The University of Deusto co-organises the 16th Spanish Congress of Sociology in Bilbao

The city of Bilbao will host the 16th Spanish Congress of Sociology from 15 to 17 July 2026, the leading scientific event in this field in Spain. Under the theme “Retos, evidencias, soluciones / Erronkak, ebidentziak, erantzunak” (“Challenges, evidence, solutions”), the event is co-organised by the University of Deusto (UD), the Spanish Federation of Sociology (FES), the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the Basque Association of Sociology and Political Science (AVSP/ESZPE). This edition marks a milestone in the history of the congress, as it is the first time it has been held in Bilbao. The only previous edition to take place in the Basque Country was held in San Sebastian in 1989.

Over the course of three days of events, nearly 1,000 professionals and researchers will discuss current social, economic and technological transformations through more than 1,500 academic papers presented across 41 working groups. The discussions and presentations will focus on issues of major relevance to the public agenda, such as difficulties in accessing housing, gender inequalities, demographic ageing and social cohesion. The Congress will also address contemporary migration, the impacts of the climate crisis and the effects of Artificial Intelligence, which will play a prominent role in the programme, with dedicated symposia on the algorithmic management of employment and the future of scientific research.  

The congress is designed to transfer sociological knowledge directly to society and to decision-making processes. To this end, the overall programme includes talks by national and international experts, discussions between the scientific community and the profession to foster synergies in sectors such as health and public policy, and networking opportunities for consultancy firms and specialist publishers. In addition, the weeks leading up to the congress have featured cultural and outreach activities across the city, while the days immediately before the event have included specialised training in methodological analysis tools for postgraduate students and early-career researchers.