Fair Share

"If you've ever been to a protest or been involved in a political group, you have likely experienced a distinct cultural niche, one with its own slogans, lingo, and social dynamics. Though one might immediately think of a cohort of relatively young organizers with bullhorns when imagining protest culture, this ethnography from sociologist Gary Alan Fine explores the social world of senior citizens on the front lines of progressive protests, specifically those involved in Chicago Seniors Together, an activist group founded in the 1970s. While seniors are a notoriously important-and historically conservative-political cohort, Chicago Seniors Together is a decidedly leftist organization. The group has advocated for social issues, such as affordable housing and healthcare, that affect all sectors of society, but take on a particular meaning and urgency in the lives of seniors. Seniors thus connect and mobilize over a distinct experience, but in service of concerns that extend beyond themselves. Not only do these seniors experience social issues in a unique capacity; they are also able to use their age as an effective tool in advocating for political issues. Fine not only takes us into an overlooked political group, he describes how what he calls a tiny public mobilizes their group's concerns toward broad social change. More specifically, he shows that senior citizen activists are particularly savvy about using age to their advantage in social movements. What could be more attention grabbing than a group of passionate older people determinedly shuffling through snowy streets to demand healthcare equity, risking their own health in the process?"--