Resonant Retiring? Experiences of Resonance in the Transition to Retirement

Abstract

In the process of life course transitions, relations between the self and the world transform, which can according to Hartmut Rosa be framed as resonance. This article focuses on the retirement transition and thus on the exit from gainful employment as one of the central spheres of our world relationship in late modernity. It raises the following questions: How do experiences of resonance change in the course of the retirement transition? Does the loss of gainful employment lead to disruptions or even the absence of resonance in terms of alienation? And which role do dimensions of social inequality, such as gender, income, education or mental health status play for resonance transformations in the transition to retirement? In terms of a reflexive mixed-methods design, this article combines quantitative panel data from the German Ageing Survey (2008–17) with a qualitative longitudinal study from the project “Doing Retiring” (2017–21). Our results show that the transition from work to retirement entails a specific “resonance choreography” that comprises a phase of disaffection (lack of resonance) at the end of one’s working life followed by a liminal phase in which people search for intensified experiences of resonance. We outline practices in which transitioning subjects seek out resonance, and the experiences they make within this process according to their social positions. We thereby find that the desire for resonance tends to be beyond intentional resonance management which manifests in products and services like coaching or wellness. In our conclusions, we discuss how resonance theory and retirement research/life course research can be fruitfully combined, but also highlight the methodological challenges the operationalization of resonance entails.

Gendered repartnering in later life: structural and processual dimensions of the transition into new relationships

“…Based on the assumption that lifecourse transitions are linked to each other (Aeby and Gauthier, 2021;Bischoff et al, 2021), an additional aspect can influence repartnering in later life: the transition into singlehood (Poortman, 2007). Thus, a differentiation between various origins of singlehood is pivotal (Brown et al, 2018).…”

“…The application of hybrid panel modelswith the understanding of intra-individual effects as processual dimensions and inter-individual effects as structural dimensionsdemonstrates how this method is especially fit to analyse lifecourse transitions in their specific timely structure. Moreover, the inclusion of form of singlehood illustrates how repartnering isin reference to linked liveslinked to other transitions emerging over the lifecourse (Fasang, 2014;Bischoff et al, 2021).…”

What Do We Know about Age Management Practices in Public and Private Institutions in Scandinavia?—A Public Health Perspective

“…This is a problem that remains unresolved in practice as individuals and society in general cope adequately with the necessity of early retirement. It is suggested that even in the best organisations, where AM strategies are in place, redundancies and/or compulsory early retirements are frequently unavoidable -for example, following organisational restructuring [27][28][29]. Potential constructive approaches to voluntary early retirement and retirement policies may include organisations' preparatory measures for retirement; counselling facilities available to past employees providing assistance in the search for a new position as well as providing retirees the opportunity to maintain contact with colleagues; and flexibility in transition terms (e.g., retirees can continue to be employed on a temporary basis; a phased reduction in working hours; sabbaticals that provide time to prepare for retirement).…”