The cornerstone of this book is the innovative concept of profiguration, a term coined by Fidel Molina-Luque to encapsulate the essential agreement and recognition required between generations in contemporary society.
Profiguration emphasises the intrinsic value of interdependence across all age groups, fostering a holistic life experience for the young, adults and the elderly. Rooted in our social nature, especially crucial amid the current crisis, profiguration becomes a poignant antidote to loneliness. The imperative of mutual love and care is heightened, illuminating the path to a fulfilled existence. This book advocates a paradigm shift through the lenses of sociology and social sciences, stressing the urgency of a mindset overhaul. It calls for a new social contract grounded in altruism for both current and future generations, highlighting the importance of love, solidarity and dialogue. Beyond interpersonal dynamics, it underscores the pivotal roles of education, sustainability and environmental stewardship, aspiring to shape a more promising present and future within a conscientious societal framework.
Tailored to engage scholars, professionals and students alike, its accessible concepts are easily comprehensible and applicable across the following fields: sociology, anthropology, social work, education, law and business administration and health studies (medicine, nursing, physiotherapy), among others.
Chapters 1, 3 and 5 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY] 4.0 license.
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: the reason for this book
2. "Love is like chewing gum": extensions of affection and appreciation
3. “Actions speak louder than words”: educate by example
4. “A clean hand wants no washing”: sustainability and capitalism on stage
5. “A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall”: coexistence reinforced daily
6. “The richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least”: happiness and the meaning of life
7. Conclusions: futurability, profiguration and love
About the Author :
Fidel Molina-Luque is Professor of Sociology at University of Lleida, Spain. His research spans a broad range of topics, including the sociology of education and intercultural education; negotiation; mediation and conflict resolution; qualitative methodology; sociology of health and social determinants of health; intergenerational relations; leisure and sports; and leadership, management and human resources training. Recent publications are The Art of Living as a Community: Profiguration, Sustainability, and Social Development in Rapa Nui (2020), Profiguration, Active Ageing and Creativity: Keys for Quality of Life and Overcoming Ageism (2022).
Review :
“It is a book that distils the best of a life that combines academic knowledge with life experiences. Provides a ‘breath of fresh air.’ It is an honest reflection, with a long view, that combines the legacy of tradition (the classics) with very current issues, and that integrates popular wisdom with the most formal knowledge, with a good dose of humour and love. Furthermore, we can recognize common elements and also appreciate this tribute - so endearing - that he pays to his parents. The author has given names to many things that we think, but do not always express. Congratulations to the author for this exercise that goes beyond sociology and that, being critical, is at the same time purposeful and gives us reasons to continue gathering resources, as R. Williams said, for the journey of hope.”
Dr. José Beltran Llavador, University of València, Spain
“The book introduces a new concept that is very useful for designing intergenerational educational interventions. As life expectancy increases and the number of elderly people rises, issues such as intergenerational relations and ageism will become central to research and professional practice. I really enjoyed reading this book because, in a way, the writing of the book itself is an example of profiguration. The author's choice to introduce each chapter with a proverb, contextualised by the narration of his own personal experiences, gives us a deep sense of the concept of profiguration, of the bond between generations. The author's style succeeds in bringing personal narratives into dialogue with scientific literature. This makes reading fluent and stimulates the reader's interest.”
Dr. Diego Di Masi, University of Torino, Italy
“In a society sick with individualism, consumerism, unwanted loneliness and environmental degradation, this book provides solid arguments for the need for a new model of intergenerational ties based on education, affection, dialogue, simple living and sustainability, necessary to act without forgetting the lessons of the past and to pursue the social well-being of the future.”
Prof. Emeritus Manuel Pérez Yruela, Córdoba, IESA-CSIC, Spain
“The New Social Contract Between Generations: Profiguration is framed in the scenario of societies and citizen spaces where people educate and are educated, in the past, present and future. In this sense, we highlight the opportunity and success of the author's theoretical, reflective and applied contribution. An essential book, without a doubt, to think about what type of society we are really building and rethink ourselves, individually and collectively, active inhabitants as we are of hyperconnected, demographically complex societies, with local and global risks and crossroads. Stimulating, fruitful, analytical, rigorous, useful, necessary, kind, close, are adjectives that define the work of Dr. Molina-Luque. Based on his long and recognized active career in sociological science, as a thinker, teacher, researcher, project generator, disseminator, etc., he deepens his scientific and social commitment, giving it theoretical and expository form, with that quality of spirit that characterizes and that Wright Mills defined as ‘sociological imagination’, observing, analysing social reality and the interrelationships that occur in it. We congratulate the author for the substance and the form, for the scientific and human contributions. Reading leaves a pleasant feeling of intellectual well-being and elements to think about the multiple possibilities of working with, and from, profiguration in the right now.”
Dr. Paquita Sanvicen-Torné, University of Lleida, Spain
“In this lucid critical analysis of the complex issues facing contemporary societies, Fidel Molina-Luque addresses the generational question in an original and proactive way. In contemporary societies, the issue of generations has often been approached in an atomistic manner, describing the challenges and problems each generational group must face to integrate into social life. In this framework, the social sciences have been functional to the logic of the commodification of social ages, reinforcing generational ghettos.
In contrast, in this book, the author adopts a holistic perspective and highlights the essential intergenerational interdependence as the foundation of the social contract. His original proposal of the concept of profiguration offers not only a conceptual key to anticipating the societies of the near future but also outlines the groundwork for building a profigurative culture. At the same time, it suggests reflective paths to foster a form of socialization based on recognizing the interdependence of generations and their reciprocal commitment to care for and be cared for.
The proposal of profiguration encompasses both a challenge and a renewed hope for finding ways to integrate contemporary societies, which are marked by individualism, loneliness, disconnection, and a ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality. In this sense, the profigurative societies outlined in this book serve as a roadmap for addressing the question of generational relationships, where each generation can find opportunities to flourish in more humane and humanizing societies, grounded in cooperation, wisdom, love, and reciprocal care for the lifeworlds. These relationships of cooperation and intergenerational interdependence are essential to facing the uncertain global societal challenges that threaten and harm the human condition.”
Dr. José Alberto Yuni, Principal Investigator, CONICET, Argentina
