Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Conference 2026 (Online) — Call for Abstracts

The Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Conference 2026 is an international, inter-institutional online conference hosted by the University of Derby, in partnership with the University of Portsmouth and supported by the International Society of Economic Criminology (ISEC). The conference will be held online on 8 September 2026.

It explores, discusses and investigates the phenomena of modern slavery and human trafficking. Contributions will provide scholars and policymakers with a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the evolution and features of modern slavery and human trafficking, the victims of these phenomena, the identity and typology of the entities involved, and the challenges facing stakeholders in the fight against these crimes. The conference also aims to gather ideas for potential solutions and to identify emerging hurdles on the horizon.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• The fight against modern slavery and/or human trafficking
• The legal frameworks developed to address modern slavery and/or human trafficking
• The role of international actors
• The projected future of human trafficking and/or modern slavery
• The influence of the internet, and more specifically AI, in facilitating these crimes
• Involvement and liability of digital providers for their role in these phenomena
• Emerging transnational threats

The call is open to scholars, researchers, PhD candidates, practitioners and policymakers interested in delivering a paper on modern slavery and/or human trafficking. Decisions on the acceptance of proposals and invitations to present at the conference will be communicated in due course.

Interested contributors should submit an abstract together with their biographical details no later than 7 July 2026 using the official online form.

No submission or registration fee is mentioned in the call for abstracts. This is an ISEC-recognised conference.

Submit your abstract and biographical details through the official Microsoft Forms call-for-abstracts form by 7 July 2026. For any queries, email Ms Michala Meiselles at m.meiselles@derby.ac.uk.