!Call for Participation: CCSWG ‘26
9th biennial Critical Code Studies Working Group
Jan 12 - Feb 6, 2026
To apply: Fill out this form
20 years after the publication of the manifesto, critical code studies has developed into a core approach to exploring digital objects. While the advent of generative AI and vibe coding point to a future where code is less handwritten, these new tools also create an opportunity for more people to read and write code. In this changing landscape, the increase in hegemonic and autocratic systems of control make digital citizens even more vulnerable to unseen code. Join us as we continue our exploration of the meaning of code.
CCSWG is the major online think tank for Critical Code Studies, a hub of dialogue and collaborative inquiry that generates major thrust in the reading of code. Discussion and code critiques from previous working groups have appeared in electronic book review and have contributed to conference panels, essays, books, and more, including multiple book projects with The MIT Press and special issues of Digital Humanities Quarterly.
Planned topics for this year include:
*Reading and writing code with AI
*UNESCO special exhibit on code
*What is “critical” about Critical Code Studies?
*Retro AI: Archaeology of historical AI systems