Call for Papers
Call for Papers
We invite you to join us for the Twenty-First International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, the annual meeting of the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Research Network, taking place 15–17 July 2026 in Galway, Ireland and online, in partnership with our host institution, the University of Galway. This year, the conference is held alongside the annual meeting of the Global Studies Research Network, reflecting shared commitments to understanding social change, global interdependence, and the complex systems that shape contemporary life. The Network brings together scholars, practitioners, activists, designers, educators, policymakers, and community leaders concerned with developing interdisciplinary frameworks for analysing and addressing today’s interconnected social questions.
In 2026, our special focus “Bridging Boundaries: Collaborative Solutions to Complex Social Issues in an Interconnected World” invites participants to consider how interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration can generate new insights and more equitable, context-sensitive responses to complex societal challenges. Economic restructuring, technological change, political polarization, environmental crises, and shifting cultural landscapes increasingly transcend disciplinary silos and national borders. This year’s focus asks how the social sciences—working with and across other fields—can build approaches capable of engaging these multidimensional pressures.
We welcome papers exploring innovations in methodology, collaborative research practices, and community-engaged approaches; analyses of local issues grounded in global processes; case studies of cross-disciplinary and cross-sector partnerships; and reflections on how institutions might restructure knowledge production to meet twenty-first-century demands.
Alongside the Special Focus, we welcome proposals aligned with the Network’s annual themes:
Social and Community Studies; Civic and Political Studies; Cultural Studies; Global Studies; Environmental Studies; Organizational Studies; Educational Studies; and Communication Studies.
Knowledge Experience and Format
The conference is organised as a hybrid knowledge experience, integrating in-person and online participation within a unified scholarly environment. All accepted proposals become Presentation Pages on CGScholar Event (KX), where presenters upload abstracts, media, and reflections and where delegates engage in discussion before, during, and after the event.
In-person presentations, live online sessions, and asynchronous contributions are woven into a single integrated program. Regardless of participation mode, all delegates have access to the full schedule, session media, and a growing digital archive. Across formats, the emphasis is on reciprocal, human-scale scholarly exchange—conversation, reflection, and collaborative inquiry rather than one-way presentation.
Publication Pathways
Presenters are invited to develop their work for possible publication in the Network’s suite of journals—The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social and Community Studies, The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies, The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Civic and Political Studies, and The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Educational Studies—or in the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Book Imprint, which publishes monographs and edited collections advancing interdisciplinary research. Both outlets offer options for traditional and Open Access publication.
Membership and Community
We welcome new and returning members to the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Research Network. By purchasing a Presenter Pass, you automatically become—or renew as—a Network Member for the year, with access to our online Knowledge Experience, a shared scholarly space connecting preparation, presentation, reflection, and publication. Members can post updates, share working ideas, browse archives, and contribute to peer-facilitated community review.
Membership is also activated through our in-person conferences and events, where participants exchange ideas and build collaborations with our host partners and international community. Membership sustains the Research Network, ensuring continued access to programs, archives, journals, and books, and maintaining a community where belonging is defined by contribution and care.
Join Us
We warmly invite you to submit a proposal and to join us—either in Galway or online—for the Twenty-First International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. Together, we will explore how interdisciplinary approaches can illuminate complex social issues and contribute to more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable futures.
The 2026 conference is convened by:
Dr. Marcin Galent (Research Network Chair, English)
Dr. Cristina Castillo Rodríguez (Research Network Chair, Spanish)
in collaboration with the Local Conference Committee at the University of Galway,
and, in recognition of the joint gathering, the Chair of the Global Studies Research Network, Prof. Rafal Soborski.