Two scholarly bodies, one conference: the inaugural Conference for the Social Sciences in Auckland

New Zealand's two largest social-science scholarly bodies are joining forces in Auckland in December 2026 for the inaugural Conference for the Social Sciences. Held 2–4 December at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland, the gathering is themed on the whakataukī *He kai kei aku ringa* — "there is food in my hands" — which the organisers use to frame knowledge as sustenance, and resilience and hope as its harvest. A pre-conference Student Day precedes the main programme on 1 December.

Who runs it

The conference is a joint undertaking of the Association of Social Anthropologists of Aotearoa New Zealand (ASAANZ, also written ASAA/NZ) and the Sociological Association of Aotearoa (New Zealand) (SAANZ) — the national professional bodies for anthropology and sociology respectively. The University of Auckland's School of Social Sciences is the host unit, and SAANZ carries the official conference website.

Who it is for

It is a research conference aimed at scholars, academics and postgraduate students across the social sciences. The organisers name a broad disciplinary span — sociology, anthropology, Māori and Indigenous studies, criminology, politics and public policy, gender studies, media, geography, history, philosophy, psychology, social work, education and health. A confirmed opening keynote by Dr Margaret Kawharu and a Mātauranga Māori panel anchor the academic programme, and dedicated student sessions and social activities sit alongside the main streams.

The venue and logistics

Sessions are held at the University of Auckland's City Campus, with Building B201 at 10 Symonds Street named as a venue. The City Campus sits in central Auckland, on the edge of the CBD between Albert Park and Grafton, which places delegates within walking distance of the city centre's hotels, dining and waterfront. The precinct is well served by Auckland's bus network along Symonds Street and by the Inner Link service, and the city's rail hub at Waitematā (Britomart) is a short distance downhill from the campus. Auckland Airport connects to the city centre by the AirportLink bus and shuttle services.

Why it matters for New Zealand MICE

A first-time joint conference uniting two national associations signals a larger, consolidated academic audience than either body draws alone, and a recurring fixture if the inaugural edition lands well. Hosting it on a central-city university campus keeps delegates inside Auckland's CBD accommodation and hospitality catchment, and an event built around Māori knowledge frameworks and Indigenous scholarship reflects the kind of culturally grounded academic programming that is becoming a distinguishing feature of New Zealand's business-events offering.