ENAS Working Group: InheritAGE

Center for Inter-American Studies, University of Graz/ Austria: Dr. Roberta Maierhofer,
Dr. Ulla Kriebernegg and Barbara Ratzenböck

Women, Ageing and Media (WAM) group, UK: Dr. Ros Jennings, Dr. Josie Dolan, Dr. Abigail Gardner and Dr. Eva Krainitzki

NANAS: Dr. Kate de Medeiros, Dr. Leni Marshall 

The ENAS Working Group ENAS InheritAGE will focus on the interconnectedness of aging and cultural heritage in terms of cultural representations. How can processes and strategies of identity construction over the life-course be identified in regard to narratives, rituals, popular media forms and other forms of cultural expression, and how do they influence both collective and individual cultural narratives? Which methodologies can be developed for interdisciplinary and intersectional research in this context? These questions will be addressed by conducting and analyzing qualitative interviews with old people and experts on aging, as well as an analysis of fictional representations and other media texts, in which biographical reflections will be positioned within a matrix of time and experience. Interpretations of both the interviews as well as the texts within life-course narrative will focus on continuities and discontinuities of both individual and collective identities. Research will also include field work and ethnographic studies. One important project aim is a broad dissemination of results in order to support the development and linking of research institutions and networks in this emerging field of aging research. The goal will be to re-conceptualize traditional approaches, and develop new tools and methodologies addressing the issues of later life. In order to achieve this, the InheritAge project will offer the following:

• To develop structures for joint research, research skills development and teaching within the network
• To organize expert meetings, workshops and seminars
• To provide office space, library access and internship opportunities for researchers within the network and host visiting professors
• To organize two summer schools to facilitate doctoral and postdoctoral training
• To publish a book within the Aging Studies series