Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland
In this article, we explore the particularities of belonging in old age for older adults living in Uummannaq in Northern Greenland. Through analysis of in-depth interviews and conversations, we investigate older adults’ relations to others and to places, and how belonging is a matter of moral and e...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Anthropology & Aging |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://anthro-age.pitt.edu/ojs/anthro-age/article/view/414 |
| _version_ | 1797804182002991104 |
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| author | Mette Mørup Schlütter Tenna Jensen |
| author_facet | Mette Mørup Schlütter Tenna Jensen |
| author_sort | Mette Mørup Schlütter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
In this article, we explore the particularities of belonging in old age for older adults living in Uummannaq in Northern Greenland. Through analysis of in-depth interviews and conversations, we investigate older adults’ relations to others and to places, and how belonging is a matter of moral and existential character. We use acts of belonging as an analytical concept to understand the everyday acts that older adults perform as their relations to family members, friends, and the community change, and their access to different places is challenged by declining health. We show how they continue to belong to others through activities such as preparing seal skin and fishing, but also how belonging can be challenged as one grows older. By doing so, we aim to show how belonging is not given or certain. Instead, it can be understood as an expression of agency when facing challenges in old age, not only in relation to others but also in how one sees oneself as an older adult.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:33:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-36ea798336f64459baf99c0b9b0c80e4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2374-2267 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:33:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | University Library System, University of Pittsburgh |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Anthropology & Aging |
| spelling | doaj.art-36ea798336f64459baf99c0b9b0c80e42023-06-14T14:07:36ZengUniversity Library System, University of PittsburghAnthropology & Aging2374-22672023-06-0144110.5195/aa.2023.414Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in GreenlandMette Mørup Schlütter0Tenna Jensen1Institute of Public Health, Aarhus University Platform for Inequality Research at Aarhus University (PIREAU)University of Southern Denmark Ilisimatusarfik In this article, we explore the particularities of belonging in old age for older adults living in Uummannaq in Northern Greenland. Through analysis of in-depth interviews and conversations, we investigate older adults’ relations to others and to places, and how belonging is a matter of moral and existential character. We use acts of belonging as an analytical concept to understand the everyday acts that older adults perform as their relations to family members, friends, and the community change, and their access to different places is challenged by declining health. We show how they continue to belong to others through activities such as preparing seal skin and fishing, but also how belonging can be challenged as one grows older. By doing so, we aim to show how belonging is not given or certain. Instead, it can be understood as an expression of agency when facing challenges in old age, not only in relation to others but also in how one sees oneself as an older adult. http://anthro-age.pitt.edu/ojs/anthro-age/article/view/414Greenland InuitArctic BelongingUncertainty |
| spellingShingle | Mette Mørup Schlütter Tenna Jensen Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland Anthropology & Aging Greenland Inuit Arctic Belonging Uncertainty |
| title | Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
| title_full | Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
| title_fullStr | Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
| title_short | Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
| title_sort | striving to belong everyday enactments of belonging among older adults in greenland |
| topic | Greenland Inuit Arctic Belonging Uncertainty |
| url | http://anthro-age.pitt.edu/ojs/anthro-age/article/view/414 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mettemørupschlutter strivingtobelongeverydayenactmentsofbelongingamongolderadultsingreenland AT tennajensen strivingtobelongeverydayenactmentsofbelongingamongolderadultsingreenland |