Emeriti Association & Center on Aging and Longevity Studies Lecture on Retirement

“I see roads open up in front of me”: Drawing Connections among Discourses of Retirement

Today’s retirements are unique compared to those of previous generations of Americans due to factors like living longer, changing employment relationships, and dynamic economic circumstances. This Lecture will explore the talk that surrounds and creates the retirement experience across generations and levels of discourse. In my initial investigations, I interviewed baby boomer couples who were transitioning into retirement to understand how they were making sense of this new life phase. I also analyzed media outlets to identify the expectations “we” have set for today’s retirees. Do you think these discourses aligned? Subsequently, I considered the extent to which these new(er) conceptualizations shape how young adults talk about and plan for retirement. Do young adults think retirement is all days at the beach? By integrating multiple discursive strands such as these, this presentation will consider what is like to retire today and offer insight into how we are preparing for the retiring in the future.

Biography

Patricia E. Gettings (PhD, Purdue University) is an associate professor of communication at the University of Albany, SUNY. Her research explores the processes by which individuals communicatively manage their relationships with organizations, and how these practices influence outcomes such as identity, relational quality, and organizational inclusiveness.