Civic Engagement in Later Life is part of the ‘Ageing in a Global Context’ series, published in association with the British Society of Gerontology. It examines unpaid forms of participation through which older adults contribute to collective wellbeing or influence decision-making. Its central aim is to develop a comprehensive framework for understanding civic engagement in later life, grounded in ecological, life-course and intersectional perspectives. Bringing together conceptual, empirical and policy-oriented contributions, it offers a critical assessment of current debates and outlines priorities for future scholarship. In doing so, the book addresses three limitations: the overemphasis on formal volunteering and electoral participation, insufficient attention to meso- and macro-level contexts and trajectories, and limited consideration of diversity and inequality.
The book is organised into four sections with each section introduction edited by Rodrigo Serrat. ‘Section 1: Civic engagement in later life: conceptual and methodological aspects’ establishes the theoretical and methodological foundations. ‘Chapter 1: A conceptual framework to understand civic engagement in later life’, written by Rodrigo Serrat, introduces a multidimensional framework and typology of civic activities, embedding engagement within ecological and life-course perspectives. ‘Chapter 2: What characterises civic engagement in later life? Micro-, meso- and macro-level influences’, written by Toon Vercauteren, Fredrica Nyqvist, and Marina Näsman, analyses how diverse factors interact to shape participation. ‘Chapter 3: A life-course approach to civic engagement in later life’ by Sandra Torres and Rodrigo Serrat, shows how earlier transitions enable or constrain later-life engagement. Together, these chapters provide the conceptual orientation for subsequent analyses.
‘Section 2: Understanding multidimensional civic engagement in later life’ reviews empirical evidence across diverse forms of participation. ‘Chapter 4: Informal helping behaviours in later life’ by Montserrat Celdrán and Karima Chacur-Kiss, considers informal helping, from caregiving to neighbourly support. ‘Chapter 5: Associational membership in later life’ by Fredrica Nyqvist, Mikael Nygård, and Emilia Häkkinen, identifies determinants and inequalities in access. ‘Chapter 6: Older people’s formal volunteering’ by Sarah Dury, Erin Grinshteyn, and Marja Aartsen, traces varied forms and trajectories of formal volunteering. ‘Chapter 7: Older people’s political participation’ by Rodrigo Serrat and Clemens Tesch-Römer, contrasts institutional and non-institutional practices in political participation. ‘Chapter 8: Digital civic engagement in later life’ by Arlind Reuter and Thomas Scharf, shows how technological factors intersect with social and civic domains. Collectively, these chapters demonstrate the multidimensionality of civic engagement and apply the framework developed in Section 1.
‘Section 3: Civic engagement within a diverse older population’ shifts focus to underexplored groups of older adults. ‘Chapter 9: Older people with disabilities’ by Dolores Majón-Valpuesta and Mélanie Levasseur, highlights both benefits and barriers to participation. ‘Chapter 10: Older people living in residential aged-care facilities’ by Feliciano Villar and Inma Peiró-Milián, shows how routines and cultures in residential facilities shape opportunities. ‘Chapter 11: Older people with diverse migrant backgrounds’ by Pernilla Ågård and Sandra Torres, analyses civic participation among migrants, linking it to wellbeing and integration. ‘Chapter 12: Older people living in disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods’ by Bas Dikmans, Sarah Dury, and Liesbeth De Donder, explores how inequality and spatial context constrain participation. ‘Chapter 13: Older people living in rural communities’ by Rachel Winterton, Mark Skinner, and Kieran Walsh, adopts a critical gerontological lens to show how macro-level forces, community dynamics and resource constraints shape opportunities for engagement. Together, these chapters underscore the need for intersectional and contextually sensitive approaches.
‘Section 4: Future directions for policy and research into late life civic engagement’ comprises a single chapter. ‘Chapter 14; Looking back and moving forward: future directions for research on civic engagement in later life’ by Rodrigo Serrat, synthesises the themes of the book, highlighting the multidimensional and dynamic nature of civic engagement. It calls for greater attention to older adults’ own understandings, deeper engagement with meso- and macro-level contexts, and systematic incorporation of diversity and life-course trajectories. It also identifies conceptual, methodological and policy challenges, outlining directions for future research and policy action.
A central contribution of the volume lies in its consolidation of disparate approaches into a coherent analytical lens that advances a more integrated framework of civic participation. Analytically, this flexible and relational model demonstrates its adaptability in Chapter 8, where digital engagement is positioned as a transversal layer reconfiguring established forms of participation and reinforcing debates on digital citizenship and civic agency in later life. From an equity perspective, the framework also proves effective in addressing social heterogeneity. Chapter 9 is particularly notable for foregrounding older adults with disabilities, an intersection only recently gaining sustained attention in gerontological research. By exposing such overlooked configurations, the book challenges homogenising assumptions about later life and promotes intersectional analyses.
Despite these strengths, some aspects warrant further attention. Readers proceeding sequentially may find that some conceptual points recur across chapters, a consequence of the shared framework that can occasionally produce overlap. A second limitation concerns geographical scope: although the volume critiques Anglo-Saxon dominance (p. 8), its empirical basis remains largely European, mirroring the underrepresentation of non-Western contexts. While chapters on migration and territorial disadvantage broaden the lens, deeper engagement with Global South perspectives is still needed. In addition, although issues of inclusion and access are discussed, the dynamics of power within participatory processes receive relatively limited examination. A fuller account of how decision-making authority is structured and negotiated across civic settings would have strengthened the framework. These points highlight areas where future work could extend the volume’s contribution.
Overall, Civic Engagement in Later Life consolidates civic engagement as a central domain within critical social gerontology. By offering a coherent and analytically robust lens on the civic lives of older adults, the volume advances theoretical clarity and stimulates inquiry. Its relevance extends beyond gerontology to political sociology, community participation and digital citizenship, as well as to practitioners and policymakers. It stands as a valuable reference for future theoretical and empirical developments and is likely to shape debates on citizenship and agency in later life.
