Submit a Manuscript to the Journal
Communication Quarterly
For a Special Issue on
Older Adult Communication Across Contexts
Abstract deadline
Manuscript deadline
Special Issue Editor(s)
Dr. Patricia Gettings,
University at Albany, SUNY
pgettings@albany.edu
Dr. Hannah Ball,
Chapman University
hball@chapman.edu
Older Adult Communication Across Contexts
Call for Papers
Special Issue of Communication Quarterly:
Older Adult Communication Across Contexts
Dr. Patricia Gettings (University at Albany, SUNY) and Dr. Hannah Ball (Chapman University) are seeking abstracts of studies that explore the communicative experiences of older adults for a special issue of Communication Quarterly entitled “Older Adult Communication Across Contexts.”
Today’s older adults are experiencing aging in ways that differ greatly from their counterparts even a few decades ago. The sheer size of the baby boomer cohort, for instance, means that the U.S. population is older than it has been at any point in history (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). As a whole, these older Americans are more educated, working longer, and functioning better compared to previous generations (e.g., Mather & Scommegna, 2024; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026). However, this cohort also faces challenges, such as increased rates of obesity, significant economic disparities across racial and ethnic lines, and a caregiving gap that is expected to increase particularly for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s disease (e.g., Alzheimer’s Association, 2023; Mather & Scommegna, 2024; U.S. Census Bureau, 2025). Meanwhile, the contemporary media landscape both reinforces and challenges traditional age-related stereotypes (see Jiang & Lin, 2026), providing conflicting messages about how to perceive older adulthood. These dynamics underscore the importance of understanding the aging experiences of this large cohort of Americans across every sphere of life.
Communication scholars are well-positioned to explore the complex lives of today’s older adult population, as well as the societal and interpersonal perceptions of aging that shape how older adulthood is experienced. We seek a wide range of scholarship on older adult communication across interpersonal, familial, organizational, health, political, and mediated contexts. Some examples of possible topics for the special issue include, but are not limited to:
- The role of communication technologies – including AI – in older adults’ relational communication and support seeking/provision
- The impact of media portrayals or online discourse about older adults/aging
- How older adults form, maintain, and/or end relationships with a range of partners (i.e., within-generation or intergenerational)
- Communication surrounding informal/family caregiving for an older adult
- Communication processes or persuasive messages related to older adult health and successful aging
- Older adults’ experiences with telehealth or online health information seeking
- Communication surrounding older adults’ workplace relationships, retirement transitions, or continued engagement in work (paid or volunteer)
- Age-based appeals in political campaigns
Submission Instructions
We will only consider papers where older adults/aging and communication are the focus of the research project. Papers must report on empirical research, but the scholarly approach taken can be quantitative, qualitative, and/or rhetorical/critical. Requirements for papers in the issue will be consistent with existing CQ submission guidelines. The special issue is expected to be published in Fall 2027, but accepted articles will be published online on a rolling basis before the full special issue is released.
If you have a paper you think would be appropriate for this special issue, we invite you to submit an extended abstract to Patricia Gettings (pgettings@albany.edu). Extended abstracts will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until October 15, 2026. The abstract should be no more than 500 words and outline the central topic, problem, or questions addressed; the framework, perspective, or methodological approach that guides the work; the manuscript’s key findings or insights; and a clear articulation of its contribution to understanding older adult communication. Please also include a provisional title and author information (i.e., author names, affiliations, contact details for all authors); this information will not be counted toward the word limit. Authors will be informed no later than November 15, 2026 whether they are invited to submit a full manuscript. Full manuscripts will be reviewed on a rolling basis until February 15, 2027.
- Abstracts Due: October 15, 2026
- Authors Notified: November 15, 2026
- Full Manuscripts Due: February 15, 2027
- Publication Expected: Fall 2027