Please join us for The Future of the Social Sciences, 2026: Theory, Prediction, and Confirmation, a two-day conference taking place February 13–14 in New York City, hosted by Cornell University’s Center for the Study of Economy and Society and Department of Sociology, and co-sponsored by the Russell Sage Foundation. The conference brings together leading scholars to tackle the challenges of explanation, prediction, and empirical confirmation in the social sciences. From computational models and field experiments to cross-national studies of innovation and policy, participants will explore how theory and evidence intersect to advance understanding in complex social systems. Keynotes, interactive sessions, and discussions highlight when prediction works, how context shapes outcomes, and how experiments and theory can be integrated to generate robust, actionable insights. Each day will conclude with a dinner, giving attendees an opportunity to connect, discuss ideas, and continue the conversation.

This is a hybrid event, attend virtually on Zoom.

Speakers / Participants

• Delia Baldassarri (New York University)
• Forest Briscoe (Cornell University)
• Paul DiMaggio (New York University) – Keynote introducer
• Henry Farrell (Johns Hopkins University)
• Oliver Hart (Harvard University) – Keynote speaker
• J. Håkan Holm (Lund University)
• Paul Ingram (Columbia University)
• Margaret Levi (Stanford University)
• Victor Nee (Cornell University)
• Shaun Nichols (Cornell University)
• Kai Quek (University of Hong Kong)
• Eldar Shafir (Princeton University)
• Sirui Wang (CSES / McKinsey & Co)
• Duncan Watts (University of Pennsylvania)
• Erik Wengström (Lund University)
• Bruce Western (Russell Sage Foundation)

For more information, visit the conference website.