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Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities

Vanessa Burholt Orcid Logo, Thomas Scharf, Kieran Walsh

Journal of Rural Studies, Volume: 31, Pages: 1 - 12

Swansea University Author: Vanessa Burholt Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2013.01.007

Abstract

This paper examines the imagery and imaginaries of islander identity and makes an original contribution to the fields of gerontology and nissology. Drawing on data collected through in-depth interviews with 19 older residents of two small-island communities located off the island of Ireland, we addr...

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Published in: Journal of Rural Studies
ISSN: 0743-0167
Published: 2013
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa14122
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first_indexed 2013-07-23T12:11:47Z
last_indexed 2018-02-09T04:45:20Z
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spelling 2015-05-11T09:12:07.1536613 v2 14122 2013-01-29 Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities cf7fe9863906cd54df5b0a99904d535e 0000-0002-6789-127X Vanessa Burholt Vanessa Burholt true false 2013-01-29 PHAC This paper examines the imagery and imaginaries of islander identity and makes an original contribution to the fields of gerontology and nissology. Drawing on data collected through in-depth interviews with 19 older residents of two small-island communities located off the island of Ireland, we address the central roles played by older people in creating and sustaining islander identities. Reflecting both public and private representations of islander identity, the paper contrasts an island ‘imagery’ with an island ‘imaginary’, resulting in a complex ‘imag(in)ery’ of islander identity. This paper explores three main themes. To what extent do older residents of island communities perceive an ‘imag(in)ery’ of islander identity? In what ways do older islanders contribute to, substantiate or perpetuate the imag(in)ery of the islander identity? Are there alternative imag(in)eries of the islander identity for different groups of older people who live in island communities? Our analysis identified two imag(in)eries of islander identity. An historical islander identity was structured by the shared hardships and enforced self-sufficiency associated with residence in remote communities. Contemporary islander identities are founded on the positively perceived isolation of islands, an historical and cultural sense of belonging, frequent social interaction within cohesive, safe and secure communities, and a persistence of ‘traditional’ values. Older people were actively engaged in the (re)production of islander identity such as helping visitors discover their island origins, producing traditional cultural artefacts, passing knowledge of culture down through the generations, and acting to maintain the civic life of the island community. Knowledge of local and traditional skills imbued some older islanders with the ability to perform island-specific symbolic rituals. Our study revealed subtle forms of differentiation between over-arching categories of island residents based on migration histories. In particular, older people’s narratives revealed a hierarchy in relation to claims to islander status. Journal Article Journal of Rural Studies 31 1 12 0743-0167 gerontology; nissology; island; identity; migration; aging 31 12 2013 2013-12-31 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2013.01.007 COLLEGE NANME Public Health COLLEGE CODE PHAC Swansea University 2015-05-11T09:12:07.1536613 2013-01-29T19:15:45.1825575 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences The Centre for Innovative Ageing Vanessa Burholt 0000-0002-6789-127X 1 Thomas Scharf 2 Kieran Walsh 3
title Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities
spellingShingle Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities
Vanessa Burholt
title_short Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities
title_full Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities
title_fullStr Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities
title_full_unstemmed Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities
title_sort Imagery and imaginary of islander identity: Older people and migration in Irish small-island communities
author_id_str_mv cf7fe9863906cd54df5b0a99904d535e
author_id_fullname_str_mv cf7fe9863906cd54df5b0a99904d535e_***_Vanessa Burholt
author Vanessa Burholt
author2 Vanessa Burholt
Thomas Scharf
Kieran Walsh
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Rural Studies
container_volume 31
container_start_page 1
publishDate 2013
institution Swansea University
issn 0743-0167
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2013.01.007
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str The Centre for Innovative Ageing{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}The Centre for Innovative Ageing
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description This paper examines the imagery and imaginaries of islander identity and makes an original contribution to the fields of gerontology and nissology. Drawing on data collected through in-depth interviews with 19 older residents of two small-island communities located off the island of Ireland, we address the central roles played by older people in creating and sustaining islander identities. Reflecting both public and private representations of islander identity, the paper contrasts an island ‘imagery’ with an island ‘imaginary’, resulting in a complex ‘imag(in)ery’ of islander identity. This paper explores three main themes. To what extent do older residents of island communities perceive an ‘imag(in)ery’ of islander identity? In what ways do older islanders contribute to, substantiate or perpetuate the imag(in)ery of the islander identity? Are there alternative imag(in)eries of the islander identity for different groups of older people who live in island communities? Our analysis identified two imag(in)eries of islander identity. An historical islander identity was structured by the shared hardships and enforced self-sufficiency associated with residence in remote communities. Contemporary islander identities are founded on the positively perceived isolation of islands, an historical and cultural sense of belonging, frequent social interaction within cohesive, safe and secure communities, and a persistence of ‘traditional’ values. Older people were actively engaged in the (re)production of islander identity such as helping visitors discover their island origins, producing traditional cultural artefacts, passing knowledge of culture down through the generations, and acting to maintain the civic life of the island community. Knowledge of local and traditional skills imbued some older islanders with the ability to perform island-specific symbolic rituals. Our study revealed subtle forms of differentiation between over-arching categories of island residents based on migration histories. In particular, older people’s narratives revealed a hierarchy in relation to claims to islander status.
published_date 2013-12-31T03:16:12Z
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score 11.036706

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