The influence of gender and class on the transition to retirement: A longitudinal qualitative study on Italian older workers’ experiences
(2022) In The Sociological Review 70(3). p.506-525- Abstract
- The aim of this study is the reconstruction of the multifaceted points of view related to the transition from work to retirement using a gender perspective. This article includes 40 interviews of ageing Italian workers, 24 women and 16 men, carried out in the cusp of retirement (wave 1) and two years after retirement (wave 3). The experiences related to the ‘decision to retire’ and ‘life after retirement’ were analysed using a complex theoretical framework based on the work of Bourdieu combined with the concept of gendered habitus developed by feminists’ theorizations. The findings identified the elements characterizing women’s narratives in such a way that it was possible to describe the ambivalent women’s positions embedded in the... (More)
- The aim of this study is the reconstruction of the multifaceted points of view related to the transition from work to retirement using a gender perspective. This article includes 40 interviews of ageing Italian workers, 24 women and 16 men, carried out in the cusp of retirement (wave 1) and two years after retirement (wave 3). The experiences related to the ‘decision to retire’ and ‘life after retirement’ were analysed using a complex theoretical framework based on the work of Bourdieu combined with the concept of gendered habitus developed by feminists’ theorizations. The findings identified the elements characterizing women’s narratives in such a way that it was possible to describe the ambivalent women’s positions embedded in the Italian socio-economic context. The voices of the participants were taken as case examples to draw attention to the critical nature of personal gendered identities, which are mostly influenced by structural conditions related to a particular welfare regime (e.g. work and retirement policies) aiming to fix normative behaviours in later life. Nevertheless, the gendered habitus, as an expression of inner discourses, illustrates at the same time the nature of both constraints and freedom possessed by the respondents. We conclude by pointing out the importance of reflexive social approaches applied to the study of gender inequalities in later life. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/030dbc26-cdb8-4acd-9d8b-539b380789ab
- author
- Di Matteo, Claudia LU ; D’Amen, Barbara ; Socci, Marco and Santini, Sara
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022-03-03
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Bourdieu’s social theory, gender habitus, older workers, retirement plans, retirement transition
- in
- The Sociological Review
- volume
- 70
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 506 - 525
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85125907924
- ISSN
- 0038-0261
- DOI
- 10.1177/00380261211068595
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 030dbc26-cdb8-4acd-9d8b-539b380789ab
- date added to LUP
- 2022-03-05 10:44:42
- date last changed
- 2022-06-30 08:22:01
@article{030dbc26-cdb8-4acd-9d8b-539b380789ab,
abstract = {{The aim of this study is the reconstruction of the multifaceted points of view related to the transition from work to retirement using a gender perspective. This article includes 40 interviews of ageing Italian workers, 24 women and 16 men, carried out in the cusp of retirement (wave 1) and two years after retirement (wave 3). The experiences related to the ‘decision to retire’ and ‘life after retirement’ were analysed using a complex theoretical framework based on the work of Bourdieu combined with the concept of gendered habitus developed by feminists’ theorizations. The findings identified the elements characterizing women’s narratives in such a way that it was possible to describe the ambivalent women’s positions embedded in the Italian socio-economic context. The voices of the participants were taken as case examples to draw attention to the critical nature of personal gendered identities, which are mostly influenced by structural conditions related to a particular welfare regime (e.g. work and retirement policies) aiming to fix normative behaviours in later life. Nevertheless, the gendered habitus, as an expression of inner discourses, illustrates at the same time the nature of both constraints and freedom possessed by the respondents. We conclude by pointing out the importance of reflexive social approaches applied to the study of gender inequalities in later life.}},
author = {{Di Matteo, Claudia and D’Amen, Barbara and Socci, Marco and Santini, Sara}},
issn = {{0038-0261}},
keywords = {{Bourdieu’s social theory; gender habitus; older workers; retirement plans; retirement transition}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{03}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{506--525}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{The Sociological Review}},
title = {{The influence of gender and class on the transition to retirement: A longitudinal qualitative study on Italian older workers’ experiences}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00380261211068595}},
doi = {{10.1177/00380261211068595}},
volume = {{70}},
year = {{2022}},
}