On 16 and17 June, Marijn Hoijtink and Erik Reichborn-Kjennerud hosted a paper workshop in Antwerp to discuss drafts for the special issue on 'AI, Militarism, and Security'. Over the course of 1,5 intensive days, participants discussed 13 draft articles and commentaries, exchanged numerous conceptual ideas, and openly addressed common empirical challenges.
The event featured an illustrious lineup of senior and early-career scholars from the fields of Science and Technology Studies, critical security studies, International Relations, political economy, and media studies (see the program for more details). Their articles and commentaries covered a wide range of topics, with recurring themes running through many of the discussions, including the foundations of militarised ontologies; historical continuities and specificities in the assemblages linking the private tech sector, the security apparatus, and broader society; the travel of algorithmic technologies between the military, policing, and other security institutions; questions about what kinds of societies and policies produce and enable algorithmic warfare; and many more.
We enjoyed the fruitful debates and look forward to continuing the exchange and to the first publications of this special issue, expected in February 2027.
