Age(ing) is one of the (biological) basic conditions
of human life. As a stage of life and as a phase of life, aging is at the same
time a social and cultural construction through which everyday life, social
contexts and biographical perspectives are structured. Attitudes toward old age
and older people enter into the entire social rules as unconscious basic
assumptions and are culturally shaped: from language and historical tradition
to literary and art-media forms of expression, the structural forms of living
together and social group formation, and even action in economic contexts. The
concept of productivity plays a key role in this process, which is interpreted
in terms of loss and decay.
Together we will discuss
the following basic question: How are the concepts of "productive
aging" (for individuals, different social groups and societies) reflected
in philosophical texts and literature, artistic artifacts, historical documents,
quantitative and qualitative research? The international Spring School takes
place in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Andrea von Hülsen-Esch (Düsseldorf), Prof. Dr. Heiner Fangerau (Düsseldorf, History of Medicine), Prof. em. Dr. Vittoria Borsò (Düsseldorf), Prof. Dr. Ulla Kriebernegg (Graz, North American Studies), Anna-Christina Kainradl (Graz, Medical and Care Ethics), Prof. Dr. Giovanna Pinna
(Molise, German Studies/Philosophy), Prof. Dr. Jaco Zujderduijn (Lund, Social
and Economic Historian), Dr. Laura Cayrol Bernardo (Bergen, Cultural Historian and Art Historian) . There is thus a unique
opportunity to discuss the exciting and highly topical field of aging research
with renowned international experts in this field, as well as with students of
art history, medical history, German and English studies from the various
participating countries. The aim of the event is to intensively discuss and
analyze both the objects and the sources and texts that shape our image of
aging and our stereotypes of old age and therefore prevent us from thinking
about other ways of dealing with old age. The discussions are intended to
contribute to a critical reflection on the subject of "age(s)" in
society and to open up new perspectives on the consideration of images, texts
and objects from the late Middle Ages to the present. |
