Title of the article:

THE CULTURE OF SOCIAL PARTICIPATION OF OLDER PEOPLE AS A WAY OF EXPRESSING AND PRESERVING IDENTITY

Author(s):

Blagorodova, E.A.

Information about the author/authors

Elena A. Blagorodova — PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor, The Department of Theory of Culture, Ethics and Aesthetics at the Institute of Philosophy and Social and Political Studies, Southern Federal University, Dneprovsky per. 116, 344064 Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7232-2795

Section

Theory and history of culture

Year

2024

Volume

Vol. 72

Pages

pp. 64–76

Received

June 5, 2023

Approved after reviewing

March 14, 2024

Date of publication

June 25, 2024

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37816/2073-9567-2024-72-64-76

Index UDK

008:316.34/35 + 316.7

Index BBK

71.0

Acknowledgements: The research was supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation No. 23-28-00134 (Available at: https://rscf.ru/en/project/23-28-00134/) “SOCIAL PARTICIPATION OF OLDER PEOPLE IN RUSSIAN REGIONS IN THE POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD” at Southern Federal University.

Abstract

The study deals with the urgent problem of aging, which is considered not as a biological, but as a socio-cultural process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of identification process in old age. The author examines the role of culture and its influence on identity. The difference in cultural archetypes is reflected in the understanding of the concept of aging. The paper shows that an elderly person is facing an identity crisis. The cultural context, gender, place of residence, family, and nature of work affect the presence and depth of this crisis and, as a result, the very activity of a person in old age. The analysis of the modern concepts of “active aging” demonstrates the need for urther consideration of this topic. The author addresses the issue of the formation of identity of the “victim” as one of the forms of ageism in modern culture. The study concludes that a culture of participation may act as a tool enabling older people to express and preserve their identity, as well as to avoid crisis and the formation of the victim's identity. The author consider the culture of participation as an opportunity to be a contributor and creator of culture, not just its consumer.

Keywords

Aging, Older People, Culture, Culture Participation, Cultural Involvement, Identity, Identity Crisis, Ageism, Identity of Victim.

Reference

References

1 Grigor'eva I., Bogdanova E. “Kontseptsiia aktivnogo stareniia v Evrope i Rossii pered litsom pandemii COVID-19” [“The Concept of Active Aging in Europe and Russia in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic”]. Laboratorium: zhurnal sotsial'nykh issledovanii, no. 12 (2), 2020, pp. 187–211. (In Russ.)

2 Kienko T.S., Gnedysheva I.N. “Liudi starshego vozrasta i sotsial'noe uchastie: iavnye i skrytye formy, ‘slepye zony’ i transformatsii v usloviiakh pandemicheskoi i postpandemicheskoi real'nosti” [“Older People and Social Participation: Explicit and Hidden Forms, ‘Blind Spots’ and Transformations in the Context of Pandemic and Post-pandemic Reality”]. Vektory blagopoluchiia: ekonomika i sotsium, no. 3 (46), 2022, pp. 30–38. (In Russ.)

3 Andrade de, Fábia Barbosa, Santos Ferreira dos, Tainara Lôrena, Pereira, Dídia de Oliveira, Araújo, Íngrid Katianne Marques, Assunção de, Joymara Railma Gomes, Silva, Isabelle Christine Fonsêca G.A., Santos Dutra dos, Jéssica Isabelle and Lima Cabral de, Aline. “Senior Citizens’ Cultural Activity and Participation in Community Life.” Health, vol. 7, no. 7, 2015, pp. 859–864. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/health.2015.77101 (In English)

4 Bernardo, Lilian Dias, Carvalho, Claudia Reinoso Araújo de. “The Role of Cultural Engagement for Older Adults: an Integrative Review of Scientific Literature.” The Brazilian Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology, vol. 23, no. 6, 2020. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562020023.190141 (Accessed 20 March 2023). (In English)

5 Bódi, Diana-Cristina “The Third Age Identity Crisis — Truth or Dare.” Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov, Series VII: “Social Science”, vol. 5 (54), no. 2, 2012, pp. 121–126. (In English)

6 Campbell, Bradley, Manning, Jason. “Microaggression and Moral Cultures.” Comparative Sociology, vol. 13, no. 6, 2014, pp. 692–726. (In English)

7 Dehi, Aroogh Manijeh., Mohammadi Shahboulaghi, Farahnaz “Social Participation of Older Adults: A Concept Analysis.” International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, vol. 8, no. 1, 2020, pp. 55–72 DOI: 10.30476/IJCBNM.2019.82222.1055 (In English)

8 Fung, Helene H. “Aging in Culture.” The Gerontologist, vol. 53, issue 3, 2013, pp. 369–377. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnt024(In English)

9 Goll, Johanna C., Charlesworth, Georgina, Scior, Katrina, Stott, Joshua “Barriers to Social Participation among Lonely Older Adults: The Influence of Social Fears and Identity.” PLoS ONE, no. 10 (2): e0116664, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0116664 (In English)

10 Kaufman, Sharon. “Cultural Components of Identity in Old Age: A Case Study.” Ethos, vol. 9, no. 1, 1981, pp. 51–87. (In English)

11 Kitayama, Shinobu, Berg, Martha, Chopik, William “Culture and Wellbeing in Late Adulthood: Theory and Evidence.” American Psychologist, no. 75 (4), 2020, pp. 567–576. DOI: 10.1037/amp0000614 (In English)

12 Lev, Sagit, Wurm, Susanne, Ayalon, Liat. “Origins of Ageism at the Individual Level / Contemporary Perspectives on Ageism, editor Cham Springer Nature”. International Perspectives on Aging, vol. 19, 2018, p. 51–72. (In English)

13 Roberts, Penny “Interdisciplinary Aspects of Cultural Engagement in Older Adults: Who / What / Why / When / How.” Crossroads of Music and Wellness, no. 3. 2019. Available at: https://remix.berklee.edu/mh-exchange-music-wellness/3 (Accessed 29 March 2023). (In English)

14 Setterlund, Deborah, Tilse, Cheryl, Worall, Linda., Hickson, Louise., Wilson, Julian. “Participation and Older People: Meaning, Theory and Practice.” Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, no. 12 (2), 2002, pp. 44–49. DOI: 10.1080/21650993.2002.9755899 (In English)

15 Toepoel, Vera “Cultural Participation of Older Adults: Investigating the Contribution of Lowbrow and Highbrow Activities to Social Integration and Satisfaction with Life.” International Journal on Disability and Human Development, no. 10 (2), 2011, pp. 123–129. DOI: 10.1515/ijdhd.2011.027 (In English)

16 Westerhof, Gerben J, Whitbourne, Susan Krauss, Freeman, Gillian P. “The Aging Self in a Cultural Context: The Relation of Conceptions of Aging to Identity Processes and Self-Esteem in the United States and the Netherlands.” The Journals of Gerontology, Series: “B”, vol. 67B, issue 1, 2012, pp. 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbr075 (In English)

PDF-file

Download