Critical geragogy : situating theory in practice

Abstract

The goal of this article is to document the planning and coordination of an older adult learning program premised upon the tenets of critical geragogy. The learning program took place in Dingli, Malta, and was called “Age-friendly communities: the case of Dingli.” Its purpose was to open spaces for older learners to participate in the development of a curriculum that makes our experiences of power, privilege, and discrimination explicit. Its objectives were twofold: to what extent does critical geragogy raise older learners’ consciousness of their role in the society and hence unlock older adults’ critical imagination? And secondly, to what extent does critical geragogy lead older learners to engage in a social activity that has the potential to change their lives for the better? As far as this learning program is concerned, there is no doubt about the potential of critical geragogy to help older learners locate their positions and voices, as well as to create spaces for resistance, subversions and new possibilities. As the direct consequence of this course, a small group of older Maltese elders currently are more knowledgeable about the structural issues hindering the establishment of age-friendly policies. Yet, critical geragogy’s promise to lead older adults from “reflection” to “action” seems more problematic and difficult to achieve in practice. On the basis of this article’s data, it seems that as individuals grow older, they tend to experience a shift from material to transcendent values which eclipses their interest in political commitments.