Conformism, Faith, and Resistance: Religiosity, Spirituality, and Resilience among Older Rural Women

Abstract

Despite the growing number of studies on spirituality and religiosity in old age, investigations on this topic remain scarce in the context of older women living in rural areas. From an intersectional perspective, this study aims to understand how spirituality and religiosity are expressed in the life narratives of older women who age in rural contexts, articulating the various social markers involved and exploring their effects on well-being and resilience processes. This is a descriptive, qualitative study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with ten older women residing in a small municipality in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The findings highlight religiosity as a constant presence, at times reinforcing gender frameworks rooted in patriarchy and transmitted across generations, and at other times functioning as a source of support and resilience. Thus, spirituality and religiosity emerge in a contradictory way: while perpetuating inequalities, they also sustain resistance, adaptation, and the pursuit of well-being.