The PAGENS (Pathways, Ages, Generations in the Global North and South) project is at the forefront of life course research, combining interdisciplinary approaches and international comparisons. It aims to gain a better understanding of how age categories and individual trajectories are shaped by socio-economic, demographic and cultural transformations, in Europe as well as in Africa and South America. The project brings together 22 partners from ten different countries: Colombia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Togo, Canada Finland, France and Italy.
A major challenge: redefining the ages of life
Facing global changes - population ageing, increasing mobility, job insecurity, climate change - PAGENS proposes an innovative reading of life transitions, incorporating perspectives from the Global South that are often under-represented. Far from standardised models inspired by the North, the project analyses how individuals navigate between ages, statuses and social roles in a variety of contexts.
An innovative and inclusive methodology
PAGENS brings together a team of researchers in anthropology, sociology, psychology, history, lawyers, literature, and geography, working in synergy with civil society actors and public institutions. Using participatory methods, innovative visual tools (photography, video, mapping) and comparative approaches, the project produces in-depth but accessible analyses.
A scientific and societal impact
PAGENS is part of an open science dynamic, with publication of articles in open access, creation of a life course database and dissemination of results in the form of podcasts, exhibitions and policy briefs. This project strengthens North-South collaborations and encourages dialogue between academic research and field expertise, thereby helping to ensure that issues relating to age and life course are taken into account in the development of public policies.
