Negotiating the Identity Categories of Old(er) Age and Migrancy : A Social Constructionist Lens

• Given the concurrent trends of population ageing and the globalization of international migration, more and more people are ageing in countries other than the ones in which they were born. The resulting growing number of older migrants has led to an increased interest in this population both in social gerontology and in migration and ethnic studies. One area of research in which this has become apparent is in the small but growing literature on identity among older migrants. What this literature thus far has not yet examined together are the two identity categories of old(er) age and migrancy (i.e. perceived difference from the native population resulting from migration). The present paper departs from a social constructionist understanding of identity as accomplished in the interplay between internal (self-)definitions and external definitions (by others). When (in what situations) and in relation to whom are identities pertaining to old(er) age and migrancy asserted or ascribed? How are the identity categories of old(er) age and migrancy negotiated? The presentation is based upon empirical material in the form of 24 interviews with individuals aged between 55 and 79 who were born in 12 different countries and have lived in Sweden between 18 and 61 years. The overall aim of the presentation is to shed light onto how the identity categories of old(er) age and migrancy are negotiated.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Internationell migration och etniska relationer (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- International Migration and Ethnic Relations (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

identity

older age

migrancy

identity negotiation

identity categories

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)