"Place" in the small stories of African American elders: A narrative case study

August 31, 2019

Authors

  • Kate de Medeiros
  • Gwendolyn Etter-Lewis

Although there is a rich literature on place and home within gerontology, few studies have considered how place acts as identity markers for older African Americans. Since narratives and stories represent ways of expressing self and identity through ordered talk, they offer an interesting way to consider how people age biographically such as through links between place and self. This study analyzed small stories (i.e., stories that can appear as snippets of talk immersed within a larger narrative) from five African Americans (three women, two men, ages 78–93 years) to better understand “place” in the context of their lives.

 The Gerontologist, doi:10.1093/geront/gnz122

Topics

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research