In this book chapter, I consider the experience of migrants growing older in a ‘new’, host community focusing on the roles of migration trajectories, social networks and culture in shaping the experience of social inclusion among older migrants. I draw on data obtained from life history interviews with 66 older Turkish migrants, aged 65 years or more collected in 2012-2013 and 30 interviews with community workers and care workers supporting Turkish older people.
The analysis is based on Nancy Fraser’s trilogy of interrelated factors of social justice: resources, recognition and representation. Here, I will focus on social networks as a key resource in migrants’ life course. For recognition, I will discuss the cultural visibility and social status of this particular group of migrants and how these interact with wider recognition of ‘migrants’ and ‘older people’ as integrated groups within the wider society. In relation to representation, I will include participation within and outside the ‘community’ and draw attention to the vexed impact of ‘strong social networks’ and solidarity in creating support as well as the potential of social inclusion.
The findings show that for Turkish older migrants, the social network was a key resource that provided them with significant safety nets at crucial times in their lives. However, the same ‘resource’ created unintentional isolating bubbles from the wider society for prolonged periods of time, which had negative implications on the way they felt they are recognised and on how they actively sought representation.
Ageing, Diversity and Equality aims to challenge and provoke the above described normativity and offer an alternative approach which highlights the heterogeneity and diversity of ageing, associated inequalities and their intersections.
Hussein, S. (2018) Migration Gender and Social Inclusion. In S. Westwood (edt) Ageing, Diversity and Inequality: Social justice perspectives. Routledge: London.
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Founder and Director
Shereen Hussein is a Health and Social Care Policy professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom.
Shereen Founded the MENARAH Network in 2019, through an initial grant from the Global Challenge Research Fund, UKRI. She is a medical demographer with expertise in ageing, family dynamics, migration and long-term care systems. Shereen regularly collaborates with the United Nations, the World Health Organisation and the World Bank in policy and research focused on ageing in the Middle East and North Africa Region.
Shereen received her undergraduate degree in statistics and a postgraduate degree in computer science at Cairo University. She completed an MSc in medical demography at the London School of Hygiene and a PhD in quantitative demography and population studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom.
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