The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is excited to announce the Call for Papers for its Second Conference with the theme Development Trajectories: Understanding Poverty, Inequality, and Human Capital in the Global South.
The conference will be held at Information Technology University (Barki Campus) on February 12-13, 2026.
Across the Global South, development challenges are becoming increasingly interconnected. Persistent poverty, widening inequality, and uneven access to education and healthcare continue to shape social and economic outcomes. At the same time, governments and institutions face growing questions about the effectiveness of development aid and the role of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in shaping policy, service delivery, and opportunity.
As Amartya Sen reminds us, “Development has to be more than just the accumulation of wealth; it has to be about expanding the freedoms and capabilities of people.” This year’s conference builds on this understanding by exploring how economic structures, human capital formation, governance systems, and technological transformations work together to influence development trajectories across the Global South. Understanding poverty, for example, requires attention to education, health, and labour markets. Examining inequality involves studying welfare systems, institutional constraints, and access to public goods. Meanwhile, the rapid expansion of AI raises important questions about fairness, inclusion, and the future of work in developing contexts. Together, these inquiries aim to deepen our understanding of the complex and evolving dynamics that shape development trajectories today.
Building on these interconnected themes, we invite scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to submit their research addressing the key themes of the conference, which include:
- Poverty
- Inequality
- Education
- Health
- Development Aid / Aid Effectiveness
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in development
This conference aims to deepen understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the Global South and to promote innovative, evidence-based research that can inform inclusive and sustainable development policies.
Submission Options
Participants may choose to apply for either:
- Oral Presentation (Regular Paper Session)
- Poster Presentation
Important Dates
- Submission Deadline: January 5, 2025
- Notification of Acceptance: January 20, 2025
Submission Email: fhss.conference@itu.edu.pk
For further guidelines or queries, please contact:
Kafeel Sarwar – kafeel.sarwar@itu.edu.pk
Yousra Jamil – yousra.jamil@itu.edu.pk
Maleeha Sattar – maleeha.sattar@itu.edu.pk
Keynote Speaker
We are delighted to announce Dr. Christian Oldiges as the keynote speaker for this year’s conference.
Dr. Oldiges currently serves as Chief, Social Policy Section at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). He previously worked as Senior Economist at UN ESCWA, and as a Policy Specialist with UNDP in New York. Earlier in his career, he served as Director of Policy Research at the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford, where he led pioneering research on multidimensional poverty measurement and policy advocacy.
Alongside Dr. Oldiges, several other renowned experts will be joining the conference to share their insights and engage in thought-provoking discussions.
Join Us
We look forward to welcoming you to this conference and to engaging in rich discussions that advance understanding and collaboration for sustainable development across the Global South.
