Preserving intellectual legacy: generativity themes in the narratives of retired academics

Abstract

Die intellektuele nalatenskap van die professoraat sluit in oorspronklike vakkundigheid, die oordrag van waardes, kennis en vaardighede aan volgende generasies in die akademiese wêreld, en die instandhouding van die wetenskaplike gemeenskap. Die ouer wordende professoraat laat die vraag ontstaan hoe intellektuele nalatenskap ná aftrede in stand gehou kan word tot voordeel van die universiteit en die breër gemeenskap. Die idee van nalatenskap is verweef met Erikson se konsep van generatiwiteit, wat beskryf kan word as die begeerte om die vooruitgang en welstand van die volgende generasie te bevorder deur middel van ouerskap, onderrig, begeleiding, betrokkenheid by die samelewing en nog vele ander ingrypings, om sodoende ’n blywende, positiewe bydrae te lewer wat stand hou lank ná die self. As generatiwiteit nie behaal word nie, veroorsaak dit stagnering; dit bring teleurstelling mee as gevolg van verspeelde geleenthede. Hierdie referaat ondersoek generatiwiteit in die narratiewe van vyf afgetrede professore wat deur middel van doelgerigte steekproefneming gekies is op grond van hul lang, roemryke loopbane in die akademie. Deurtastende onderhoude ondersoek hoe deelnemers gedurende hul professionele loopbane uitdrukking gegee het aan generatiwiteit in hul wetenskaplike en skeppende werk, hoe hulle dit volhou ná aftrede en hoe hulle beplan om generatiwiteit uit te brei in hul laaste jare. Tematiese ontleding van die narratiewe het die volgende temas opgelewer: die totstandbrenging van generatiwiteit gedurende die loopbaan; die herevaluering van generatiwiteit met aftrede; die voortsetting van generatiwiteit ná aftrede; en die toewyding aan generatiwiteit op die drempel van bejaardheid. Die studie vorm deel van die interdissiplinêre literatuur oor aftrede en doen aan die hand hoe afgetrede akademici ondersteun kan word om ’n intellektuele nalatenskap te bewaar deur betrokke te bly by generatiewe aktiwiteite namate hulle die laaste stadium van die lewensiklus betree.

The intellectual legacy of the professoriate is embodied in original scholarship, the transfer of values, knowledge and skills to upcoming generations in academe, and the maintenance of the scholarly community. The ageing of the professoriate raises the question how intellectual legacy may be preserved after retirement to the benefit of the university and wider society. Interwoven with the idea of legacy is Erikson’s concept of generativity, which can be described as the desire to promote the advancement and wellbeing of the next generation through parenting, teaching, mentoring, civic engagement and a wide range of other behaviours aimed at producing a positive contribution that survives the self. Failure to achieve generativity leads to stagnation that gives rise to disappointment as a result of missed opportunities. This paper explores generativity in the narratives of five retired professors selected by purposeful sampling on the basis of their illustrious and lengthy careers in academe. In-depth interviews explored how participants expressed generativity in their scientific and creative work during their professional careers, how they sustained generative concerns after retirement and how they plan to extend generativity into old age. Thematic analysis of the narratives produced the following themes: enactment of generativity during the career; re-evaluation of generativity at retirement; continuance of generativity after retirement; generative commitment at the threshold of old age. The study connects with the growing interdisciplinary literature on retirement and suggests how retired academics can be supported to preserve an intellectual legacy by remaining engaged in generative action as they approach the last stage of the life cycle.