The mediations of the identity of seniors on IT. The case of grand parenthood

Abstract

This paper studies a particular way to categorize people as “grand parents” instead of considering them simply as “seniors”. It describes several communicational approaches and questions the consequences of such a choice on the relation of people with IT, and especially computer mediated communication. The empirical basis of this research is constituted by the observation of several associative, political and economic organizations devoted to the defense and institutionalization of grand parenthood as a social form in France.