Stories of women's midlife experience
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Authors
Hargrave, Deborah
Issue Date
2009-08-25T10:49:50Z
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Midlife , Development , Midlife crisis , Postmodernism , Qualitative research , Social constructionism , Social context , Grand Narratives , Hermeneutics , Emerging themes
Alternative Title
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how women experience midlife. Social constructionism, which fits within the postmodern tradition, was the epistemological framework informing this study. Participants were asked to provide their life stories in text form. Texts were interpreted using the hermeneutic method of analysis. The researcher attempted to understand the midlife experience from the perspective of each participant whose meaning, attitudes and ideas have developed within a social context, keeping in mind that the researcher's own social context, ideas and values affected the interpretation of the texts. The research results add a new perspective to the `grand narrative' of midlife as a `crisis'. The new `voice' speaks of the possibility of positive development - of overcoming adversity; taking control; re-assessing life; breaking old patterns; discovering peace; putting down roots; confronting reality; gaining independence and finding new meaning.
Description
Citation
Hargrave, Deborah (2009) Stories of women's midlife experience, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/1131>