Michel Foucault at 100: Exploring his work, thought and influence. Online conference.
15th October 2026
Special online conference
Institute of Education and Skills
University of Derby, UK
09:15 – 14:30
Online via Microsoft Teams
Register here
Description
We are delighted to welcome you to this conference commemorating the centenary of the birth of Michel Foucault (1926 – 1984), one of the most influential and provocative thinkers of the twentieth century. One hundred years after his birth, Foucault’s intellectual legacy continues to challenge, disrupt and transform how we understand power, knowledge, subjectivity, discourse and the historical conditions through which we come to know ourselves and the world around us.
This conference provides an opportunity to celebrate, critically engage with and reconsider Foucault’s work and thought, reflecting not only upon his enduring influence across philosophy, education, sociology, history and the wider humanities and social sciences, but also upon the possibilities his ideas continue to open for contemporary scholarship. As we reflect upon a century since his birth, we invite participants to revisit familiar concepts, question established interpretations and explore new directions for Foucauldian thinking in an increasingly complex and changing world.
In the spirit of Foucault’s own commitment to critique, questioning and thinking differently, we hope this gathering will encourage lively debate, intellectual curiosity and productive encounters across disciplinary boundaries. We warmly welcome you to join us in reflecting on a century of Foucault, not simply to consider what his work has meant, but to ask what it might yet make possible.
