Racism, Ageism and Home:

Abstract

Despite a sizable literature on home and “place” in later life, few works have specifically focused on the intersection of home, “place,” ageism, and racism. Here, we therefore explore this intersection through a case study of Mr. M., a 69-year-old African American man living in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. M described a lifetime of experiences with racism and later, ageism, that affected his everyday experiences with home and place. In his earlier life, he described being viewed as less capable by others because of his race. Later, he experienced ageism in his age-segregated public housing complex, where staff exerted control over his day-to-day life and often treated in childlike manner. Although the city provided Mr. M. with some important freedoms (e.g., choice of restaurants, attending a concert), racism and ageism were still present. Overall, the case offers important insight into some of the complexities of home and place and provides some early groundwork for future research.

KEYWORDS::

• home
• place
• case study
• African Americans
• racism
• ageism
• housing

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

In accordance with Taylor & Francis policy and our ethical obligation as researchers, we report no potential conflict of interest by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health under grant 1F31MH068169-01A2.

Notes on contributors

Sarah J. Hahn

Sarah Hahn, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Behavioral Science in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Her research interests include gerontological pedagogy and the most private places people age, including their home environment, cognitive health, and end of life. Sarah’s current research projects include a conceptual investigation of the meaning of home for under-represented populations and an exploration of death and dying from a personal and societal perspective.

Kate De Medeiros

Kate de Medeiros, PhD, FGSA, is the O’Toole Family Professor of Gerontology in the Department of Sociology and Gerontology at Miami University in Ohio. She is the author or co-author of numerous peer-reviewed papers and books on aging, including The Short Guide to Aging and Gerontology; Narrative Gerontology in Research and Practice; Global Aging—Comparative Perspectives on Aging and the Life Course, and the upcoming Guide to Humanistic Studies in Aging. Dr. de Medeiros is currently the Humanities and Arts Editor for The Gerontologist and the Governing Council Chair for the North American Network in Aging Studies.