Symposium · April 2026

Statecraft, Sovereignty
& Digital Government

The symposium takes place at Goldsmiths, University of London, bringing together scholars within Science and Technology Studies (STS), software and platform studies, media studies, international relations, political theory and cultural studies to encourage conversation and collaboration through panels curated by the organisers. The symposium is hosted by the DIGI-FRONT project, led by Irina Papazu (IT-University of Copenhagen) and Jessamy Perriam (ITU/Australian National University), and co-hosted by Nathaniel Tkacz (Goldsmiths, University of London).

↓ Panels & Abstracts (PDF)
Dates16–17 April 2026
VenueGoldsmiths, University of London
§ 01

Keynote Speakers

Click a speaker to read their abstract.

§ 02

Programme

🗺 Goldsmiths Campus Map

Each presentation is 15 minutes followed by a 30-minute panel discussion. The chair will keep time.

Thursday, 16 April
09:00
Registration & Coffee
Lower Ground Foyer, outside PSH LG01
09:30
Opening Remarks
PSH LG01
09:50
Keynote Session One
PSH LG01
Cecilia Rikap & Paolo Gerbaudo — respondent: Lina Dencik
11:30
Paper Presentations
PSH LG01: Digital Sovereignty in Theory & Practice I
PSH 326: AI in the State, Expertise & Legitimacy I
PSH 302: Infrastructural Power & Politics I
13:00
Lunch
14:20
Paper Presentations
PSH LG01: Digital Sovereignty: Alternatives & Lock-ins I
PSH 326: AI in the State, Expertise & Legitimacy II
PSH 302: Authoritarian Currents I
15:50
Coffee Break
16:10
Paper Presentations
PSH LG01: Digital Sovereignty in Theory & Practice II
PSH 326: Digital Transformation I
PSH 302: Authoritarian Currents II
17:40
Drinks at The Rose
The Rose Pub, directly opposite New Cross Gate Station
Friday, 17 April
09:30
Paper Presentations
PSH LG01: Infrastructural Power & Politics II
PSH 326: Digital Sovereignty: Alternatives & Lock-ins II
PSH 302: Digital Transformation II
11:00
Break
11:10
Paper Presentations
PSH LG01: Digital Sovereignty: Alternatives & Lock-ins III
PSH 326: Citizens, Users & Citizenship
PSH 302: Digital Transformation III
12:40
Lunch
14:00
Final Keynotes & Roundtable
PSH LG01
Dang Nguyen & Fenwick McKelvey — respondent: Rob W. Gehl
16:00
Close of Symposium
§ 03

Panels

Infrastructural Power & Politics
AI in the State, Expertise & Legitimacy
Authoritarian Currents
Digital Transformation
Citizens, Users & Citizenship
Digital Sovereignty in Theory & Practice
Digital Sovereignty: Alternatives & Lock-ins
State & Private Entanglements
§ 04

Practical Information

🗺 View the Goldsmiths Campus Map

Venue

The conference will take place in the Professor Stuart Hall Building, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London SE14 6NW.

From the main campus entrance at the Richard Hoggart Building: enter and turn right, then left, walking to the back of the building past the café and Refectory. Exit onto the college green — the PSH Building is on the other side, up the hill.

Getting There

We recommend the Citymapper app for navigating London. Use contactless payment, Oyster card, or mobile pay on public transport.

By train: New Cross Station (2–3 min walk) or New Cross Gate Station (5–7 min walk). Direct from London Bridge (approx. 7 min).

From airports: Heathrow: Elizabeth/Piccadilly Line to central London, then via London Bridge (60–75 min). Gatwick: direct to London Bridge (30 min). London City: DLR to Canada Water, then Overground to New Cross (approx. 40 min).

Accommodation

Near Goldsmiths: Staycity Aparthotels London Greenwich, DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich, Premier Inn London Greenwich, Novotel London Greenwich.

Higher-end: InterContinental London – The O2, London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf.

Accommodation costs are not covered by the organisers.

Catering

Lunch vouchers for the Refectory canteen will be provided each day. The café in the PSH Building will be open for coffee and refreshments at your own cost.

Presentations

Each presentation is 15 minutes, followed by a 30-minute panel discussion. Please bring your own laptop and adapters. HDMI is available in all rooms. Do not rely on campus Wi-Fi for your presentation.

Wi-Fi

Eduroam is available for participants from member institutions. Campus guest Wi-Fi is available for all other attendees.

Accessibility

If you have accessibility requirements, please contact the organisers. A campus accessibility map is available at gold.ac.uk.

Visa & Invitation Letters

If travelling from outside the UK, check visa requirements well in advance. For a formal invitation letter contact Ida at [email protected].

§ 05

About

From early e-government experiments in the 1990s to today’s AI-driven public services, states have long sought to harness digital technologies to transform how they interact with citizens. The 2010s saw many countries collaborate on “digital transformation,” building an international community around ideals of openness and participation, while simultaneously competing in global rankings and using digital initiatives as instruments of nation branding and statecraft.

These dynamics unfold within a highly turbulent geopolitical context marked by democratic backsliding, growing Big Tech dependencies, and urgency around digital sovereignty. This symposium seeks to explore how we should think about digital government and the provision of public services in light of these shifting technological and political conditions.

§ 06

Forum

A space for participants to ask questions and share notes ahead of the symposium.

From: A Participant
27 Jan 2026
It would be helpful to know the start and end times for both days so I can arrange rail travel. Is this information available yet?
From: A Participant
27 Jan 2026
Is it recommended to prepare a full paper for the presentation? And do you plan to develop a special issue based on the conference?
From: Organisers
22 Feb 2026
Thank you for your questions. A full paper is not required — a well-developed draft or detailed notes are sufficient. On the special issue: yes, we are planning an edited volume or special issue following the symposium. Start and end times are now confirmed — see the programme above.