IN3’s Communication Networks & Social Change (CNSC) research group cordially invites you to submit an abstract to the 1st Conference of the ECREA TWG on Aging and Communication Studies: The Power of Stereotypes to take on April, 5 2025.
Venue
Online
Espanya
When
20/12/2024 - 31/01/2025
Organized by
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), Francesca Comunello (Sapienza University of Rome), Simone Mulargia (LUMSA Università, Roma), Cora van Leeuwen (VUB), Marie Poux-Berthe (University Saint Gallen), Francesca Belotti (Università degli Studi dell'Aquila), Adrià Mompó (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya)
Program
About the conference
The 1st Conference of the ECREA TWG on Aging and Communication Studies invites researchers to critically engage with the theme of Aging and Communication, with a focus on the awareness of aging stereotypes. By interrogating these stereotypes, communication research can unveil their origins, challenge their persistence, and highlight their implications across various domains.
About the call
The field of communication studies has long grappled with the influence of representation on culture and society. One persistent yet underexplored dynamic is the role of stereotypes in shaping and constraining how we perceive aging.
Stereotypes about aging often present themselves as neutral reflections of reality, masking the power imbalances and socio-cultural constructs that underpin them. These oversimplified representations contribute to narratives that marginalize older adults, reinforce ageist attitudes, and obscure the rich diversity of aging experiences.
We encourage submissions that examine the intersections of aging, communication, and stereotypes, whether through empirical research, theoretical inquiry, or practical application. Recognizing that this theme resonates across diverse areas of communication studies, we welcome proposals that engage with one or more of the following fields:
Media and Representation: Exploring portrayals of aging in television, film, digital media, journalism, and visual culture.
Audience and Reception Studies: Investigating how audiences engage with and interpret media representations of aging.
Digital Communication and Culture: Examining aging stereotypes in digital platforms, social media, and online communities.
Health Communication: Analyzing how stereotypes impact health narratives, policies, and the lived experiences of older adults.
Interpersonal Communication: Addressing the role of stereotypes in relationships, workplace dynamics, and social interactions involving older adults.
Political Communication and Policy: Considering how aging stereotypes influence political discourse, public policies, and advocacy efforts.
Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectionality: Unpacking the layered impact of aging stereotypes on marginalized communities, including women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and diasporic populations.
Digital Games and Interactivity: Investigating the role of aging stereotypes in game design, character representation, and player communities.
We also encourage cross-disciplinary approaches and submissions that address broader themes such as aging and democracy, aging in the context of mediatization and strategic communication, and the interplay between aging, space, and cities.
Key Questions for Exploration
How do aging stereotypes manifest in different communication contexts?
In what ways do these stereotypes reinforce power dynamics and inequities?
How can communication research and practice challenge and reframe narratives about aging?
What role do media industries and cultural production play in perpetuating or dismantling aging stereotypes?
How can awareness of aging stereotypes inform communication policies, strategies, and innovations?
Special Considerations and Important Dates
We invite scholars to approach the theme of aging stereotypes from diverse methodological and epistemological perspectives, including but not limited to critical theory, empirical analysis, and creative practices. We warmly encourage work-in-progress submissions as well as submissions from students, researchers, and practitioners new to ECREA events.
Submissions can be made, until January 31, here.
The notification of the acceptance of submitted abstracts will be on February, 21.
For any inquiries, please contact: ecrea.aging.communication (at) gmail.com (you can use the same email address to report any problems in the paper submission process).
This conference is supported by the Aging in Data (AiD) project through partnership grant number 895-2021-1020 from the Government of Canada., and the CNSC research group, Open University of Catalonia.