[TechSovereignty] CfP Workshop on International Relations in the Digital Age (26-27 March 2026, Bremen, Germany)

[Dennis Redeker]

Dear Digital Sovereignty research community,

Sorry for cross-posting! Hopefully relevant for some of you - looking
forward to welcoming you in Bremen in March 2026!

Best wishes,
Dennis

----

*Call for Papers*


*Workshop onInternational Relations in the Digital Age: Governing - and
Being Governed by - Technology*


26 and 27 March 2026 | University of Bremen, Germany

Organized by the Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research
(ZeMKI) and the Institute for Intercultural and International Studies
(InIIS), University of Bremen, and the International Relations Section
(IB-Sektion) of the German Political Science Association (DVPW)

In cooperation with the World International Studies Committee (WISC), the
Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences (BIGSSS), and the
EU Horizon Europe project to “Reignite Multilateralism via Technology”
(REMIT, grant agreement No 101094228)

Artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, small satellites, and other
emerging technologies are transforming the conduct and understanding of
international relations. These developments reshape the global distribution
of power, challenge established governance mechanisms, and create new forms
of dependence, influence, and contestation. They add to ongoing debates
about the governance of digital technologies and services, such as the
conflict between the EU and US over the regulation of social media
platforms.

This workshop explores how global politics is both governing technology and
governed by technology. It aims to foster dialogue between scholars of
International Relations (IR), Science and Technology Studies (STS), and
global governance to examine how technological change influences diplomacy,
international cooperation, and global order. At the same time, we seek to
understand technology itself as an outcome of political, economic, and
social processes - asking what factors drive technological innovation,
diffusion, and regulation across different global contexts. We welcome
theoretical, empirical, and normative contributions that engage with these
intersections and address a wide range of emerging technologies, including
but not limited to AI, quantum, space, or bio-technologies.

Possible themes include (but are not limited to):

   - The geopolitics of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructures
   - Quantum technologies and the future of strategic stability
   - Small satellites (LEOs) and space governance
   - Security of telecommunication infrastructures, including sub-sea cables
   - Digital sovereignty and the global political economy of technology
   (incl. microchips)
   - Norms, standards, and emerging institutions of global tech governance
   - Global conflicts over platform regulation and taxation (e.g., DSA)
   - Postcolonial, feminist, and critical perspectives on technology and IR
   - New actors and constellations in global technology politics, including
   the role of the Global South, small states, tech corporations, and tech
   companies
   - Conceptual and methodological innovations for studying technology in IR
   - Socio-technical imaginaries and visions of emerging technologies in
   global politics

The workshop will provide a focused, discussion-oriented environment.
Short-form papers (3,000-6,000 words) will be pre-circulated, and each
session will include designated discussants to facilitate in-depth
engagement. In addition to short-form papers, we also welcome alternative
contribution formats (e.g., posters, idea pitches, data or method
showcases) to foster diverse forms of engagement. We especially encourage
submissions from early-career researchers. A limited number of travel
grants are available provided by the Bremen International Graduate School
of Social Sciences, contingent on early-career status or otherwise
demonstrated need (more information upon acceptance). There is no
registration fee.

Following the workshop, we plan to develop a thematic forum for
publication, bringing together selected contributions for broader
dissemination and debate.
Abstract deadline: 1 December 2025
Notification of acceptance: 10 December 2025
Short papers, etc. due: 10 March 2026
Workshop dates: 26-27 March 2026

Please submit an abstract of around 300 words and a short bio (max. 100
words) to: IB-Sektion at dvpw.de

Website: https://zemki.uni-bremen.de/en/cfp-workshop-ir-digital-age/

Organizing Committee:

Dr. Dennis Redeker – redeker at uni-bremen
Dr. Berenike Prem – berenike.prem at uni-bremen.de
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://techsovereignty.org/pipermail/mailinglist_techsovereignty.org/attachments/20251105/4963fc12/attachment.htm>