The International Conference on Behavioural and Social Computing (BESC) is a major interdisciplinary forum that bridges the gap between Artificial Intelligence, Computational Social Sciences, Natural Language Processing, and Behavioural/Psychological Sciences. As we navigate an era of rapid digital transformation, BESC 2026 aims to explore how emerging technologies redefine human interaction, economic structures, and social norms.

The BESC 2026 Organizing Committee invites proposals for Special Sessions focusing on foundational research, emerging trends, and high-impact applications. We particularly encourage proposals that address challenging open problems in Behavioral, Economic, and Socio-Cultural Computing.

While we welcome all topics within the BESC scope, we highly encourage proposals that explore (include but not limited to):

• Generative AI & Social Dynamics: The impact of LLMs and Multi-agent systems on social discourse and creative industries.
• Digital Mental Health & Well-being: AI-driven interventions and the psychology of long-term human-technology interaction.
• Ethics, Transparency & Governance: Addressing bias, fairness, and accountability in algorithmic decision-making.
• Misinformation & Synthetic Media: Detecting and mitigating the social effects of deepfakes and automated propaganda.
• Human-Agent Collaboration: The evolution of social computing in the age of autonomous digital assistants and embodied AI.
• Computational Macro-Socioeconomics: Using big data to model large-scale social shifts and economic resilience.

Proposal Submission Guidelines

Proposals should be submitted in PDF format, must not exceed two pages, and should include the following:

• Title of the proposed Special Session.
• Proposers: Names, affiliations, and full contact information.
• Program Committee: Names and affiliations of the proposed PC members for the session.
• Description & Rationale: A brief overview of the session’s scope, its relevance to BESC 2026 themes, and a list of specific topics covered.
• Dissemination Plan: A strategy for promoting the CFP and attracting high-quality submissions.

Important Notes

• Proceedings: Accepted papers in the Special Sessions will be published in the official BESC 2026 proceedings.
• Journal Opportunities: Outstanding papers in the Special Sessions will be invited to expanded versions in special issues of prestigious international journals (to be announced).
• Review Process: All submissions must undergo a double-blind peer-review process through the official BESC 2026 submission system and must be written in English.
• AI Policy: The use of AI-generated text must be clearly disclosed in the acknowledgments, with specific citations for the systems used.

Important Dates

Proposal Submission

All special session proposals can be sent to Special Session Chairs (Portal Email Address: yifan_zhu[at]bupt.edu.cn) for comprehensive consideration.

All inquiries about the special session proposal can be directed to the Special Session Chairs:

• Yifan Zhu, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China (yifan_zhu[at]bupt.edu.cn)
• Yongqing Sun, Nihon University, Japan (nakahara.eisei[at]nihon-u.ac.jp)
• Kei Wakabayashi, University of Tsukuba, Japan (kwakaba[at]slis.tsukuba.ac.jp)