Senectus: Journal of Aging Studies is a peer-reviewed, open-access international academic journal published biannually by Istanbul University Faculty of Letters Sociology Research Center in collaboration with the Darülaceze Foundation. The journal aims to present theoretical and applied studies on the aging process and late-life experiences from a multidisciplinary perspective.

The September 2026 issue will feature a special issue on “Aging and Loneliness.” This special issue aims to publish original research articles that examine elderly loneliness—recognized as one of the most significant psychosocial challenges of the 21st century—from the perspectives of diverse disciplines.

Loneliness in old age has constituted one of the foundational debates of social gerontology, with an academic tradition spanning over half a century. Weiss’s (1973) pioneering typology conceptualized loneliness along two dimensions—“emotional loneliness” (the absence of an intimate attachment figure) and “social loneliness” (lack of integration into a social network)—a distinction that continues to underpin scale development and intervention design today. While Cumming and Henry’s (1961) “disengagement theory” depicted the gradual withdrawal of older adults from social participation as a “natural” process, Havighurst’s (1961) “activity theory” argued the opposite, positing that sustained social participation is a key determinant of life satisfaction. The tension between these two perspectives continues to animate the debate over whether loneliness in old age is inevitable or preventable.

Peplau and Perlman’s (1982) cognitive model defined loneliness as a “discrepancy” between desired and actual social relationships. This perspective demonstrated the necessity of distinguishing loneliness from objective social isolation, and Victor and colleagues’ (2005, 2020) longitudinal studies confirmed that these two phenomena, while overlapping, are distinct constructs. Burholt and Scharf (2014) further situated elderly loneliness within the “social exclusion” framework, revealing that loneliness is not merely an individual emotion but a consequence of economic, spatial, and cultural inequalities.

The World Health Organization’s 2021 declaration of loneliness as “one of today’s urgent public health concerns” and the United Nations’ 2024 publication of the “Commission on Social Connection” report demonstrate that the issue has been elevated to the global policy agenda. Meta-analyses have shown that chronic loneliness increases mortality risk equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes per day (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015) and is strongly associated with Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular conditions (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018). In Turkey, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over reached 11.1% in 2025, while single-person households rose to 20.5%. This demographic landscape transforms loneliness from a merely individual emotion into a structural social policy concern.

However, the existing literature has been predominantly built upon the experiences of Northern European and Anglo-Saxon societies. The ways in which family structures, intergenerational solidarity, and communitarian values in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian societies shape the experience of loneliness remain insufficiently explored. Turkey, with its rapid urban transformation, internal migration, and dissolution of traditional family structures, constitutes a unique area for examining the impacts of these forces on elderly loneliness. This special issue aims to fill this gap in the literature by approaching elderly loneliness through perspectives from diverse disciplines and geographies.

We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:

•  Conceptual and theoretical frameworks of loneliness in old age

•  Measurement of loneliness: methodological approaches, scale development and adaptation

•  Health outcomes of social isolation and loneliness (depression, cognitive decline, mortality)

•  Spatial analysis and GIS-based mapping of loneliness

•  Comparative analysis of elderly loneliness in rural and urban settings

•  Digital exclusion and the impact of technology use on elderly loneliness

•  Loneliness experiences in institutional care settings (nursing homes, care facilities)

•  Intergenerational relationships and elderly loneliness

•  Social policy models and intervention programs combating elderly loneliness

•  Elderly loneliness in the context of gender, migration, and ethnicity

•  Elderly loneliness during pandemics, disasters, and crisis periods

•  Research articles (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods)

•  Review articles (systematic review, meta-analysis, conceptual framework)

•  Case studies and research notes

•  Book reviews (on key works in the field)

Manuscripts may be submitted in Turkish or English. All submissions must comply with the Senectus journal guidelines and be uploaded via the DergiPark system. APA 7th edition citation format is required. Each article must include abstracts in both Turkish and English. The journal operates under a Diamond Open Access policy and does not charge any Article Processing Charges (APC).

Submission portal: https://editorial.istanbul.edu.tr/

Contact: senectus@istanbul.edu.tr