Societal, local collective and personal dialogues of time-related agency. The case of elder persons
Year: 2019
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: In this presentation, I attempt to re-conceptualize our theory of Cultural Life Course, this time through an analysis of the cultural life course of elder persons. Looking at dominant conceptual frames of elder persons, it appears that they generally fall within one of two paradigms in psychology: Either elder persons are understood within a functionalist approach, in which the main problem is considered to be the decline of functions (e.g. memory). Alternatively a “successful aging” approach is applied. Here the main challenge is for the elder persons to remain active, learning, social and healthy. Both frames are collective/normative, and often related to economical calculations of the “elder-burden”. They also work as collective suggestions of how and how not to grow old. From a dialectical developmental perspective, it is puzzling that they do not make room for elder persons as contributors to the collective society. Either, the level of the person is irrelevant (as the study focuses on functions) or the challenge (and/or desire) of the elder is, to “fit into” the existing society in an unburdening way. My empirical case consists of elder persons from “Danish Grandparents”, a movement fighting for better conditions of asylum – seekers in Denmark. Their personal engagements set other standards to what it is to be and become an old person. In so doing, they challenge the standards through what in other age groups could be seen as protest, disobedience or resistance, but in this group might be understood as unsuccessfulness or as decline.
Author: Hviid, Pernille
Institution: University of Copenhagen
Language: English
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4412276118