Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

This paper explores the challenges older disabled Londoners face in navigating urban spaces. Using ethnographic data from go-alongs (accompanied trips) and interviews, I detail how being mobile is experienced in a city still bearing the legacy of a disregard for accessibility and inclusiveness. I then examine the strategies and techniques participants develop to manage barriers to their mobility, allowing them to achieve the mundanity and routine of everyday life. This elucidates the trade-offs and accommodations undergone in support of these techniques. To understand inequalities in mobility between older disabled Londoners, I ground my analysis in Bourdieu’s theory of practice. This allows me to analyse the capitals which produce mobility practices and are drawn upon to generate techniques and strategies employed to surmount barriers to mobility. Through this lens we can understand why different individuals are more subordinated or dominant in the field of mobility in London. Moreover, it highlights the constant reworking individuals undertake of their mobility practices and provides a sociological understanding of the notion of “confidence” in navigating the city. I conclude by engaging my analysis with recent policy pushes to make London more disability and age friendly. This brings into question the notion of spontaneous travel, a stated goal of these policies, and calls for greater attention to the resources available to older adults in maintaining their mobility.