Duncan Watts (University of Pennsylvania) presents his work on “Integrating Explanation and Prediction in Computational Social Science” at The Future of the Social Sciences VI: Theory, Prediction, and Confirmation, held by the Center for the Study of Economy and Society (CSES) in New York City on February 13, 2026.
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
“A hardhitting economic sociology would attempt to draw on the best of sociology and economics, and to unite interests and social relations in one and the same analysis.”— Richard Swedberg
