Abstract
Modernity is often described in historical research as an era in which people not only experienced profound changes but also perceived their time as something novel and distinct. This was, in part, reflected in negative views of older people and “aging.” But what did it mean to be “old” in this period? The proposed research project aims to reconstruct the lifeworlds of “old” individuals during the breakthrough of modernity (between 1850 and 1930) in Germany and Austria, with a particular focus on their experiences and (self-)interpretations. The project primarily uses ego documents (diaries, letters, autobiographical records) created by “old” people themselves. The study thus also challenges the historical perception in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a criterion for modernity of a previously overlooked societal group and, in turn, refines our understanding of the concept of modernity itself. In addition, it provides insights into which contemporary phenomena related to aging and the perspectives of older individuals may have already begun at the transition from the 19th to the 20th century.
Presenters
Anne KlugerPostdoc Researcher, Institute of History - Chair in Modern History, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Social and Cultural Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Aging, Modernity, Lifeworlds, Ego Documents, Self-Narratives, Historical Research
