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Ageing in the Mountains

Call for papers to be sent to the editors of the special issue Marion Repetti (HES·SO Valais) marion.repetti@hevs.ch and Thibauld Moulaert (université Grenoble Alpes) thibauld.moulaert@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
Deadlines: 15 mars 2024 (abstracts), 30 june 2024 (article manuscripts).
Journal of Alpine Research editorial office: Cristina Del Biaggio (cristina.del-biaggio@unniv-grenoble-alpes.fr) and Maxime Frezat (m.frezat@protonmail.com) managing editor.

Context

Today, mountain regions are marked by specific social, demographic, economic, and cultural configurations directly related to social issues of ageing. In many areas, demographic ageing is more pronounced than in flat territories (Glasgow and Brown, 2012). This phenomenon is a result of several factors, including two essential elements. First, young people from mountain regions tend to leave them for places that offer more professional opportunities. This outflow of younger groups leads to a proportional increase in the number of elderly individuals. As a result, mountain regions can function as a magnifying glass for the classic and general phenomena of “ageing from the bottom” in age pyramids (decrease in younger populations; Vincent, 1946) and “ageing from the top” linked to increased life expectancy (Blanchet, 2016). Second, older individuals may choose to continue living in mountain regions or decide to settle there upon retirement, often due to the quality of life and lower living costs (Bender and Kanitscheider, 2012). These economically situated geographic movements shape the demography of mountain territories, as well as the social relationships and living conditions of their inhabitants.

At the same time, ageing in a mountain region can provide cultural benefits, such as a sense of living in a particularly beautiful place or one that has preserved traditions lost elsewhere. It can also represent a space conducive to many cultural and sports activities valued by some older adults who find ways to engage in new activities in retirement or continue practices from earlier in life. Furthermore, the social environment of older adults can extend beyond family ties. For example, some studies have shown the strength of neighbourhood solidarities and social spaces in certain mountain contexts, offering individuals a sense of social integration and a way to combat isolation (Gucher, 2018; Gucher, Mallon, and Roussel, 2007).

However, ageing in mountain regions also presents significant constraints. Some particularly remote areas may be far from social and healthcare services as well as shops (Cholat, 2016; Robert et al., 2021). In such contexts, living in the mountains may require the use of a car or public transportation when the regions are well served, which implies a physical mobility that can diminish with ageing, even leading to “reverse mobility” dynamics (Cholat and Daconto, 2021). Social services are increasingly digitised and offer remote access to many benefits. However, personal services are often still necessary to help citizens understand and exercise their rights. This is especially true for adults with limited digital access, including many elderly individuals. As a result, some mountain territories can become places of digital, social, and economic exclusion, with low utilisation of benefits (Fischl et al., 2020). Simultaneously, some mountain regions are more urban and do not pose the same constraints for the elderly inhabitants as those living in remote and/or higher-altitude areas.

Three themes frame this call for articles. The first focuses principally on the transformations that ageing populations impose on mountain territories. The second explores the interactions between ageing and living in the mountains, especially focusing on the decisions/constraints that drive individuals to continue living or age in mountain regions. Finally, the last theme opens the door to experiential, poetic, and even artistic practices that highlight the highly subjective aspect of mountain social practices.

Social, Economic, and Cultural Transformations of Mountain Regions

The demographic ageing of many mountain territories is accompanied by a depopulation phenomenon linked to the weakening of local economies (especially agriculture) in the face of globalised markets (e.g., Jackson et al., 2015). Some remote places in mountain regions are thus losing their populations, leaving only a few individuals who reside there year-round, particularly elderly adults. Villages may repopulate during the summer and winter seasons. Other regions are expanding significantly, receiving new financial and social investments and hosting increasingly diverse and global populations (locals, tourists, expatriates, nomads, etc.; Friedli, 2020; Maples et al., 2019).

These changes have contrasting effects on the territories. The increase in private investments can foster certain public investments (typically in infrastructure) and also bring more resources that contribute to local economic activity. Conversely, these transformations also result in a process of gentrification in some mountain areas, whether they are more rural or more urban. This can lead to isolation and marginalisation for groups who have inhabited these places for decades or even their whole lives. As they age, they become excluded from social and economic life (Phillipson, 2007). In addition to these economic, social, and cultural transformations, the effects of climate change are more strongly felt in mountain regions (e.g., the Alps) than in flat territories.

A Geography Both Beautiful and Challenging

Whether they are predominantly rural or urban, mountain territories can be seen as places where ageing is pleasant due to not only activities but also the beauty of the landscapes. Similar to retiring by the sea to enjoy beach walks (Bigo et al., 2013), retiring to the mountains can provide certain resources and even represent a form of luxury. However, the geography of mountains can be demanding, especially for individuals who experience a decline in physical mobility. Some high-altitude villages are marked by steep slopes, paths, and roads not conducive to mobility (e.g., irregular stones and cobblestones), as well as snow and ice in winter or long distances to urban centres. These factors can become problematic with ageing. Thus, the geography and spatial planning can have significant impacts on the well-being and daily lives of elderly inhabitants.

Moreover, climate change in mountain regions is altering the geography with consequences, such as increased landslides, forest fires, or avalanches. Thus, increasingly, the beauty of the mountains is balanced by the hostility of their geographical and geophysical conditions, making it increasingly uncertain for elderly individuals to live there and continue viewing these places as habitable.

Ageing in Mountain Territories: The Importance of Narratives

In this special issue, we support the hypothesis that ageing in the mountains is an experience that allows us to understand the social transformations of mountain regions, affecting not only the elderly but also younger individuals in these territories and beyond. Moreover, in line with numerous works that investigate the experiences of individuals in specific sociological contexts, we consider narratives an essential resource for exploring the lives of people who age in the mountains, from their own point of view and their own history.

Based on this hypothesis, we call for contributions that draw on narratives to capture the experiences of people ageing in mountain regions. The proposed articles should address one of the following four dimensions of this experience: material and economic dimensions, social dimensions, cultural and artistic dimensions, and emotional and sensory dimensions. These dimensions can be interconnected or explored from a specific angle. Other dimensions and approaches can be proposed as long as they address ageing in the mountains as a specific social experience and the ageing process in these places as a distinct process.

We also welcome contributions for the thematic sections of the journal, details of which can be found on the journal website:
Transitions https://journals.openedition.org/rga/11018
Localities https://journals.openedition.org/rga/10516
Mountains in fiction https://journals.openedition.org/rga/11244

Bibliographie

Bender O., Kanitscheider S., 2012.– “New immigration into the European Alps: Emerging research issues”, Moutain Research and Development, vol. 32, no 2, pp. 235–241. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-12-00030.1.

Bigo M., Séchet R., Depeau S., 2013.– “Vieillissement et féminisation des populations littorales : les promenades de bord de mer comme ressource contre la déprise”, Espace populations sociétés, nos 2013/1-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/eps.5392.

Blanchet D., 2016.– “Retraites d’hier et d’aujourd’hui : même équation, nouveaux paramètres. Population”, vol. 71, no 2, pp. 345-348. Online: https://www.cairn.info/revue-population-2016-2-page-345.htm.

Cholat, F., 2016.– Une première approche de la dépendance liée à l’âge en montagne : Entre adaptation individuelle et réponse collective. Un autre regard sur la durabilité, deuxième Université Internationale d’hiver, LabEx ITEM, Autrans, France. Online : https://hal.science/hal-01286594.

Cholat F., Daconto L., 2021.– “Reversed Mobilities as a Means to Combat Older People’s Exclusion from Services: Insights from Two Alpine Territories in France and Italy ”, in K Walsh, T. Scharf, S. Van Regenmortel, A. Wanka (eds.) Social Exclusion in Later Life. International Perspectives on Aging, 28, Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51406-8_11.

Fischl C., Lindelöf N., Lindgren H., Nilsson I., 2020.– “Older adults’ perceptions of contexts surrounding their social participation in a digitalized society: An exploration in rural communities in Northern Sweden”, European Journal of Ageing, vol. 17, no 3, pp. 281–290. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-020-00558-7.

Friedli A., 2020.– “Living in the mountains: Mobilities, forms of residentiality and local identities of new inhabitants of a Swiss ski resort”, Tourism Review, vol. 18, pp. 1–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/viatourism.5792.

Glasgow N., Brown D.L., 2012.– “Rural ageing in the United States : Trends and contexts”, Journal of Rural Studies, vol. 28, no 4, pp. 422–431. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2012.01.002.

Gucher C., Mallon I., Roussel V., 2007.– Vieillir en milieu rural. Online: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00371194/document.

Gucher, C., 2018.– La participation sociale des retraités : Un atout pour les territoires ruraux”, Pour, no 233(1), pp. 163-169. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3917/pour.233.0163.

Jackson C., Perrett A., Descieux K., 2015.– “Agriculture and Food system in the Appalachian Region (2007–2012)”, Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Online: https://www.arc.gov/report/data-maps/.

Maples J., Bradley M., Giles S., Leebrick R., Clark, B., 2019.– “Climbing out of Coal Country: The Economic Impact of Rock Climbing in West Virginia’s New River Gorge”, Journal of Appalachian Studies, vol. 25, no 2, pp. 184–201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5406/jappastud.25.2.0184.

Payne D., Snethlage M., Geschke J., Spehn E.M., Fischer M., 2020.– “Nature and People in the Andes, East African Mountains, European Alps, and Hindu Kush Himalaya: Current Research and Future Directions”, Moutain Research and Development, vol. 40, no 2, pp. 1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-19-00075.1.

Phillipson C., 2007.– “The ‘elected’ and the ‘excluded’: Sociological perspectives on the experience of place and community in old age”, Ageing and Society, vol. 27, no 3, pp. 321–342. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X06005629.

Robert, K., Savla, J., Brandy, R. McCann, Bliezner, R. et Knight, A.L., 2022.– “Dementia Family Caregiving in Rural Appalachia: A Sociocultural Model of Care Decisions and Service Use”, Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, vol. 77, no 6, pp. 1094-1104. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab236.

Vincent P., 1946.– “Vieillissement de la population, retraites et immigration”, Population, vol. 1, no 2, pp. 213-244. DOI: https://www.cairn.info/revue-population-1946-2-page-213.htm.

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