Journals / Journal of Aging and Long-Term Care / 2026 / Volume: 7 Issue: 1

An Examination of Old Age Through Mina Urgan’s Eyes: Indicators of Gerotranscendence in “Memories of A Dinosaur” and “Travels of A Dinosaur”

Deniz Pamuk(Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Gerontoloji Bölümü)0000-0001-9072-3728
Fatma Sıla Ayan(ISTANBUL GELISIM UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-0576-1338
Pages
—
Publication Date
2024-12-29
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

In addition to Urgan's statements accepting that she has transcended the cosmic time she lives in and is a temporary bridge between generations, her social functionality and transcultural perspective, and how this perspective is reflected in her psychological well-being, appear as examples of gerotranscendence.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Narratives about life are significant for understanding and evaluating the aging process.
📊
Key Findings & Data:She was born in 1915, in the last period of the Ottoman Empire, and witnessed the founding process of the Republic of Türkiye.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:In addition to Urgan's statements accepting that she has transcended the cosmic time she lives in and is a temporary bridge between generations, her social functionality and transcultural perspective, and how this perspective is reflected in her psychological well-being, appear as examples of gerotranscendence.
🔬Design:Opinion Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Mina Urgan · Autobiography · Gerotranscendence

Abstract

Narratives about life are significant for understanding and evaluating the aging process. Biographical narratives of famous thinkers and writers appear as materials that provide essential resources in this respect. Mina Urgan was a Turkish professor of English Literature, writer, philologist, and translator. She was born in 1915, in the last period of the Ottoman Empire, and witnessed the founding process of the Republic of Türkiye. In addition to her professional works, her autobiographical books titled “Memories of a Dinosaur” (1998) and “Travels of a Dinosaur” (1999) have become extremely popular in Türkiye. This study examined signs of gerotranscendence in these two autobiographical sources. In addition to Urgan's statements accepting that she has transcended the cosmic time she lives in and is a temporary bridge between generations, her social functionality and transcultural perspective, and how this perspective is reflected in her psychological well-being, appear as examples of gerotranscendence.

🔖

Cite This Article

Pamuk, D., Ayan, F. S., Camcı, M. C. (2024). An Examination of Old Age Through Mina Urgan’s Eyes: Indicators of Gerotranscendence in “Memories of A Dinosaur” and “Travels of A Dinosaur”. Journal of Aging and Long-Term Care, Volume: 7 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.51819/jaltc.2024.1473496

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (22)

  1. Altan-Olcay, Ö. (2009). Gendered projects of national identity formation: The case of Turkey. National Identities, 11(2), 165-186. https://doi.org/10.1080/14608940902891336
  2. Atchley, R. C. (2009). Spirituality and Aging. JHU Press. https://doi.org/10.1353/book.3409
  3. Butler, R. N. (1981). The life review: An unrecognized bonanza. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 12(1), 35-38. https://doi.org/10.2190/WC4T-V05J-40G5-3M7E
  4. Dalby, P. (2006). Is there a process of spiritual change or development associated with ageing? A critical review of research. Aging & Mental Health, 10(1), 4-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607860500307969
  5. Erucar, I. O. (2018). Where memories go: Why dementia changes everything. Journal of Aging and Long-Term Care, 1(1), 19-20. https://doi.org/10.5505/jaltc.2017.98608
  6. George, W., & Dixon, A. (2018). Understanding the presence of gerotranscendence among older adults. Adultspan Journal, 17(1), 27-40. https://doi.org/10.1002/adsp.12051
  7. Hyse, K., & Tornstam, L. (2009). Recognizing aspects of oneself in the Theory of Gerotranscendence. Online publication from The Social Gerontology Group. Uppsala. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:175132/FULLTEXT01.pdf.
  8. Inal, F. (2022). Book review: Travels of a Dinosaur-Mina Urgan. Arel IR Monthly, 36-37. https://usam.arel.edu.tr/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/33.Sayi-IR-Monthly.pdf
  9. Kenyon, G. M., & Randall, W. L. (2018). Restorying Our Lives Personal Growth Through Autobiographical Reflection. Charlottetown: Praeger Publishers.
  10. Laceulle, H. (2018). Aging and self-realization: Cultural narratives about later life. Transcript Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783839444221
  11. Levenson, M. R., Jennings, P. A., Aldwin, C. M., & Shiraishi, R. W. (2005). Self-transcendence: Conceptualization and measurement. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 60(2), 127-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/XRXM-FYRA-7U0X-GRC0
  12. Randall, W. L. (2019). In Our Stories Lies Our Strength: Aging, Spirituality, and Narrative. Kindle Direct Publishing.
  13. Ruth, J. E., & Kenyon, G. (1996). Biography in adult development and aging. In J. E. Birren, G. M. Kenyon, J-E.
  14. Ruth, J. J. F. Schroots & T. Svensson (Eds) Aging and biography: Explorations in adult development, (pp.1-20). Springer Publishing Company.
  15. Schachter-Shalomi, Z., & Miller, R. (1995). From age-ing to sage-ing: A profound new vision of growing older. Warner.
  16. Tornstam, L. (1997). Gerotranscendence: The contemplative dimension of aging. Journal of Aging Studies, 11(2), 143-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-4065(97)90018-9
  17. Tornstam, L. (1999). Gerotranscendence and the functions of reminiscence. Journal of Aging and Identity, 4(1), 155-166. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022891311526
  18. Tornstam, L. (2005). Gerotranscendence: A Developmental Theory of Positive Aging. Springer Publishing Company.
  19. Tornstam, L. (2011). Maturing into gerotranscendence. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 43(2), 166-180. https://www.atpweb.org/jtparchive/trps-43-11-02-166.pdf
  20. Tufan, I. (2020) Introduction to Gerontology: Preliminary information on perspectives, theories, methods [Gerontolojiye Hazırlık: Perspektifler, teoriler, yöntemler üzerine ön bilgi.] Ankara: Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
  21. Urgan, M. (1998). Memories of a Dinosaur [Bir Dinozorun Anıları]. Yapı Kredi Yayınları.
  22. Urgan, M. (1999). Travels of a Dinosaur [Bir Dinazorun Gezileri]. Yapı Kredi Yayınları.