An intergenerational divide in the context of COVID-19?

This chapter discusses intergenerational relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic which impacted older and younger people differently. It draws on empirical research carried out in July 2020, which explored older and younger people’s perspectives on generational differences generated by the pandemic and the policy responses to it. The potential conflict between protecting older people, deemed more at risk of the virus, or ensuring an economic future for younger people, deemed more at risk from the economic impacts of lockdowns, contributes to existing discourses of generational grievance and inequity. The study findings suggest cross-generational understandings of the social, economic and political issues that face all generations. The findings are discussed in relation to the ‘generational wars’ discourses and the implications of ‘age ideology’ to define social, economic and political issues which may inform policy-making in the post-pandemic recovery.