I am pleased to announce my participation in the 13th Annual Conference on International Studies (CESRAN2026), taking place from 7 to 10 July 2026 at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary.
CESRAN2026 represents one of the most significant international gatherings in the field of political science and international relations, bringing together scholars and researchers from across the globe. I am honoured to contribute to this year's edition in three distinct capacities: as a member of the Organising Committee, as Chair of a panel, and as Discussant for another panel, alongside a dedicated Book Discussion Panel on my latest monograph.
On Thursday, 9 July 2026, from 09:30 to 10:30, a special Book Discussion Panel will be dedicated to my latest book: Synthetic Reality: AI, the Metaverse, and the Ethics of a New Digital Humanism (Edizioni Intra, 2026).
The session will take place in the Faculty Meeting Hall – Kari Tanacsterem and will be moderated by Associate Professor Ferenc Petruska, Vice-Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Military Science and Officer Training of the Ludovika University of Public Service, and Head of the Department of Military Law and Administration. H.E. Giuseppe Scognamiglio, Ambassador of Italy to Hungary and Minister Plenipotentiary, will attend the discussion. You can follow the session online via the Microsoft Teams platform by connecting to the following link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/340048467284640?p=9dxtJrgnHvWGh5UYWl.
Synthetic Reality examines how artificial intelligence and immersive digital environments are reshaping human experience, public discourse, and the broader socio-political landscape. The book features a foreword by Professors Joaquim Jorge and Catarina Moreira (UNESCO Chairs on Artificial Intelligence & Extended Reality) and an afterword by political philosopher Ermanno Vitale. The book discussion panel offers a unique opportunity to engage with the core arguments of the volume and to reflect on the ethical and political challenges posed by algorithmic governance and the metaverse.
Also on Thursday, 9 July 2026, from 14:00 to 15:30, I will serve as Chair of Panel 14 on Democracy, Emergency Powers and Civil Society, held in the Faculty Meeting Hall – Kari Tanacsterem.
This panel, which can be attended online via Microsoft Teams at https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/340048467284640?p=9dxtJrgnHvWGh5UYWl, brings together scholars examining critical questions at the intersection of democratic governance, emergency powers, and civil society resilience. The session will feature contributions on:
The European Union's response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Yulieht Martinez Villalba)
Comparative analysis of discursive legitimation by heads of state in Italy and Germany during Covid-19 (Valeria Carmen Caputo)
Perceptions of civil society activists in Kosovo on international military presence (Burim Ramadani)
Ideological stigmatisation and political opposition in Romania (George-Daniel Nistor)
- Religious challenges in the Georgian socio-political environment (Salome Dundua)
Later that same day, from 16:00 to 17:30, I will serve as Discussant for Panel 16 on Geopolitics of the Middle East and Global Order, also in the Faculty Meeting Hall – Kari Tanacsterem.
This panel, also available online via Microsoft Teams at the link https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/340048467284640?p=9dxtJrgnHvWGh5UYWl, explores critical geopolitical dynamics shaping the Middle East and their implications for the broader international order, with presentations on:
Ontological security and Israel's search for 'thick' recognition (Karel Franco Valansi)
Israel's recognition of Somaliland and its implications for the international system (Mehmet Alkış)
Political participation among overseas Filipino workers in Qatar (Fritz Nathan A. Diaz, Danica Jane A. Araoarao, Danilo D. Tan)
China's navigation of an upended world order (Andrew K P Leung)
Beyond my active participation in the scientific programme, I am honoured to serve as a member of the Organising Committee of CESRAN2026, alongside distinguished colleagues including Professors Ken Booth, Ozgur Tufekci, Rahman Dag, Rashed Daher, Luis Tomé, Sandra Dias Fernandes, Salome Dundua, and Tomasz Marcinkowski.
Additionally, I serve as Associate Editor for The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development, a journal published by CESRAN International that welcomes theoretical, conceptual, and empirical analyses on global governance, world politics, and emerging issues from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives.
The conference is organised with the support of several partner institutions, including Eötvös Loránd University, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (OBSERVARE), University of Minho (CICP), Tbilisi State University, Bursa Uludağ University, and Jacob of Paradies University.
For more information, including the full programme and session links, please visit the conference website: www.cesranconference.org.
