The taking place of older age

Abstract

Representations of older age are often reductive in western societies, portrayed as a distinct period of life characterised by social disengagement and physiological decline. Through rich ethnographic accounts developed with older people from Greater Manchester UK, this paper is concerned with how the category of older age is made through representations, and the different ways people encounter and relate to it. In doing so, it disrupts reductive representations by considering how older age is lived. I respond to calls for the incorporation of more-than-representational and affective approaches into the geographic study of older age to advance research on ageing and highlight affect as a useful concept for thinking through difference. The paper is concerned with how older people are represented, with how representations differentially affect and are affected by older individuals, and with how representations of older age are performed and folded into lived accounts. More-than-representational theories offer an understanding of older age that is not pre-given or free-standing, but as something which can emerge, gather and disperse in relation with materialities as well as diffuse atmospheres, affects and emotional resonances.

Talking methods, talking about methods: Invoking the transformative potential of social methods through animals, objects and how‐to instructions

“…There is much to be learned in unpicking ‘ how people talk about experiences and situations as well as what they say’ (Wiles et al, 2005, p. 98, their emphasis). In Barron’s (2021b) work, it is the affective power of silence which changes the course of conversation. In Browne’s (2016) research on sustainable practices, humour and laughter enable conversation about intimate everyday practices.…”

“…While much social science research aims to contribute, explicitly or implicitly, to societal transformation, an important aspect of our project was considering how methods themselves "create or contribute to change," with a section of each guide devoted to this question (Barron et al, 2021b). When we asked participants about changes observed through using their method, we noted hesitancy, self-deprecation or a tendency to equate change with a particular version of 'research impact': [T]here's … the "on the ground" real change that happens in communities and people's lives as a result of working through these problems, changes in policy, for example, changes in funding regimes, changes in, you know, those kind of things that the REF [UK Research Excellence Framework] values more.…”

“…While much social science research aims to contribute, explicitly or implicitly, to societal transformation, an important aspect of our project was considering how methods themselves “create or contribute to change,” with a section of each guide devoted to this question (Barron et al, 2021b). When we asked participants about changes observed through using their method, we noted hesitancy, self‐deprecation or a tendency to equate change with a particular version of ‘research impact’:

Um, I mean, I don’t … I can’t claim credit for this …[M]aybe not the type of change, wrote [sic] down on paper and promised in the beginning.

…”

What silence suggests: Thoughts from a moment in a Greater Manchester café

“…We first met on one of my initial visits to a community group for older people to get together and socialise. Today, however, George was not attending the community group, but was there to make a podcast with members of the 'Church Yard Action Volunteers'.Some of my research has sought to understand the place-making practices of older individuals in the context of creating 'age-friendly cities' to better understand the different ways older age is experienced (Barron, 2021a(Barron, , 2021b(Barron, , 2022. A combination of ethnographic methods were flexibly drawn upon in this research, which engaged 32 participants between 2018 and 2019.…”

“…Some of my research has sought to understand the place-making practices of older individuals in the context of creating 'age-friendly cities' to better understand the different ways older age is experienced (Barron, 2021a(Barron, , 2021b(Barron, , 2022. A combination of ethnographic methods were flexibly drawn upon in this research, which engaged 32 participants between 2018 and 2019.…”