The Science Diplomacy group of research fellows at the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS) at Aarhus University in Denmark invites submissions of abstracts for the conference “Imagining New Ground for Science Diplomacy” to be held on 16–17 June 2026 at AIAS at Aarhus University, Denmark.
Science diplomacy has long been understood as the set of activities operating at the intersection of science and foreign policy, often with science positioned as a tool to be instrumentalized in moments of tension or as a mechanism of competition. Histories of science and science and technology studies remind us that the relationship between science and global relations has always been essential, yet the many ways in which science diplomacy unfolds in practice are still being unpacked in all their complexity.
Today, the field of science diplomacy stands at a significant turning point. This reflects a shifting global landscape, marked by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which function both as tools for diplomatic engagement and as sources of competition; increasingly complex and tension-filled multipolar power relations and urgent planetary challenges. Against this backdrop, science and the diplomatic power it wields is frequently cast in political discourse as the essential key to both addressing these challenges and securing competitive advantage on the global stage.
This moment represents an opportunity to broaden and enrich the field: to make space for fresh perspectives and approaches to the topic and to invite those already working on science diplomacy to consider where multiple conceptions of “science” and multiple understandings of “diplomacy” intersect, conflict and co-exist. Part of this broadening involves moving beyond the traditional focus on the so-called hard sciences and engineering to more fully examine how the intersection of diplomacy and science plays out across a wider range of fields, including the social and human sciences.
We ask: Where can we imagine new ground—and new grounding—for science diplomacy? What practices, perspectives, and possibilities have we overlooked when thinking about how science exists at the intersection of its epistemic and diplomatic dimensions?
Approaching the concept and field of science diplomacy as part of a larger ecosystem of knowledge, power, and global relations requires critically rethinking its foundations and its futures. This means interrogating inherited assumptions, experimenting with new analytical frames, and asking what has been neglected or excluded. For example:
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - DEADLINES
To be considered for participation, please submit a title, an abstract (of a maximum of 300 words) and a short bio (of a maximum of 200 words) by 8 December 2025 as the latest.
Notification of acceptance will be sent no later than 1 January 2026.
We will consider the possibility of a publication based on selected contributions, and details will be discussed during the conference. Please note that acceptance of an abstract for the conference does not guarantee inclusion in any subsequent publication.
The conference is open to all interested, and registration will open in late January 2026 from this page.
The conference is organised by the AIAS-Science Diplomacy Theme-group consisting of four fellows:
Casper Andersen, Department of Philosophy and History of Ideas, Aarhus University, Denmark
Maria Rentetzi, Department of Science Technology and Gender Studies, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
Matteo de Donà, Department of Political Science, Lund University, Sweden
Rachel Fishberg, Department of Political Science at Aarhus University, Denmark
AIAS is a member of the European Union Science Diplomacy Alliance.
Science diplomacy as research topic and practice is a thematic focus at AIAS.
