This project aims to develop a better understanding of transnational practices to overcome vulnerability in old age by doing an innovative comparison between older international migrants, internal migrants and natives. The aims are to provide a comprehensive understanding of old age situations in terms of both well-being and vulnerability across these groups.
TransAge is triggered by 3 limitations in research :
- Worldwide older populations, including migrants, are growing. Yet, there is little comparative research on older natives and migrants.
- There is an assumption that older migrants are more vulnerable than natives. Without denying the situations of vulnerability among older migrants, TransAge challenges this assumption. The goal is to explore in-depth the use of resources and agency to overcome vulnerability in old age, and the way older persons develop transnational practices to surpass difficulties.
- Transnationalism appears to pertain solely to migrant populations. In the current globalised society with increased mobility, non-migrant and internal migrant populations exhibit equally transnational behaviours. TransAge will be groundbreaking by applying a transnational lens to international migrants, internal migrants and people who have not experienced migration.
The project employs mixed-methods to study older natives and migrants in Switzerland, and older natives and internal migrants in Italy. An innovative multi-sited quantitative survey was conducted in Switzerland and Italy.
Additionally, qualitative research was conducted in the two countries. TransAge will provide a paradigm change in the study of older natives and migrants applicable to other countries and populations. The outcomes will advance the state-of-the-art in research on ageing and international migration by bridging these strands of scholarship, contribute to social policies, and to the well-being of older adults.
