ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of Howard Giles’ contributions to establishing and advancing the study of intergenerational communication. It begins with a review of Giles’ role in providing a theoretical framework for intergenerational communication research in communication accommodation theory (Giles, Coupland, & Coupland, 1991) and the communicative predicament of aging model (Ryan, Giles, Bartolucci, & Henwood, 1986). The chapter then examines the ways in which his leadership was critical to advancing intergenerational communication research through an equal consideration of the perspectives of young and older people, exploration of the role of culture, and a quest for a model of the path to positive and beneficial intergenerational relationships. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how his contributions pave the way for future theory development and research on intergenerational relationships.
