Bottled Fluids and Fluid Assemblages: Alcohol Consumption in Later Life As a Material-Discursive Practice

Objective: In this paper, we explore the question how – that is, in which discursive-material practices and arrangements – alcohol is consumed in later life, reconstruct how this changes in the retirement transition and where boundaries between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ alcohol consumption are being drawn.

Method: We present empirical material from a qualitative longitudinal study, comprising interview and photo diaries and following 30 older adults through their retirement transition. We analyse alcohol consumption as a material-discursive practices,

Findings: We identify five categories of elements that constitute drinking practice assemblages: (i) things and spaces, (ii) people, (iii) temporalities, (iv) discourses, and (v) bodies. Across those elements, research participants drew boundaries between positive, responsible and negative, irresponsible alcohol consumption. These boundaries, however, were different than those drawn by researchers - research boundaries mainly drawn based on the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, whereas participants draw boundaries based on quality, i.e. the ‘how’ of alcohol consumption.

Conclusions: Approaching alcohol consumption from a material gerontology perspective can enhance our understanding of alcohol consumption as ‘multiple’ and an embedded, situated practice with blurry boundaries between problematic and non-problematic use.