Digital Futures: The Digital Humanities in Islamic Studies
An inaugural two-day conference convened by the Ismaili Special Collections Unit, The Institute of Ismaili Studies Dates: Thursday 28 May – Friday 29 May 2026 Times: Day 1, 10:15 – 17:15 | Day 2, 10:00 – 14:20
This inaugural conference brings into focus how the digital humanities can broaden the horizons of Islamic Studies, with particular attention to the Institute's longstanding commitments to Ismaili and broader Shiʿi studies. As the wider academy rapidly adopts digital methods and artificial intelligence for research, interpretation, and scholarly communication, Digital Futures seeks to develop a distinctive approach grounded in rigorous humanistic inquiry, critical method, and the ethical responsibilities of scholarship.
Over two days, IIS staff, students, alumni, and invited guests will engage with six thematic areas: digital texts and manuscripts; data, networks, and spatial histories; archives, material culture, and preservation; memory, community, and digital religion; artificial intelligence, authority, and ethics; and pedagogy and institutional practice.
Keynote address by Professor Sarah Savant (Aga Khan University, Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations) on Thursday 28 May, whose pioneering work on the KITAB project has shaped the field of Arabic digital humanities.
The conference features five thematic panels with contributions from IIS faculty, doctoral researchers, and alumni, alongside international scholars working at the intersection of Islamic Studies and the digital humanities.
Booking notes:
Registration includes entry to all panels, the keynote, lunch, and refreshments on both days.
A full programme and speaker biographies will be shared with registered attendees closer to the event.
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 on Thursday 28 May, whose pioneering work on the KITAB project has shaped the field of Arabic digital humanities. The conference features five thematic panels with contributions from IIS faculty, doctoral researchers, and alumni, alongside international scholars working at the intersection of Islamic Studies and the digital humanities.Booking notes: Registration includes entry to all panels, the keynote, lunch, and refreshments on both days. A full programme and speaker biographies will be shared with registered attendees closer to the event. To attend online: https://iis-ac-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3q7korwCQQmGE3-bwky_Qg#/registrationMore information: https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/digital-humanities-conference-2026/ &source=https://dmluoj0wft2i7.cloudfront.net/thumbnails/media_slide_16x9/cdn/images/69e8dbbc55452.jpg "LinkedIn")
 on Thursday 28 May, whose pioneering work on the KITAB project has shaped the field of Arabic digital humanities. The conference features five thematic panels with contributions from IIS faculty, doctoral researchers, and alumni, alongside international scholars working at the intersection of Islamic Studies and the digital humanities.Booking notes: Registration includes entry to all panels, the keynote, lunch, and refreshments on both days. A full programme and speaker biographies will be shared with registered attendees closer to the event. To attend online: https://iis-ac-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3q7korwCQQmGE3-bwky_Qg#/registrationMore information: https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/digital-humanities-conference-2026/ "Facebook")