Call for Papers – 2026 Conference for the Social Sciences: He Kai Kei Aku Ringa (There is Food in My Hands)
*Deadline Monday 31 August 2026*
Conference to be held 2-4 December 2026 at Waipapa Taumata Rau/ The University of Auckland,
Tāmaki Makaurau/ Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
He kai kei aku ringa: there is food in my hands is a Māori whakataukī that speaks to resilience and hope. This inaugural Conference for the Social Sciences, offers us a way of thinking about knowledge as sustenance. Our whakataukī asks us to think about what we carry with us, what we share and what nourishes us collectively. As we open this space to the social sciences, we say nau mai haere mai, everyone is welcome to eat here.
The contemporary world is marked by environmental devastation, the growth of AI, the spread of algorithmic and mediated politics, the rise of authoritarian populism, economic polarisation, (re)new(ed) threats to Indigenous sovereignty, genocide and war. Coming together as a social science community is particularly important in such a period when our work is so necessary and valuable (as well as increasingly challenged). There has never been a more vital period for the social sciences to speak back to power and solidify the pursuit of social justice. As scholars and researchers focused on upholding the academy’s designated role as the critic and conscience of society, we encourage scholars in the social sciences and related areas to organise, to present and debate their work, and to demonstrate the continuing strength of evidence-based and theoretically informed critical thinking. This inaugural conference of the social sciences will showcase such work. We welcome scholars from sociology, anthropology, Māori Studies, Indigenous studies, criminology, politics, public policy, gender studies, media, communications, geography, global studies, history, philosophy, psychology, social work, education, health and more. We invite you to engage in what will be a lively, progressive and collaborative environment aimed at strengthening the social sciences in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
Key Dates
Registration Open:
28 April 2026
Submissions Open:
28 April 2026
Early Notification Submission Deadline:
30 June 2026
Early Submitter Notification:
22 July 2026
Final Submission Date:
31 August 2026
Final Author Notification:
21 September 2026
Presenter Registration Deadline:
2 October 2026
Early-Bird Pricing Expires:
2 October 2026
Conference Dates:
2-4 December 2026
Find more information and submit your abstract here: https://www.socialsciencesconference.nz/