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Nostalgia and autobiography: the past in the present

Nostalgia and autobiography: the past in the present
Nostalgia and autobiography: the past in the present
This paper explores the meaning of nostalgia as a personal experience that is undergone by many and that is a significant element in the formation of the autobiographical self. The concept of nostalgia is introduced and considered in terms of its history, cultural origins and emotional and psycho-social content. A small-scale qualitative empirical study conducted by the authors is outlined and the findings explicated and analysed. The dual aspect of nostalgia – that it is both an experience of pleasure and of regret – is very much a central theme of the paper; and from this we argue that nostalgic memories go toward the personal development of our normative evaluations and toward a general appreciation of the unfolding of selfhood in time.
nostalgia, autobiography, sociology
0967-5507
223-244
Erben, Michael
5c72b25b-7c00-409d-a850-1a7654be0858
Dickinson, Hilary
3fccba7e-888f-4339-8a0a-eace625bf6e8
Erben, Michael
5c72b25b-7c00-409d-a850-1a7654be0858
Dickinson, Hilary
3fccba7e-888f-4339-8a0a-eace625bf6e8

Erben, Michael and Dickinson, Hilary (2006) Nostalgia and autobiography: the past in the present. Auto/Biography, 14 (3), 223-244. (doi:10.1191/0967550706ab048oa).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper explores the meaning of nostalgia as a personal experience that is undergone by many and that is a significant element in the formation of the autobiographical self. The concept of nostalgia is introduced and considered in terms of its history, cultural origins and emotional and psycho-social content. A small-scale qualitative empirical study conducted by the authors is outlined and the findings explicated and analysed. The dual aspect of nostalgia – that it is both an experience of pleasure and of regret – is very much a central theme of the paper; and from this we argue that nostalgic memories go toward the personal development of our normative evaluations and toward a general appreciation of the unfolding of selfhood in time.

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Published date: 2006
Keywords: nostalgia, autobiography, sociology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 41479
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/41479
ISSN: 0967-5507
PURE UUID: 94667901-d79a-4db4-b015-84029ed18484

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Date deposited: 14 Sep 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 08:29

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Contributors

Author: Michael Erben
Author: Hilary Dickinson

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