The Elderly and the Housing Movement in Chiang Mai City

Abstract

          Social movements are often perceived as driven by young people striving for societal change, rather than older adults seeking similar transformations. This perception partly stems from the view that the elderly are a group whose physical conditions have shifted with age, accompanied by health issues and declining physical capabilities. Consequently, they are often regarded as unable to contribute to social production and increasingly reliant on family support. They are also seen as a group that no longer demands change but instead awaits assistance from the state. Such perceptions lead to a neglect of efforts to foster the agency of older adults, an agency that is closely tied to family, community, and societal systems, and integral to their self-identity and meaning-making in later life.

          This research aims to shed light on the social mobilization of older adults in the context of “urban poverty.” These individuals, as a vulnerable group without secure housing in their later years, are the focus of an in-depth exploration of why older adults in urban areas, facing overlapping vulnerabilities such as age, class, and other social disadvantages, engage in movements demanding housing security for themselves. The study seeks to foster a new understanding of older adults as active social agents striving for stability in their later years, not only for themselves but also for their families, communities, and society. The research intends to portray the diverse dimensions of “elderly lives,” moving beyond conventional notions of physical health and care. It seeks to demonstrate that the lives of older adults cannot be disentangled from the broader social and human dimensions they inhabit. Moreover, it highlights the cultural, historical, political, and economic contexts that influence their self-perception and meaning-making in later life, providing a more holistic view of aging.