The “Coming of Age”: Cultural Construction of Age(ing) - www.kas.de

The “Coming of Age”: Cultural Construction of Age(ing)

„Aufbruch ins Alter“ – Kulturen des Alter(n)s

7. - 8. September 2006

Details

While Western societies are getting older, we are still obsessed with trying to stay young. Age tends to be what is postponed and neglected. Trends like anti-ageing and wellness maintain an ideal of dynamic progress and youth. Despite an obvious demographic change our cultures lack positive visions of an ageing society.

This attitude has been challenged recently: Individuals, business and governments are beginning to discover the demographic change as an opportunity. Initiatives of senior citizens offer their expertise, businesses respond with innovative products and creative ways to design home and city environments; advertising is

beginning to represent ageing with joy, beauty, and fulfillment.

Old age has been represented in the arts and media over time, images and stories have informed the attitude vis-à-vis the older generation. Old versus young have been reflected through paintings and photography, through literature and film. Different cultures imply the cultural meaning of age in a variety of ways. Written and oral narratives document and shape the individual as well

as the social perception of one’s changing role in life. The international and interdisciplinary approach will open up new perspectives on the cultural and personal construction of age and develop visions of an ageing society.

Die Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung veranstaltet gemeinsam mit der US-Botschaft und dem British Council einen Kongress zum Thema The"Coming of Age": Cultural Construction of Age(ing) - "Aufbruch ins Alter"-Kulturen des Alter(n)s. Namhafte Wissenschaftler aus den USA, Großbritannien und Deutschland stellen ihre Forschungsergebnisse vor und werfen einen internationalen gestaltenden Blick in die Zukunft alternder Gesellschaften. In der Abendveranstaltung am 07.09.2006 wird ein Diavortrag von Robert Fass gezeigt, im Anschluss findet eine Autorenlesung mit Paul Bailey statt.

Programme

Thursday, 7 September 2006

14:00

Welcome

Begrüßung

Wilhelm Staudacher
General Secretary of Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation

Peter R. Claussen
Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the United States of America

Dr. Patrick Hart
Deputy Director of the British Council Germany

Cultural Construction of Age and Ageing

Kulturelle Konstruktion des Alter(n)s

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Kunow

University of Potsdam

14:15

“Aged by Culture: Cultural Urgencies”

“Kulturbedingtes Altern: Kultureller Handlungsbedarf”

Prof. Margaret Morganroth Gullette, Ph.D.

Brandeis University

14:45

“Ageing and its Discontents: Women, Bodies, Generations”

“Das Unbehagen am Altern: Frauen, Körper, Generationen”

Prof. Kathleen Woodward, Ph.D.

University of Washington

15:45

“Perceptions of Age(ing)”

“Wahrnehmungen des Alter(n)s”

16:15

“Gender and Ageing: Have we forgotten Older Men?”

“Alter(n) und Geschlecht: Haben wir die alten Männer vergessen?“

Prof. Sara Arber, Ph.D.

University of Surrey

16:45

Panel on

“Personal vs. Cultural Scripts of Ageing”

Podiumsdiskussion

“Individuelle bzw. kulturelle Entwürfe des Alterns”

Prof. Sara Arber, Ph.D.

Margaret Morganroth Gullette, Ph.D.

Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Kunow

Prof. Kathleen Woodward, Ph.D.

Moderation:

Dr. Heike Hartung

University of Greifswald

18:00

Reception / Empfang

19:00

Slide Show: “As Long As We Both Shall Live”

Diavortrag "Bis dass der Tod uns scheidet”

Robert Fass

Photographer, New York

19:45

Reading: “Uncle Rudolph”, a novel

Autorenlesung: “Uncle Rudolph”, Roman

Paul Bailey

Writer and Broadcaster, London

Friday, 8 September 2006

Learning and Unlearning to grow old – The Art of Meaningful Ageing
(Ver)Lernen, alt zu werden – Die Kunst des sinnerfüllten Alterns

Moderation: Dr. Melinda Crane

Journalist