8th ANNUAL COMPTEXT Conference 2026

                    Call for papers: 8th ANNUAL COMPTEXT Conference 2026

Welcome to COMPTEXT 2026 — the Eighth International and Interdisciplinary Conference on the Quantitative and Computational Analysis of Text, Image, Audio, and Video as Data.

The conference will take place on 23–25 April 2026 at The University of Birmingham, UK.

As always, COMPTEXT brings together a vibrant international community of scholars applying computational methods to research questions in the social sciences and humanities. The conference provides great opportunities to present ongoing research, receive constructive feedback, participate in workshops, and engage with an interdisciplinary network of colleagues. We particularly strive to support early-career researchers by offering them meaningful opportunities for professional growth.

Special Themes for COMPTEXT 2026

The 2020s are defined by the rapid expansion and societal impact of generative models.

This year’s conference highlights two cross-cutting themes:

1. “Fehlerkultur” in Science: Embracing a culture of learning from errors strengthens transparency, improves research practice, and reflects the often non-linear reality of scientific discovery.

2. Sustainability and AI: Exploring how large language models and other generative systems shape environmental and social futures – for better and for worse. Understanding the environmental costs and societal externalities of AI is essential for responsible research.

While these plenary roundtables set up a thematic backdrop for the conference, paper submissions need not address these themes.

Workshops — 23 April 2026

In keeping with COMPTEXT tradition, the first conference day is dedicated to a series of methods workshops for registered participants, offered at both introductory and advanced levels.

If you are interested in teaching a workshop, please contact the organisers at comptext26@compextconference.org by 16 January 2026.

Call for Papers and Panels

We invite submissions from all areas applying computational tools to analyse social, political, cultural, or linguistic phenomena. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • Research using image, video, text, audio, or digital trace data;
  • New computational methods, tools, or datasets;
  • Methodological critiques or comparisons;
  • Interdisciplinary applications at the intersection of computer science and substantive domains.

We accept both substantive and methodological papers.

Panels

Proposals for panels of 3–4 papers with a common methodological or substantive thread are welcome. Please submit all papers individually and notify the organisers separately by email at comptext26@compextconference.org that these are intended to form a panel.

Submission Format

  • Title
  • Abstract (max. 250 words)
  • Authors (including institutional affiliations and emails for all named authors)
  • Four keywords (data, methods, key theory, geographical region the study take place in)

Please submit everything with the following FORM.

Timeline

  • 16 January 2026 — Submission deadline
  • 17 February 2026 — Notifications of acceptance
  • 17 March 2026 — Programme published and registration opens
  • 8 April 2026 — Full paper upload deadline

A conference fee applies to all presenting authors and workshop participants and is inclusive of both the conference and workshops. Reduced rates will be available for students (B.A., M.A., PhD).

Conference Location

University of Birmingham

Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT

United Kingdom

A city guide with recommendations for travel, accommodation, and local activities will be provided soon.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

COMPTEXT is committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse conference environment. We strongly encourage participation from scholars of all backgrounds, especially those from underrepresented groups, female scholars, and early-career researchers. We have a dedicated email address for any concerns: EDI@comptextconference.org. We will take any message reaching us very seriously.

Organising Committees

Program Committee

  • Christian Arnold (University of Birmingham)
  • Fabienne Lind (University of Vienna)
  • Martin Waehlisch (University of Birmingham)
  • Miklós Sebők (ELTE Centre for Social Sciences, Budapest)

Local Organising Committee — University of Birmingham

  • Aditi Dutta
  • Allison Koh
  • Alona O. Dolinsky
  • Andreas Küpfer
  • Christian Arnold
  • Tim Henrichsen
  • Martin Waehlisch
  • Yen-Chieh Liao

Contact

For any other question and enquiries related to COMPTEXT 2026, please email:

comptext26@compextconference.org

Thank you for joining us in Birmingham! We look forward to welcoming you to COMPTEXT 2026.