Call for papers | Vol. 51 | Media Literacy, Democracy and Intergenerational Approaches | From April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026

2026-03-16

Thematic editors: Clarisse Pêssoa (Instituto Português de Administração de Marketing, Portugal/CECS, Universidade do Minho, Portugal), Ana Filipa Oliveira (Cicant, Universidade Lusófona, Portugal) and Julian McDougall (Bournemouth University, United Kingdom)

In an era marked by profound technological transformations, widespread misinformation and new forms of civic participation, the relationship between media and information literacy (MIL), digital citizenship and skills development has become a central concern for all generations (Boler et al., 2025; Vuorikari et al., 2022). The recent celebration of the Council of Europe’s Year of Digital Citizenship Education (2025) underscores the growing recognition that fostering critical digital competencies requires collaborative, intergenerational approaches — not as an option but as an imperative.

As the concept of “citizenship” transcends traditional boundaries to encompass digital and global dimensions, it becomes increasingly urgent to re-examine what constitutes essential 21st-century competencies and how intergenerational cooperation can enrich these debates. These competencies extend far beyond the simple ability to access and evaluate information: they entail ethical engagement with digital content, critical navigation of algorithmic media environments, and constructive participation in democratic processes supported by intergenerational dialogue. Recent research has demonstrated the transformative potential of intergenerational approaches, highlighting how collaboration across generations can contribute positively to the development of critical digital competencies and to enhancing educational processes (Bjursell et al., 2023; Leek & Rojek, 2023; Trujillo-Torres et al., 2023).

In this context, we invite submissions of empirical and theoretical contributions that explore the integration of MIL in formal and informal educational settings involving different generations, and that examine its impact on civic and democratic attitudes, cultures and behaviours. We particularly encourage submissions reporting research findings from intergenerational projects that demonstrate how collaborative approaches can meaningfully strengthen media and information literacy, democracy and digital citizenship.

Topics of interest:

  • Media and information literacy as a fundamental element of democratic citizenship
  • Digital citizenship, misinformation and polarisation
  • Competency-based approaches to MIL and citizenship
  • Critical literacies and civic empowerment
  • Educational practices and pedagogical approaches to MIL and citizenship education
  • Equity, inclusion and access in MIL and citizenship education
  • Artificial intelligence, generative media and civic competencies
  • Participatory cultures and digital activism
  • Intergenerational approaches to MIL

Proposal submission period (full manuscript): from April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026

Publication period: continuous edition (January to June 2027)

LANGUAGE

Articles may be submitted in English or Portuguese. The articles selected for publication will be translated into Portuguese or English, respectively, and shall be published in full in both languages.

EDITING AND SUBMISSION

Comunicação e Sociedade is an open-access academic journal operating according to rigorous standards of the peer review system and following a double-blind review process. Each submitted work will be assigned to at least two reviewers previously invited to assess it, according to its academic quality, originality and relevance to the objectives and scope of the theme.

Original submissions should be made through the journal’s website. When accessing Comunicação e Sociedade for the first time, you must register before submitting your article (instructions to register here).

Refer to the guidelines for authors here.

For further information, please contact: comunicacaoesociedade@ics.uminho.pt

References

Boler, M., Gharib, H., Kweon, Y.-J., Trigiani, A., & Perry, B. (2025). Promoting mis/disinformation literacy among adults: A scoping review of interventions and recommendations. Communication Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502251318630

Bjursell, C., Boström, A.-K., & Dybelius, A. (2023). Intergenerational learning in a changing world : Knitting generations together. Ricerche di Pedagogia e Didattica, 18(2), 51–65. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1970-2221/15942

Leek, J., & Rojek, M. (2023). ICT tools in breaking down social polarization and supporting intergenerational learning: cases of youth and senior citizens. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(6), 3682–3697. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.1940214

Trujillo-Torres, J. M., Aznar-Díaz, I., Cáceres-Reche, M. P., Mentado-Labao, T., & Barrera-Corominas, A. (2023). Intergenerational learning and its impact on the improvement of educational processes. Education Sciences, 13(10), Article 1019. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13101019

Vuorikari, R., R., Kluzer, S., & Punie, Y. (2022). DigComp 2.2: The digital competence framework for citizens – With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes (EUR 31006 EN). Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/115376