Ageism in brazilian universities

Abstract

Elderly people in our country have been victims of the most varied forms of violence, including ageism, which consists of discriminatory or prejudiced practices based on age. In this context, this article addresses the problem of ageism in universities, in order to point out the challenges and possible mechanisms for tackling it. A qualitative bibliographical study was carried out in books, periodicals, scientific journals, university thesis and dissertation databases, newspapers and on the internet. A brief history of the origin and concept of the term ageism is presented; the need to understand the diversity of the elderly population and the complexity of social representations of old age in order to build public actions and policies is highlighted; the problem of ageism and the challenges of tackling it in higher education institutions are discussed. Finally, the importance of implementing public policies to encourage a culture of inclusion of elderly students in undergraduate and postgraduate courses is highlighted.