“I can finally focus on my work”: continuity through academic retirement

Abstract

A distinctive feature of academic retirement is that many professors continue to remain productive and engaged in scholarship for years after they are no longer on the payroll. Fifty-four tenured university professors in communication, media, information, and related disciplines from 12 countries were interviewed in 2025. Over half of them continue to be productive and engaged in scholarship despite no longer being on the payroll. An additional quarter remains selectively involved in various academic activities, while about one-seventh apply their academic skills and expertise to other types of work. Only a small minority of interviewees reported deliberately detaching themselves completely from academic activities. The potential impact on identity loss and purpose upon retirement is discussed and the intertwined relationship between work continuity and social identity explored.