Dataset Information

Understanding nuance and ambivalence in intergenerational relationships through fiction.

ABSTRACT: The term 'intergenerational relationships' is widely used in gerontological literature and age-related policies. However, discussions of the term often tell us surprisingly little about what it means or why it matters. We suggest that this is due to a reductivism and instrumentalism in two main discourses within which intergenerational relationships are usually discussed. Firstly, intergenerational relationships are often conceptualised through a binary 'conflict / solidarity' lens, reinforcing an entrenched 'generationalism' (White, 2013). Secondly, they are predominantly constructed as a problem to be addressed within debates on how to tackle intergenerational segregation. Neither of these discourses provides much room for a more nuanced understanding of how intergenerational relationships are experienced or why they are meaningful. In this paper, we discuss how fictional narratives can introduce imagination and a richer vocabulary into discourses concerning how people of different ages relate to each other. We present findings from reading groups where adults discussed novels depicting themes of older age, intergenerational relationships, and time. In discussing the fictional narratives and characters, participants reflected on the significance and meaning of intergenerational relationships in ways that went beyond dichotomous and instrumentalist discourses. Drawing on the concept of lived ambivalence (Baars, 2014) we argue that fictional representations of intergenerational themes can elicit more meaningful reflections on the complexities and contradictions of relationships across age groups. We conclude that a more nuanced understanding of intergenerational interaction can inform gerontological discourses and policy, but also that gerontological awareness of social challenges concerning age-relations can inform interpretations of fictional narratives.

SUBMITTER: French JE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10724047 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Understanding Nuance and Ambivalence in Intergenerational Relationships Through Fiction.

French Jade Elizabeth JE Lovatt Melanie M Wright Valerie V

The Gerontologist 20231201 10

<h4>Background and objectives</h4>The term "intergenerational relationships" is widely used in gerontological literature and age-related policies. However, discussions of the term often tell us surprisingly little about what it means or why it matters. We suggest that this is due to a reductivism and instrumentalism in 2 main discourses within which intergenerational relationships are usually discussed. First, intergenerational relationships are often conceptualized through a binary "conflict/so ...[more]

PMID: 37104307

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundThe presence of Bacillus in very diverse environments reflects the versatile metabolic capabilities of a widely distributed genus. Traditional phylogenetic analysis based on limited gene sampling is not adequate for resolving the genus evolutionary relationships. By distinguishing between core and pan-genome, we determined the evolutionary and functional relationships of known Bacillus.ResultsOur analysis is based upon twenty complete and draft Bacillus genomes, including a newly sequenced Bacillus isolate from an aquatic environment that we report for the first time here. Using a core genome, we were able to determine the phylogeny of known Bacilli, including aquatic strains whose position in the phylogenetic tree could not be unambiguously determined in the past. Using the pan-genome from the sequenced Bacillus, we identified functional differences, such as carbohydrate utilization and genes involved in signal transduction, which distinguished the taxonomic groups. We also assessed the genetic architecture of the defining traits of Bacillus, such as sporulation and competence, and showed that less than one third of the B. subtilis genes are conserved across other Bacilli. Most variation was shown to occur in genes that are needed to respond to environmental cues, suggesting that Bacilli have genetically specialized to allow for the occupation of diverse habitats and niches.ConclusionsThe aquatic Bacilli are defined here for the first time as a group through the phylogenetic analysis of 814 genes that comprise the core genome. Our data distinguished between genomic components, especially core vs. pan-genome to provide insight into phylogeny and function that would otherwise be difficult to achieve. A phylogeny may mask the diversity of functions, which we tried to uncover in our approach. The diversity of sporulation and competence genes across the Bacilli was unexpected based on previous studies of the B. subtilis model alone. The challenge of uncovering the novelties and variations among genes of the non-subtilis groups still remains. This task will be best accomplished by directing efforts toward understanding phylogenetic groups with similar ecological niches.

Dataset Information

Understanding nuance and ambivalence in intergenerational relationships through fiction.

Publications

Understanding Nuance and Ambivalence in Intergenerational Relationships Through Fiction.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets