Eolving a Leading Community for Global Studies.

The Network was created to connect analysis of global systems with everyday experience—turning annual convenings into an integrated, year-round platform for publication and collaboration.

Eighteenth Global Studies Conference, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain (2025)
Eighteenth Global Studies Conference, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain (2025)

Overview

Established in 2008, the Network is among the early field-defining associations dedicated to global studies—growing into one of the leading interdisciplinary forums connecting conference exchange with peer-reviewed publishing.

Recurring and recent collaborators include National University of Singapore (Singapore), University of Granada (Granada, Spain), Jagiellonian University (Kraków, Poland), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Athens, Greece), Oxford Brookes University (Oxford, UK), and University of Málaga (Málaga, Spain)—among others.

Across editions, the Network has brought together leading voices on trade and finance, migration and diaspora, media and digital societies, human rights and governance, and climate and ecological risk—framing the “new globalization” through both empirical insight and theoretical critique. Speakers have included George Ritzer (University of Maryland, College Park, 2009), John Urry (Lancaster University, 2012), Ulrich Beck (University of Munich, 2012), Manoranjan Mohanty (Council for Social Development, 2013), Jack Qiu (Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014), Annabelle Sreberny (SOAS, University of London, 2015), Robin Mansell (London School of Economics, 2015), and Elzbieta Matynia (The New School, 2019).

Eighteenth Global Studies Conference, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain (2025)
Eighteenth Global Studies Conference, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain (2025)

Research Network Chairs

We are thankful for the leadership of the current and pastResearch Network Chairs.

Dr. Rafal Soborski

Dr. Rafal Soborski

Current Chair and Editor

(2019 - )

Jan Nederveen Pieterse

Jan Nederveen Pieterse

Founding Chair and Editor

(2008-2019)

Past Conferences

  • 2008 - Can the United States Correct Itself? University of Illinois, Chicago, USA
  • 2009 - The Middle East and 21st Century Globalization, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • 2010 - Global Rebalancing Culture of Crisis, Pusan National University, Pusan, South Korea
  • 2011 - Emerging Societies and Emancipation, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
  • 2012 - Eurasia and Globalization: Complexity and Global Studies, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
  • 2013 - Global Transformations, India International Centre, New Delhi, India
  • 2014 - Mapping the New Globalization, Center for Global Studies, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
  • 2015 - Power and Participation in the Age of Big Data, Imperial College, London, UK
  • 2016 - Rethinking Global Space in the Age of the Anthropocene—Futures of Ecological Interdependence, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
  • 2017 - Global Mobilities, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 2018 - Subjectivities of Globalization, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
  • 2019 - The "End of History” 30 Years On: Globalization Then and Now, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
  • 2020 - Globalization and Social Movements: Familiar Patterns, New Constellations? Concordia University, Montreal, Canada (Virtual)
  • 2021 - Life after Pandemic: Towards a New Global Biopolitics? Concordia University, Montreal, Canada (Virtual)
  • 2022 - What to Make of Crises: Emerging Methods, Principles, Actions, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
  • 2023 - Agency in an Era of Displacement and Social Change, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
  • 2024 - The World on the Move: Understanding Migration in a New Global Age, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
  • 2025 - Minds and Machines: Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms, Ethics, and Order in Global Society, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain

Plenary Speakers Highlights

The International Conference on Global Studies has a rich history of featuring leading and emerging voices from the field, including:

George Ritzer

George Ritzer

Distinguished Professor, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
(2009)

John Urry

John Urry

Professor, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
(2012)

Ulrick Beck

Ulrick Beck

Professor, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
(2012)

Manoranjan Mohanty

Manoranjan Mohanty

Council for Social Development, New Delhi, India
(2013)

Jack Qiu

Jack Qiu

Professor, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
(2014)

Annabelle Sreberny

Annabelle Sreberny

Emeritus Professor, SOAS, University of London, London, UK
(2015)

Robin Mansell

Robin Mansell

Professor, London School of Economics, London, UK
(2015)

Elzbieta Matynia

Elzbieta Matynia

Professor of Sociology and Liberal Studies, and founding director of the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies (TCDS), New School for Social Research, New York, USA
(2019)

Partners & Collaborators

Partnerships extend the Network’s scholar-led mission—linking universities and institutes that share our commitment to reimagining globalization. Past and ongoing collaborations include: