THE CONSTITUTION OF SUBJECTIVY IN ELDERLY DISCOURSE ABOUT HIMSELF/HERSELF

Abstract

In this study, it was proposed to analyze the subjectivation of the elderly in the Universidade Aberta à Terceira Idade (UNATI), of the Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM). While some papers approach the discourse about the elderly, here it is proposed to analyze the practices that compose a discourse of the elderly about himself/herself. Based on a discursive perspective and grounded on Michel Foucault’s thoughts, this study aims at describing the process of subjectivation of the UNATI-UEM student, parting from the subjection-subjectivation opposition. The enunciate series analyzed was comprised of ten semi-structured interviews conducted with UNATI-UEM students and of twelve reports produced by them. The analysis pointed that the researched subjects establish resistance to the new elderly ideal, inasmuch as they adopt a few of the practices which compose this subjectivity while rejecting others.