The political roots of ageism in greying democracies: Evidence from Italy, South Korea, and the United States

Journal article

Ageing populations are reshaping the political landscape in many democracies, raising concerns about intergenerational inequalities in power and representation. Do these political factors contribute to ageism toward older people? While ageism is a well-documented form of prejudice, its political roots remain underexplored. This paper examines whether perceptions of political exclusion based on age are linked to negative attitudes toward older people. Using original survey data from Italy, South Korea, and the United States, we study how both general concerns about older generations dominating political life and more personal feelings of age-based exclusion are associated with ageism. The results from all three countries reveal strong and consistent links between perceived political grievances and explicit expressions of ageism, whereas implicit ageism appears largely unrelated to political perceptions. Our findings suggest that age-based prejudice is not merely a cultural or psychological artefact, but is also connected to perceived injustices in democratic representation.

Authors: Román Amarales, A; Williamson, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Journal: Research & Politics
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 1
• Article number: 20531680261435660
• Publication date: 2026-03-19
• Acceptance date: 2026-01-26
• DOI: 10.1177/20531680261435660
• EISSN: 2053-1680
• ISSN: 2053-1680
• Language: English
• Keywords: representation; prejudice; social cohesion; discrimination; ageism; intergenerational conflict