TRIBAL ELDERLY IN URBAN INDIA: A STUDY ON THE INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Yıl 2023, , 771 - 796, 31.12.2023

Iftekhar Alam

https://doi.org/10.53791/imgelem.1382690

Öz

There are no other age groups increasing rapidly than elderly, which is projected to be doubled by 2050. Such demographic transition is witnessed in many developing countries including India. It is also indicated that the elderly population including the tribal elderly are increasingly dwelling in urban areas due to migration or their native areas becoming urbanized. The purpose of this research is to understand the intergenerational relationship among tribal societies dwelling in urban areas. This paper argues that elderly as like other age groups, do not constitute a single homogeneous category while marking the shift from single dimension paradigm of studying aged individual to multi-level approach i.e. ‘urban-elderly-tribes’, in understanding the intergenerational relationships. In total six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), with fifty elderly tribes (aged 60 – 82 years) comprising of three FGDs at nearby center of the town and three FGDs at outskirts of the town were conducted to understand the location centric perspective of the respondents emanating from differential access to resources and benefits. The data gathered went through several phases of interpretative thematic analysis. Subsequently, three main themes were identified, “impact of urbanization,” “better life than before” and “cultural degradation”. The participants perceived that there has been a disruption in intergenerational relationship in contemporary times owing to shift from socio-cultural approach to economic approach to development. This study draws attention towards tribal elderly perspectives on intergenerational behaviors and relationships for researchers, academicians, practitioners and policy makers to design their interventions accordingly.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Elderly, Tribal Elderly, Urbanization, Intergenerational Relationships

Kentsel Hindistan’da Kabile Yaşlıları: Kuşaklar Arası İlişkiler Üzerine Bir Çalışma

Öz

There are no other age groups increasing rapidly than elderly, which is projected to be doubled by 2050. Such demographic transition is witnessed in many developing countries including India. It is also indicated that the elderly population including the tribal elderly are increasingly dwelling in urban areas due to migration or their native areas becoming urbanized. The purpose of this research is to understand the intergenerational relationship among tribal societies dwelling in urban areas. This paper argues that elderly as like other age groups, do not constitute a single homogeneous category while marking the shift from single dimension paradigm of studying aged individual to multi-level approach i.e. ‘urban-elderly-tribes’, in understanding the intergenerational relationships. In total six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), with fifty elderly tribes (aged 60 – 82 years) comprising of three FGDs at nearby center of the town and three FGDs at outskirts of the town were conducted to understand the location centric perspective of the respondents emanating from differential access to resources and benefits. The data gathered went through several phases of interpretative thematic analysis. Subsequently, three main themes were identified, “impact of urbanization,” “better life than before” and “cultural degradation”. The participants perceived that there has been a disruption in intergenerational relationship in contemporary times owing to shift from socio-cultural approach to economic approach to development. This study draws attention towards tribal elderly perspectives on intergenerational behaviors and relationships for researchers, academicians, practitioners and policy makers to design their interventions accordingly.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Elderly, Tribal Elderly, Urbanization, Intergenerational relationships

Etik Beyan

The study has undertaken all ethical consideration.

Kaynakça

• Akhter-Khan, S. C., Prina, M., Wong, G. H.-Y. et al. (2023). Understanding and Addressing Older Adults’ Loneliness: The Social Relationship Expectations Framework, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(4), 762-777.
• Alam, I., Pankaj, A. K. & Sohail A. (2023). Informal social group and Lok Sangharsh Samiti (LSS): informal collaboration of Dalits for resistance and ‘land rights’, Social Work with Groups.
• Aminbakhsh, R., Gass, A. (2017). The Effects of Industrialization, Urbanization, and Globalization on Geriatric Population. Innovation in Aging, 1(suppl_1), 958-958.
• Apt, N. A. (2001). Rapid Urbanisation and Living Arrangements of Older Persons in Africa. In: United Nations, Population Division. Living Arrangements of Older Persons: Critical Issues and Policy Responses. Population Bulletin of the United Nations, Special Issues 42-43, 288-310. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/464936?ln=en (Access: 14.12.2023).
• Aziz, R. A., Yusooff, F. (2012). Intergenerational Relationships and Communication among the Rural Aged in Malaysia. Asian Social Science. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ass.v8n6p184 (Access: 13.11.2023).
• Census of India. (2011) Population Projections for India and States 2011 – 2036, Report of The Technical Group on Population Projections July, 2020. National Commission on Population Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi https://main.mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Population%20Projection%20Report%202011-2036%20-%20upload_compressed_0.pdf (Access: 20.08.2023).
• Chakraborti, R. (2004). The Greying of India: Population Aging in the Context of Asia, New Delhi: Sage Publication.