As part of the project ‘Transforming Anxieties of Ageing in South-Eastern Europe: Political, Social, and Cultural Narratives of Demographic Change’, a conference was held in Sofia from 10 to 12 September 2026. The event provided a wide range of insights, opportunities to strengthen existing collaborations, and a forum for exchanging findings and reflections on how demographic developments, ageing and older people are perceived, negotiated and portrayed in the region and beyond. Critical reflections analysed, amongst other things, fictional representations of ageing, biographical narratives and media discourses, with a view to developing a more nuanced understanding of these processes.
Panel discussions with political decision-makers from the region and at European level, as well as a visit to a local pensioners’ association, facilitated direct dialogue between academia and societal stakeholders and shed light on current challenges and possible courses of action.
Further information on the project: https://transforming-anxieties.ios-regensburg.de/