DHKO 2026
Digital Humanities, Society, and Democracy
The fourth annual conference of the National Research Network for Digital Humanities and Culture Organisation (DHKO) will be held at Høgskolen i Østfold (HiØ) at Campus Remmen, organised in colloboration with the research group Tekst-i-kontekst on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th October 2026. This year's DKHO conference focuses on digital humanities and their relationship to society and democracy.
We live in a time characterized by a rapidly changing geopolitical climate, where democracy is under pressure. How can digital humanities within academia and libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) contribute to societal preparedness and critical technology use in such a context? The DHKO conference 2026 explores these questions through a thematic focus on the interaction between digital humanities and society.
Previous DHKO conferences have often thematized resources and methods within AI, focusing on the opportunities AI can provide. However, the development of generative AI and the concentration of power in the technology industry raises questions about how the Norwegian language and society are equipped. How can AI contribute to solving this societal challenge, and what infrastructural investments are necessary?
If AI technologies represent the most modern side of digital humanities, two of the most classic methods are corpus studies and distant reading. Both methods can contribute to examining uneven power structures and, by extension, helping us shape a more democratic society.
In a broader perspective, the conference will lay the foundation for a more inclusive discussion about digital structures and their social implications, with the aim of reducing unjust power structures. These initiatives are essential for achieving both national and international goals in research and cultural dissemination.
Suggested themes include but are not limited to:
- Digital humanities and society
- Digital humanities and democracy
- Critical perspectives on technology in society
- Digital sovereignty
- Freedom and resistance in digital dissemination in the LAM field
- Experience-sharing and discussion of open source / open access
- DH methods to amplify marginalized voices
- Digital humanities, AI and the future
We invite contributions either in the form of oral presentation, poster or workshop. The overall focus should be on digital humanities and its relationship to society and democracy. We accept contributions in Scandinavian languages and English and look forward to many pleasant reunions and new acquaintances.
Send abstracts (max 300 words) to: DHKO2026@hiof.no.
The deadline for abstracts has passed.
Format and language: Please indicate whether your submission is for an oral presentation, poster, or workshop, as well as which language you will use.
Travel support: Thanks to funding from Klimafondet, conference participants joining from Bergen/Vestland can have part of their train journey covered. We offer a train workshop on the Bergensbanen, including the Bergen–Oslo train ticket and lunch.
Registration will open in September (if not before)
Keynotes for the conference are confirmed. These will be
Karl Berglund, Associate Professor in Literature, especially the Sociology of Literature, at Uppsala University. He has a long experience working in DH and has published widely within the field. His research interests are positioned at the intersection of sociology of literature and computational literary studies. He has, among other things, published the book Det stora lästa (‘The great read’), together with Johan Svedjedal, using digital methods to uncover what characterizes the style of Swedish authors today. You can read more about Berglund’s work here: Karl Berglund - Uppsala University
Anna Foka, Professor in Digital Humanities at the Department for Archives, Museums and Libraries (ABM) at Uppsala University and founder of the Centre for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences at the same university. One of her research interests is the use of AI in archeological research. Among other things, she directs her research interests toward the intersection of artificial intelligence, cultural history and heritage, adopting ethical and critical approaches. You can read more about Foka’s work here: Anna Foka - Uppsala University
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Contact persons:
Marcus Axelsson marcus.axelsson@hiof.no
Anje Müller Gjesdal anje.m.gjesdal@hiof.no