement that gathers older activists who wish to give voice to their demands in a non-institutional organization. Their identity revolves around two main concepts: they are old people, and they are Indignad@s. Drawing from contributions of the social movements' literature, this paper aims to describe the Iaioflautas protest movement from the perspective of highly engaged members and to identify its salient characteristics. Information was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews with 15 active members of the organization in Barcelona. The main findings are, first, Iaioflautas responds to organizational forms of the new networked social movement, which represents an organizational change in diverse ways. Second, Iaioflautas aims at specific and socially oriented goals, allowing heterogeneity and preventing self-driven interests. Third, the fact of being mobilized older adults as well as their characteristic joyful and cheerful ways yields them great social approval. Fourth, participants are gradually increasing their adoption of ICTs for organizational and personal purposes. Lastly, Iaioflautas share significant similarities with another older adults' social movement: the Raging Grannies.
Originally founded in the city of Barcelona in 2011, the Iaioflautas movement ( www.iaioflautas.org ) gathers elderly activist who wish to give voice to their demands in a non-institutional organization in adhesion to the wider 15M social movement. Although there has been some research lately on the political participation of senior citizens, no study has been yet published on the case of the Iaioflautas to date. The main goal of this research is to examine patterns of the political participation of older people in Catalonia through the Iaioflautas organization. It is of our interest to inquire into their personal political trajectory over the lifespan, their participatory experience in Iaioflautas, the role of other actors in their political activity, and " last but not least " their use of (mobile) Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). To this end, fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the organization in Barcelona. Interviews were carried out by the first author between July and September 2013, spanning between 1 to 3 hours. Conversations allowed gaining insights of senior activist involvement, motivations and perceptions. Preliminary results show, first of all, that most participants acknowledge moderate shift in their participatory patterns since the 15M movement uprising. They mostly hold vast experience in political participation, combining involvement in political parties, trade unions, and voluntary organizations. Second, participants describe mid-high to very high intensity of active engagement, and their motivations coincide greatly towards societal-level interests. Third, most of them manifest annoyance of negative social stereotyping of the elders; however, they perceive positive social reward due to their political involvement and their ICT uses. Finally, they remain skeptical regarding the possibilities of ICT as an enhancement tool for political participation opportunities for older people.
The emergence of networked social movements in 2011 has opened a new door in the social movement's literature. By adopting a technopolitical and situated approach, in this paper, we explore the case of the 15M movement three years after its formation in May 2011. Through an online survey and a nonprobabilistic sampling procedure, we pay special attention to the perceptions and opinions of the movement's participants. We distinguish seven thematic sections: the relationship with the movement, previous political participation and motivations, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), the emotions experienced, the evolution of the movement, its influence on elections, and the impacts on several aspects of social life. The results show that the respondents (N=1320) are to a large extent adherent to the movement and largely prompted into action due to political issues. Also, they mostly believe that the movement remains alive yet in new forms, and perceived impacts on different areas, institutions, behaviours, and ideas. We conclude by describing 15M as a case that adequately fits the concept of a networked social movement. Finally, we suggest future steps in the understanding of these movements by further applying the online survey designed for this study and complementing analyses via other research methods. ; La aparición de movimientos sociales en red en 2011 ha abierto una nueva puerta en la literatura del movimiento social. Al adoptar un enfoque tecnopolítico y situado, en este documento, exploramos el caso del movimiento 15M tres años después de su formación en mayo de 2011. A través de una encuesta en línea y un procedimiento de muestreo no probabilístico, prestamos especial atención a las percepciones y opiniones del participantes del movimiento. Distinguimos siete secciones temáticas: la relación con el movimiento, la participación y motivaciones políticas previas, el uso de las tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC), las emociones experimentadas, la evolución del movimiento, su influencia en las elecciones y los impactos en varios aspectos de la vida social. Los resultados muestran que los encuestados (N = 1320) se adhieren en gran medida al movimiento y, en gran parte, se los lleva a la acción debido a problemas políticos. Además, en su mayoría creen que el movimiento sigue vivo con nuevas formas e impactos percibidos en diferentes áreas, instituciones, comportamientos e ideas. Concluimos describiendo 15M como un caso que se ajusta adecuadamente al concepto de un movimiento social en red. Finalmente, sugerimos pasos futuros en la comprensión de estos movimientos mediante la aplicación de la encuesta en línea diseñada para este estudio y complementando los análisis a través de otros métodos de investigación. ; L'aparició de moviments socials en xarxa en 2011 ha obert una nova porta en la literatura del moviment social. En adoptar un enfocament tecnopolítico i situat, en aquest document, explorem el cas del moviment 15M tres anys després de la seva formació al maig de 2011. A través d'una enquesta en línia i un procediment de mostreig no probabilístic, prestem especial atenció a les percepcions i opinions del participants del moviment. Distingim set seccions temàtiques: la relació amb el moviment, la participació i motivacions polítiques prèvies, l'ús de les tecnologies d'informació i comunicació (TIC), les emocions experimentades, l'evolució del moviment, la seva influència en les eleccions i els impactes en diversos aspectes de la vida social. Els resultats mostren que els enquestats (N = 1320) s'adhereixen en gran manera al moviment i, en gran part, els hi porta a l'acció a causa de problemes polítics. A més, en la seva majoria creuen que el moviment segueix viu amb noves formes i impactes percebuts en diferents àrees, institucions, comportaments i idees. Concloem descrivint 15M com un cas que s'ajusta adequadament al concepte d'un moviment social en xarxa. Finalment, suggerim passos futurs en la comprensió d'aquests moviments mitjançant l'aplicació de l'enquesta en línia dissenyada per a aquest estudi i complementant les anàlisis a través d'altres mètodes de recerca.
The emergence of networked social movements in 2011 has opened a new door in the social movements' literature. By adopting a technopolitical and situated approach, in this paper, we explore the case of the Occupy Wall Street movement three years after its formation in September 2011. Through an online survey and a nonprobabilistic sampling procedure, we pay special attention to the perceptions and opinions of the movement's participants. We distinguish seven thematic sections: the relationship with the movement, previous political participation and motivations, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), the emotions experienced, the evolution of the movement, its influence on institutional politics, and its impacts on several aspects of social life. The results show that the respondents (N=522) are overall adherent to the movement and that the majority participated at some point. Most think that the movement still exists in one way or another, and perceive its impact on several areas, institutions, behaviours, and ideas. We conclude by describing OWS as a case that adequately fits the concept of a networked social movement. Finally, we suggest further developments in the understanding of these movements by further applying the online survey designed for this study and complementing analyses via other research methods. ; La aparición de los movimientos sociales en red en 2011 ha abierto una nueva puerta en la literatura de los movimientos sociales. Al adoptar un enfoque tecnopolítico y situado, en este documento, exploramos el caso del movimiento Occupy Wall Street tres años después de su creación en septiembre de 2011. A través de una encuesta en línea y un procedimiento de muestreo no probabilístico, prestamos especial atención a las percepciones y opiniones de los participantes del movimiento. Distinguimos siete secciones temáticas: la relación con el movimiento, la participación y motivaciones políticas previas, el uso de las tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC), las emociones experimentadas, la evolución del movimiento, su influencia en la política institucional y sus impactos en varios aspectos de la vida social. Los resultados muestran que los encuestados (N = 522) se adhieren en general al movimiento y que la mayoría participó en algún momento. La mayoría piensa que el movimiento todavía existe de una forma u otra, y perciben su impacto en varias áreas, instituciones, comportamientos e ideas. Concluimos describiendo OWS como un caso que encaja adecuadamente con el concepto de un movimiento social en red. Finalmente, sugerimos desarrollos adicionales en la comprensión de estos movimientos mediante la aplicación de la encuesta en línea diseñada para este estudio y complementando los análisis a través de otros métodos de investigación. ; L'aparició dels moviments socials en xarxa en 2011 ha obert una nova porta en la literatura dels moviments socials. En adoptar un enfocament tecnopolítico i situat, en aquest document, explorem el cas del moviment Occupy Wall Street tres anys després de la seva creació al setembre de 2011. A través d'una enquesta en línia i un procediment de mostreig no probabilístic, prestem especial atenció a les percepcions i opinions dels participants del moviment. Distingim set seccions temàtiques: la relació amb el moviment, la participació i motivacions polítiques prèvies, l'ús de les tecnologies d'informació i comunicació (TIC), les emocions experimentades, l'evolució del moviment, la seva influència en la política institucional i els seus impactes en diversos aspectes de la vida social. Els resultats mostren que els enquestats (N = 522) s'adhereixen en general al moviment i que la majoria va participar en algun moment. La majoria pensa que el moviment encara existeix d'una forma o una altra, i perceben el seu impacte a diverses àrees, institucions, comportaments i idees. Concloem descrivint OWS com un cas que encaixa adequadament amb el concepte d'un moviment social en xarxa. Finalment, suggerim desenvolupaments addicionals en la comprensió d'aquests moviments mitjançant l'aplicació de l'enquesta en línia dissenyada per a aquest estudi i complementant les anàlisis a través d'altres mètodes de recerca.
