Aspiring in Later Life: Movements across Time, Space, and Generations

This book explores how aspirations are constructed from the vantage point of later life, and how they are pursued across time, space, and generations. It offers original insights into how aspirations shift over the course of life and how they are pursued in contexts of translocal mobility.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 14 July 2023
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

In our interconnected and globalized world, individuals often pursue their aspirations across various locations. However, in public and scholarly discussions, aspirations are often associated with younger, mobile generations, as they are perceived to hold the greatest potential for shaping the future. This volume challenges this notion by examining how aspirations are constructed from the perspective of later life, revealing how they are pursued across time, space, and generations.

The aspirations of older people are diverse and multifaceted, extending beyond aging itself. They involve planning for the future of subsequent generations, preparing for an ideal retirement, seeking intimacy and self-realization, and confronting the inevitability of death and afterlives.

This book presents rich ethnographic cases from diverse regions worldwide, offering unique insights into how aspirations evolve throughout life and how they are pursued within the context of translocal mobility. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and practitioners interested in understanding the dynamics of aspiration and its role in shaping individuals and societies.

Moreover, this book is available freely online as an open-access digital edition. You can download the open access book here. By making it accessible to a wider audience, we aim to promote knowledge exchange and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on aspirations and their significance in our interconnected world.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978830400