ABSTRACT
In this chapter we explore the ways in which a small number of older women aged 65 and older, who work in university departments of education in England, think about their complex and sometimes contradictory embodied identities. Through an exploration of a set of their written accounts, we detail the means by which they are positioned and position themselves. Drawing on work by Gilleard and Higgs (2014, 2018) and Harraway (1997), we want to consider the usefulness of embodiment and its notion of agency alongside corporeality and the materiality of the body in reflecting on their identity work in respect of their ages. We suggest that exploring the perspectives and experiences of older women academics’ embodied identities may help towards a better understanding of some of the complexities involved in this process in a specific sector of the labour market. This may contribute towards ‘doing’ higher education in a more respectful and socially just manner.
