TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA AS A TRANSFORMATIVE FORCE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL TRENDS
Mobility, as a synonym for movement and development, represents a constant and a fundamental condition of human natural and social existence. The principles and patterns of social interactions generally arise from processes of the sublimated transfer of scientific knowledge into technology, which then becomes a precondition for economic and, consequently, overall social development. Among the factors shaping contemporary reality, alongside technological development and its consequences, are climatic conditions as well as socio-political and geopolitical circumstances. All these factors, each in their own way, contribute to global migration processes as a form of geographical mobility, generating various challenges for future social development.
Technological development based on scientific insights and encompassing all aspects of digitalization and advanced artificial intelligence systems requires profound changes in all social subsystems. The conference will examine these processes through twelve thematic sections, with particular emphasis placed on the transformative power of technologies and their impact on social mobility. Since social development is realized through communication, the media, as the central component of the communication space, play a crucial role in shaping the social, political, economic, and cultural reality within which mobility and migration processes unfold.
Social mobility represents the foundation of creative and innovative progress in economic systems and communities. Within the framework of global mobility, migration constitutes its most visible segment and simultaneously represents a test of solidarity, intercultural dialogue, and the capacity for coexistence in a period of growing economic insecurity. The dynamics of technological development and the processes of globalization create new opportunities but also pose significant challenges for sustainable and socially responsible development. These processes accelerate migration flows and affect numerous social, economic, and cultural factors, while the scientific community and the broader public still do not offer comprehensive answers to the complexity of these issues.
The mission of contemporary technological development lies in enabling stable material existence, developing sustainable solutions, and fostering responsible coexistence between humanity and the natural environment.
The 30th International Scientific Conference “Society and Technology – 2026” therefore aims to connect knowledge and social practice, promote complementary and interdisciplinary cooperation between scientific and economic institutions, and seek and offer innovative solutions alongside in-depth answers to the key questions raised within the conference’s thematic sections. The strategic mission of the conference is to search for new solutions that can contribute to achieving a balance between technological development and social progress. The conference is being held at a time of exceptionally intense global migration processes, which lends the entire event additional scientific and social relevance. Through expert discussions, scientific rigor, and deliberative argumentation, participants will contribute to opening new insights into the development of contemporary economies and societies in the context of global mobility as both a challenge and an opportunity.
The conference will be held in a hybrid format. In addition to the live event in Zagreb, participants will also be able to take part online.
On behalf of the Initiative, Organising, and Programme Committees.
Assoc. Prof. Božidar Veljković, PhD