British Journal of Sociology Conference 2026
23 and 24 April 2026, LSE, UK
Following the success of the inaugural British Journal of Sociology Conference in 2024, we’re excited to announce its return in 2026. The British Journal of Sociology (BJS) editors are now accepting abstract submissions for the major international conference, to be held at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) on 23 and 24 April 2026, in the year of LSE’s 130th anniversary.
The BJS conference will showcase cutting-edge research from across the discipline of sociology, and will also feature keynotes, plenary sessions curated by the Editors, and a series of author-meets-critics sessions debating high-profile new books. It will provide a pivotal in-person platform for more than 200 academics across the discipline to advance their research in conversation with colleagues, to learn about the most exciting theoretical, empirical, and methodological developments in the field as well as to foster new synergies and collaborations around pressing challenges relevant to sociology.
View the full two-day programme and the programme summary.
The inaugural BJS Conference, which took place in April 2024 at LSE, welcomed over 300 attendees from 138 different academic institutions and 23 countries.
Abstract submission has now closed.
General Admission tickets for the conference can be purchased via our online store.
Keynote speakers
Professor Monica Prasad, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Economic and Political Sociology, John Hopkins
Professor Monica Prasad is a sociologist who analyses the complexities of capitalism, neoliberalism, and social policy. In her first book, The Politics of Free Markets, Prasad examines the rise of neoliberal policies in the 1970s and 1980s in the U.S., Britain, France, and Germany. In The Land of Too Much she provides a new explanation for why the U.S. looks so different from other developed countries. In her most recent book, Starving the Beast, Prasad dissects the American neoliberal obsession with tax cuts and investigates the history of the Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA) and its effect on our economy forty years later.
Professor Jens Beckert, Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies
Professor Jens Beckert is Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne, Germany, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Cologne. In 2018 he was awarded the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize for his work reinvigorating the social sciences with an interdisciplinary perspective, especially at the intersection of sociology and economics. His research focuses on the fields of economic sociology, sociology of wealth and more recently on issues of climate change. His most recent book How we sold our future. The failure to fight climate change came out with Polity Press in 2025.
British Journal of Sociology 2024 highlights
Please send any queries to bjs@lse.ac.uk. A list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found below.
Dr Rebecca Elliott, LSE
Dr Ali Meghji, University of Cambridge
How do I submit my abstract for consideration?
Applications have now closed. We are unable to accept any late submissions.
Does the CfP include the possibility of publishing an article?
There will be no possibility of publishing papers in the journal with the CfP, but you are of course welcome to submit papers to the BJS later down the line.
How can I attend the conference?
General Admission tickets for the conference can be purchased via our online store.
Tickets are non refundable.
How much does it cost to attend the conference?
Attending an in-person conference is a valuable opportunity to disseminate your research and make new connections; however, we understand that the associated costs often pose a barrier to participation for some. To ensure that as many researchers as possible can benefit from participating in the British Journal of Sociology Conference, registration fees for the conference have been set at two price tiers.
| Waged Academic | £200.00 |
| Concession (Unwaged, ECR, Student) | £125.00 |
Is there any additional funding that I can apply for?
For participants who require assistance with conference travel and accommodation expenses, we offer 15 travel bursaries to help offset the costs associated with attending our event. There are 10 bursaries of up to £250 and 5 bursaries of up to £1000, to offer greater levels of support to those in lower-income countries. The bursaries of up to £250 are available to delegates in countries in Category A and the bursaries of up to £1000 are open to those in Category B countries. Please refer to the BJS list of countries by category.
The deadline to apply for a bursary is Friday 5 December 2025. We cannot accept any late applications.
How can I register to attend?
Accepted presenters will have received a registration link via email. Please get in touch with bjs@lse.ac.uk with any queries.
General Admission tickets for the conference can be purchased via our online store.
Can I pay via invoice rather than the LSE Online Store?
No, all tickets must be purchased via the LSE Online Store.
I am presenting at the conference, what should I prepare?
Each session will last 1 hour and 30 minutes, with 30 minutes reserved for Q&A. If you are on a panel of three you should expect to present for around 18 minutes, if you are on a panel of four you should expect to present for around 14 minutes.
You can use a PowerPoint Presentation but are not required to. If you plan to use a PowerPoint Presentation you must bring this with you on a USB. You will not be able to plug in your laptop.
Please arrive at the room where your panel is taking place 5 minutes before the start time.
Is there a prayer space I can access during the conference?
LSE's Faith Centre is open to visitors and has spaces for reflection and prayer.
Where can I find out more about accessibility at the conference?
We are committed to making the conference as accessible as we can to all delegates. Please see our Accessibility Map. AccessAble have produced detailed access guides to LSE's campus, and route maps between key locations.
Can publishers attend?
If you are a publisher and are interested in attending the BJS Conference, please get in touch with bjs@lse.ac.uk to discuss our exhibitor packages. Publishers cannot attend under general registration tickets.
Where can I find the conference programme?
You can find the programme here. We will not be printing the programme at the conference.
Where can I find out more about accommodation?
Please see our Travel Guide for information on nearby hotels.
What are the nearest stations to LSE?
There are a number of London Underground and National Rail stations nearby. Holborn and Temple tube stations are within a 10-minute walk. Blackfriars, Charing Cross, City Thameslink, and Farringdon rail stations are all within a 20-minute walk. Please see our location on Google Maps for more information.
- Abstract submission deadline: 20 October 2025
- Decision on paper acceptance: w/c 10 November 2025
- Bursary application deadline: Friday 5 December 2025
- Presenter registration deadline: Monday 12 January 2026
- Conference dates: 23 and 24 April 2026
Attending an in-person conference is a valuable opportunity to disseminate your research and make new connections; however, we understand that the associated costs often pose a barrier to participation for some. To ensure that as many researchers as possible can benefit from participating in the British Journal of Sociology Conference, we are able to provide a limited number of bursaries for those experiencing financial hardship.
For participants who require assistance with conference travel and accommodation expenses, we offer 15 travel bursaries to help offset the costs associated with attending our event. There are 10 bursaries of up to £250 and 5 bursaries of up to £1000, to offer greater levels of support to those in lower-income countries. The bursaries of up to £250 are available to delegates in countries in Category A and the bursaries of up to £1000 are open to those in Category B countries. Please refer to the BJS list of countries by category.
Bursary applications have closed.