Linda L. Putnam

Linda L. Putnam is a Distinguished Research Professor Emerita in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where she served as Department Chair from 2010–2013. Previously, she was a Regent’s Professor and Abell Professor of Communication at Texas A&M University. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication (1977, University of Minnesota) and an M.A. in Communication (1968, University of Wisconsin).

Her research focuses on organizational paradoxes, negotiation, conflict management, and workplace discourse. Notable studies include analyses of labor conflicts (e.g., the 2007-2008 Writers Guild Strike), environmental disputes, and hybrid work dynamics. She has received prestigious awards, including the UCSB Distinguished Research Lecturer (2015), IACM Lifetime Achievement (2011), and ICA Steven H. Chaffee Award (2005).

Putnam has secured grants from the NSF, EPA, and Hewlett Foundation, and has presented over 120 keynote addresses globally. Her service includes presidencies of the International Communication Association, International Association for Conflict Management, and Council of Communication Associations. She is a past editor of Human Relations and Organization, and a co-editor of multiple handbooks and journal special issues.

Her mentorship and service have earned awards like the ICA B. Aubrey Fisher Mentorship Award (2018) and NCA Becker Service Award (2012). She holds honorary doctorates from Aalto University (Finland) and the University of Montreal (Canada).