The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Annual Conference 2026 brings together scholars, policymakers, industry leaders, civil society organisations, and thought leaders to explore one of the defining questions of our time: how digital technologies are reshaping society.
Artificial intelligence, data systems, digital platforms, and emerging technologies are transforming the way knowledge is produced, economies are organised, institutions are governed, and citizens participate in public life. While these developments present new opportunities for innovation and social progress, they also raise important questions about ethics, power, inequality, democracy, labour, and human agency.
Under the theme The Age of Digitality and the Future of Society, the conference seeks to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on how societies can navigate digital transformation in ways that advance inclusion, justice, dignity, and sustainable development. The conference places particular emphasis on African and Global South perspectives, recognising the importance of locally grounded knowledge, digital sovereignty, and alternative pathways to technological development. The HSRC Annual Conference aims to establish a platform for intellectual exchange, policy engagement, and collaborative research on the societal implications of digital transformation.
Conference Objectives
Examine how digitality is reshaping knowledge, evidence and research practice.
Interrogate the ethical, legal and social implications of data and artificial intelligence.
Surface African perspectives on digital transformation and digital inequality.
Strengthen the role of the humanities and social sciences in digital policy.
Build networks between researchers, policymakers, civil society and practitioners.
Who Should Attend
