Course Abstract
The ITN EuroAgeism invites to a postgraduate short-course on ageing and life course in a nutshell. The course embraces selected key perspectives in social and behavioural science research on ageing. It consists of distinct modules that try to explore different research themes but can justify to have a full course on its own. This short-course is based on the idea that a joint understanding about ageing may be valuable for all ESRs contributing to the ITN EuroAgeism. We were asked to outline some kind of intensive course starting from ASC’s courses in Ageing and Later Life at Linköping University (LiU), and to provide this short course in connection with the conference of the IAGG-ER in Gothenburg, May 2019. We are glad about the possibility to join forces for this event which helps to broaden the thematic scope and to distribute the workload between partners. The short-course will combine impulse lectures and intense workshops, which implies that it strictly depends on active participant contribution. It will take place on Monday, May 20 and Tuesday; May 21, 2019, with possible arrival until lunch time on the 20th. The IAGG-ER conference will start with pre-congress meetings in the afternoon on May 22. Hence, there is no time conflict between the two events and even adequate time between them.
Venue & Costs
The venue is the Dockyard Hotel at the waterfront close to Gothenburg Costs include board and lodgings from Monday lunchtime to Tuesday evening during the seminar and are 2722 SEK in a shared and 3322 SEK in an own double room. This involves a hotel night with breakfast, coffee breaks during the seminar, two times lunch and two times dinner. Additional nights (e.g. for arrival on Sunday or departure on Wednesday) will cost 795/1395 SEK per shared/own double room (incl. breakfast).
Course Plan
Module I: Introduction
The introduction presents the general outline, introduces the themes of the course and provides an overview on ageing as a research and societal issue. The module addresses the history of ageing, the development of ageing research and diversity of social gerontology theories/concepts.
Responsible teacher: Andreas Motel-Klingebiel, andreas.motel-klingebiel@liu.se
Workshop co-chair: Wenqian Xu
Module II: Ageing, life course and social structure
The section deals with ageing and later life from a social structural perspective. Starting from a historical perspective on ageing and later life, it focusses on the intersection between old age and social change. There is also a European comparative perspective on the issue. The development of modern welfare states, economic changes, political developments and societal crises, as well as population ageing with its impact on the construction of ageing and old age, are considered. A specific emphasis will be put on changes in life-courses as well as outcomes in later life.
Responsible teacher: Andreas Motel-Klingebiel, andreas.motel-klingebiel@liu.se
Workshop co-chair: Gülin Öylü
Module III: The qualitative turn in Gerontology – cultural, interactional and contextual perspectives
In 1992, Jay Gubrium published a piece in the Gerontologist titled: Qualitative Research Comes of Age in Gerontology. The text sets out to evaluate the presence, significance and the current state of qualitative research, and to clarify its scientific value, promise and distinct contribution to the field. This section attempts something similar: to fast-forward and zoom in on the premises, practices, logic and potential data sets of qualitative and cultural gerontology. The key message put across is that understanding the complexities and dynamics of ageing and ageing societies is crucially enriched through qualitative inquiry.
Responsible teacher: Pirjo Nikander, pirjo.nikander@tuni.fi
Workshop co-chairs: Katri Keskinen & Federica Previtali
Module IV: Living with health and illness
In this section, the relation between ageing and health will be discussed. The focus will be on how older people define and live with (chronic) illness, in particular, cognitive illness, from cognitive impairment to dementia. How cognitive illness affect for instance citizenship, personhood, communication and relation are themes that will be addressed, together with the idea of a dementia friendly community. These themes will also be covered in the workshop and readings.
Responsible teacher: Lars-Christer Hydén, lars-christer.hyden@liu.se
Workshop co-chair: Atiqur Rahman
Module V: Ageing and care
Whilst people of all ages can be carers, need help at home or live in institutional care, this workshop centres on the ageing of older people and how these experiences can impact on their lives. It starts with a discussion of what is meant by ‘old age’ and goes on to address three different life trajectories octogenarians may experience as they live into very old age: The experience of transitioning from a partner to a carer, the experience of living at home with informal and/or formal care support, and the experience of living in a nursing home
Responsible teacher: Angela Kydd, a.kydd@rgu.ac.uk
Workshop co-chair: Abodunrin Aminu, Ghulum Nasir
Module VI: A summary on ageing and social change
Final discussion
Responsible teacher: All
Short-Course Format
Teachers will introduce with impulse lectures and provide a list of key references with up to ten publications per module, which will serve as a thematic basis, and identify up to three prime texts per module – the literature list will be provided after the registration deadline. Participants will prepare brief excerpts (500-1500 characters incl. blanks) to these texts and send them no later than May 10, 2019 to Anna Martin (anna.martin@liu.se). The excepts as well as the reading of the further texts will serve as a basis for the workshops. ESRs are invited to co-chair the workshops and we hope that all are pleased to volunteer. Due to space availability, this course will accept 10 additional PhD students who are not from the ITN EuroAgeism.
