CRITICAL POLICY DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2026
Critical Policy Discourse Analysis – International Conference 2026 is a three‑day international event dedicated to the critical study of policy texts, talk, and wider discursive practices.
Key dates:
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5 February 2026 - call for panels and paper proposals
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15 February 2026 - PhD pre-conference registration opens
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1 March 2026 - main conference early-bird registration opens
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8 May 2026 - main conference full-rate registration opens
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29 May 2026 - registration closes
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15 June 2026 - PhD pre-conference
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16-18 June 2026 - main conference
About the conference
Critical policy discourse analysis is an approach to analysing policy text, discourse and language which 'bridges the literature on critical discourse analysis and critical policy studies.' This conference - Critical Policy Discourse Analysis 2026 - is the first conference dedicated to scholarship in CPDA.
Conference chair: Dr Michael Farrelly. The conference is chaired and organised by Dr Michael Farrelly, co-editor of Critical Policy Discourse Analysis
Keynote speaker: Dr Jane Mulderrig. We are pleased to announce that the keynote speaker for this inaugural conference is Dr Jane Mulderrig, University of Sheffield.
The venue
The conference will be held at The Mowbray in the former industrial centre of the city of Sheffield: Kelham Island. In walking distance of Sheffield city centre, with nearby hotels, cafes, bars and places to eat, the Mowbray is a great venue that is easy to get to and which will enable lots discussion and the making of new connections.
Provisional programme
16th June - Day 1 09:00 - Registration 09:30 - Opening Plenary/Welcome speech from the conference chair, Dr Michael Farrelly 10:30 - Break 11:00 - Paper session 1 12:30 - Lunch 13:30 - Paper session 2 15:00 - Break 15:30 - Paper session 3 17th June - Day 2 09:00 - Registration 09:30 - Keynote speech: Dr Jane Mulderrig 10:30 - Break 11:00 - Paper session 4 12:30 - Lunch 13:30 - Paper session 5 15:00 - Break 15:30 - Paper session 6 18th June - Day 3 09:00 - Paper session 7 10:30 - Break 11:00 - Paper session 8 12:30 - Lunch 13:30 - Paper session 9 15:00 - Break 15:30 - Conference closing address
Call for panels and papers
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
3 April 2026
Call for Panels and Papers
First International Conference on Critical Policy Discourse Analysis
This conference is the first international meeting dedicated to Critical Policy Discourse Analysis (CPDA). It brings together scholars who analyse policy texts and discourse from a critical perspective, with a particular interest in the CPDA approach, as well as closely related traditions in critical policy analysis, interpretive policy analysis, and cultural political economy.
We invite contributions that examine how policy problems, actors and solutions are discursively constructed; how power, ideology and inequality are reproduced or contested in and through policy discourse; and how policy texts are embedded in wider socio‑economic and political contexts. Proposals may focus on any policy sector, geographical context or methodological approach, provided they engage critically with policy discourse.
Please submit your panel or individual paper proposal here:
Individual Paper Proposal Form
Abstracts should be submitted by 3 April 2026.
Registration
***Registration for the PhD pre-conference - 15th June - is now open!!***
Registration details 15 February 2026 - PhD pre-conference registration opens 1 March 2026 - Main conference early-bird registration opens 8 May 2026 - Main conference full-rate 29th My 2026 - Registration closes
The first international conference on critical policy discourse analysis: bringing together scholars working on policy text and discourse from a critical perspective, with a particular focus on CPDA.