<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Computers, tablets, smartphones and mobile phones enable people to act across contexts. For individuals born during the first half of the twentieth century, these social infrastructures for agency arrived late in the life course. This article presents an analysis of a set of interviews that were thematically coded to reveal ways in which the infrastructures figured in reflexive practices among older single-dwelling women. The interviews were patterned by the shared image of a ‘media world’ and the hypothesis of the indispensability of newer media for living a socially integrated life in today’s society. Control of media connected with feelings of dis- or empowerment; ultimately media amplified the participants’ feelings of being autonomous actors. I argue that the newer media infrastructures extend the scope and need for reflexivity and augment the reflexive ageing associated with the continued activity and autonomy of the third age.</p>
</abstract>

Computers, tablets, smartphones and mobile phones enable people to act across contexts. For individuals born during the first half of the twentieth century, these social infrastructures for agency arrived late in the life course. This article presents an analysis of a set of interviews that were thematically coded to reveal ways in which the infrastructures figured in reflexive practices among older single-dwelling women. The interviews were patterned by the shared image of a ‘media world’ and the hypothesis of the indispensability of newer media for living a socially integrated life in today’s society. Control of media connected with feelings of dis- or empowerment; ultimately media amplified the participants’ feelings of being autonomous actors. I argue that the newer media infrastructures extend the scope and need for reflexivity and augment the reflexive ageing associated with the continued activity and autonomy of the third age.

Growing Old with Mediatization: Reflexivity and Sense of Agency

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Growing Old with Mediatization: Reflexivity and Sense of Agency"}

Computers, tablets, smartphones and mobile phones enable people to act across contexts. For individuals born during the first half of the twentieth century,...

Growing Old with Mediatization: Reflexivity and Sense of Agency

Publié en ligne: 27 juin 2017

Pages: 53 - 64

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0402

Mots clés
mediatization, media infrastructures, culture of ageing, reflexivity, third age

© 2017 Cecilie Givskov, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Growing Old with Mediatization: Reflexivity and Sense of Agency

Publié en ligne: 27 juin 2017

Pages: 53 - 64

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0402

Mots clésmediatization, media infrastructures, culture of ageing, reflexivity, third age

© 2017 Cecilie Givskov, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
mediatization, media infrastructures, culture of ageing, reflexivity, third age