IWDS 2026

Submit your abstract for IWDS 2026 here!

More information on submission below.

 

The 5th Interdisciplinary Workshop on the Digital Society: Human Centered Data

 

This year’s theme, Human-Centred Data, explores how data-driven technologies shape, and are shaped by, human values, agency, and the systems we inhabit. From privacy and consent to fairness and environmental impact, data practices have profound consequences for people and the planet. Yet dominant approaches often prioritize scale and efficiency over dignity, sustainability, and relationality.

Through a human-centred lens, we ask: how can data ecosystems respect autonomy, foster inclusivity, and empower communities? What does “human-centred” mean in a world of entangled human and non-human actors, and how can infrastructures serve diverse needs without reinforcing inequities or ecological harm? Addressing these questions demands bridging technical, ethical, and societal perspectives, combining robust data science with critical engagement around human values, social contexts, and planetary futures.

 

IWDS ’26 – Event Details

The 5th Interdisciplinary Workshop on the Digital Society will be a half-day event held on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, organized by the Network Institute. 

We invite researchers working in any area related to the Digital Society to submit (existing) research or works-in-progress in the form of a short abstract. Participants in the workshop will have the opportunity to present a poster and give a short lightning presentation to interact and connect with colleagues from inside and outside the VU. 

Our goal is to create a welcoming space for researchers from diverse backgrounds to collaborate and share their work. This year’s theme is human-centred data.

IWDS will start with a keynote by Laura Hollink about “Bias in Linked Open Data” and the program will include fun networking activities, including a research speed-dating session, and the opportunity to win a research money voucher.

 

Important Dates:

  • Abstract submission: February 1st, 2026
  • Notification of acceptance: February 9th, 2026
  • Poster submission deadline: March 9th, 2026
  • IWDS: Thursday, March 26th, 2026 @ VU (location tba)

Please note: the Network Institute will cover printing costs for your research poster. 

 

Submission Guidelines

We invite all researchers interested in an interdisciplinary discussion around Digital Society to contribute to our program. We accept two types of submissions: 

  1. A summary of existing work: submit your existing paper to initiate interdisciplinary discussions. You might find the right collaborator for a follow-up project. 
  1. Work in progress: submit a short abstract (250 words) describing your work in progress. You might receive valuable feedback from outside your academic bubble. 

All submissions must be entered in the EasyChair platform. In the abstract input field you include a) an abstract (max. 250 words) of your paper (option 1) or your work in progress (option 2) and b) a motivation (max. 250 words) for how your research could benefit from cross-pollination with other disciplines. You only need to attach a paper for option 1.

 

Organizing Committee

  • Dorothé Smit Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Lea Krause Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Renate Baumgartner Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Kiara Scheunpflug Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Julia Nobrega-Hermoza Janssen Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Mike Ligthart Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Ivano Malavolta Direct of the Network Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

 

Invited Speakers

Dr. Laura Hollink specializes in responsible AI for the culture and media sectors and leads the Human-Centered Data Analytics group at the Center of Mathemathics and Computer Science in The Netherlands. She will give a keynote entitled “Bias in Linked Open Data”.

 

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to Dorothé Smit at g.d.smit@vu.nl

Location

The in-person conference will be held at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. 



NOTE: We will conduct a (lightweight) review of all submissions. The workshop is non-archival.