The GIG-ARTS (Global Internet Governance Actors, Regulations, Transactions and Strategies) conference is a European annual multidisciplinary academic venue to present and discuss developments in Global Internet Governance (GIG) and their implications in and beyond this field of research. It is one of the outcomes of the GIG-ARTS project.

The GIG-ARTS conference aims to complement and bridge between existing venues, such as established International or European disciplinary conferences in the social sciences (e.g. IAMCR, ICA, ISA, IPSA, ECPR, EISA, … general conferences), where GIG scholars sometimes find their interdisciplinary research marginalized in terms of issues, areas and disciplines; or such as in the only venue specialized in GIG so far (the Annual GigaNet Symposium), organized as a pre-event of the UN annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) since 2006, making it difficult to both focus on European developments and accommodate a larger academic community than the one that is used to participating in IGF proceedings.

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GIG-ARTS over the years
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GIG-ARTS over the years
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GIG-ARTS over the years
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GIG-ARTS over the years
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GIG-ARTS over the years
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GIG-ARTS over the years
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The GIG-ARTS conference objectives are threefold: (1) to foster the enlargement and diversification of this academic community in order to increase its visibility; (2) to open more opportunities to young scholars, particularly from Europe and its neighbourhood; and (3) to anchor its discussions in the European context, providing a space where the scholarly community can address regional challenges and contribute to regional discussions.

Since its inception in 2017, the GIG-ARTS conference has focused on a central theme each year. In addition to keynote speeches, academic presentations, and discussions, the conference includes at least one roundtable featuring a debate with practitioners centered on that theme. We have archived all key information about our previous conferences, including the detailed programmes, presentation abstracts, speaker profiles, and more. You can start by clicking here to explore these resources.

Explore our history timeline below to see the themes and chairs for each conference

GIG-ARTS Conference Timeline

GIG-ARTS 2017 – Paris

Theme: Global Internet Governance as a Diplomacy Issue

General Chair: Meryem Marzouki

GIG-ARTS 2018 – Cardiff

Theme: Overcoming Inequalities in Internet Governance

General Chair: Andrea Calderaro

GIG-ARTS 2019 – Salerno

Theme: Europe as a Global Player in Internet Governance

General Chairs: Francesco Amoretti, Mauro Santaniello

GIG-ARTS 2020 – Vienna

Theme: Online Information Governance

General Chairs: Meryem Marzouki, Katharine Sarikakis

Status: Cancelled due to Covid-19

GIG-ARTS 2021 – Vienna

Theme: Online Information Governance

Status: Cancelled due to the pandemic

GIG-ARTS 2022 – Nicosia

Theme: Global Internet Governance and International Human Rights

General Chairs: Konstantinos Kouroupis, Meryem Marzouki, Katharine Sarikakis

GIG-ARTS 2023 – Padova

Theme: The Governance of Cybersecurity

General Chairs: Meryem Marzouki, Maria Stella Righettini, Claudia Padovani, Mauro Santaniello

GIG-ARTS 2024 – The Hague

Theme: 30 Years of Multistakeholderism in Internet Governance

General Chairs: Jan Aart Scholte, Tatiana Tropina, Meryem Marzouki, Mauro Santaniello

GIG-ARTS 2025 – Salerno

Theme: The Rise of Digital Sovereignty: Ambiguities and Challenges

General Chairs: Francesco Amoretti, Nicola Palladino, Mauro Santaniello