Wise Aging as Public Recognition in Türkiye: Civic-embedded Wisdom as a Cultural Recognition Pathway

This study examines wise aging as public recognition in Türkiye and develops Civic-Embedded Wisdom (CEW) as a cultural recognition pathway. Drawing on six published life narratives of publicly recognized figures (three women, three men), including biographies and river interviews (nehir söyleşi), we conducted document-based biographical analysis using theory-driven qualitative content analysis and reflexive thematic synthesis. The narratives showed convergence with cognitive, socio-emotional, and reflective/metacognitive dimensions of wisdom, including pragmatic problem-solving, compassion enacted in relational and institutional settings, and meaning-making in the face of adversity, aging, and mortality. Beyond these shared dimensions, four culturally salient markers shaped how "wise lives" were narrated and validated: sustained civic service, republican/modernizing ideals and public reason, equality and human dignity, and cultural preservation through intellectual stewardship. We conceptualize these markers as CEW, understood not as a necessary component of inner wisdom capacity but as a culturally patterned route through which wisdom becomes publicly legible and socially authorized. The findings suggest that cultures may differ not only in the traits labeled wise but also in the social arenas where wisdom is expected to be enacted and recognized, particularly in later life when evaluation often turns toward legacy, contribution, and intergenerational significance. Implications are discussed for cross-cultural wisdom research and gerontological practice.