The 5th Interdisciplinary Workshop on the Digital Society: Human Centered Data
We are pleased to invite researchers, students, and practitioners from all disciplines to participate in the Interdisciplinary Workshop on the Digital Society (IWDS’26) on March 26th. This annual event brings together researchers whose work engages with the digital society at VU Amsterdam and beyond, fostering collaboration, inspiration, and new research connections.
You can register for the workshop here.
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.
About the WorkshopIWDS’26 features a packed program combining talks, posters, and interactive sessions. Whether you are presenting your work or joining the conversation, the workshop offers a great opportunity to explore diverse perspectives within and outside of the VU.
On March 26th, we’ll kick off with a keynote by Dr. Laura Hollink of the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica on Human-Centred Data. Furthermore, we’ll have 24 exciting posters to be presented on various topics related to the digital society.
Program:
- 12:30 – Registration opens (with light snacks)
- 13:00 – Keynote by Dr. Laura Hollink
- 14:00 – Lightning Talks
- 14:30 – Poster Presentations
- 15:30 – Research Speed Dating
- 16:30 – Closing & Drinks
RegistrationParticipation is free of charge, but registration is required.
Please complete the registration form before Friday, March 20th, 2026, to secure your spot and ensure we can take your dietary requirements into account.
Important Dates:
- Abstract submission: February 1st, 2026
- Notification of acceptance: February 9th, 2026
- Poster submission deadline: March 9th, 2026
- Registration deadline: March 20th, 2026
- IWDS: Thursday, March 26th, 2026 @ VU (location tba)
Please note: the Network Institute will cover printing costs for your research poster.
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.