Come to Cory Doctorow’s keynote lecture at the 2026 Bennett Oxford Symposium on Open Code in Science!

We’re excited to announce that Cory Doctorow – yes, the Cory Doctorow – will be delivering the closing keynote at the 2026 Bennett Oxford Symposium on Open Code in Science!

Cory’s talk will focus on the “Post-American Internet” or what he calls “a new digital nervous system for the 21st century” using open code and more! He’ll describe our once-in-a-century opportunity to move away from the US-dominated internet, and how an unlikely coalition can make that happen. You’ll likely recognise many parallels with power structures in academia, the open science movement, and especially its relationship to code, software, and the emerging issue of AI!

The lecture will be held from 5:00-6:00pm in Oxford’s beautiful Examination Schools, University of Oxford, 75-81 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG.

If you’re not joining us for the conference, but would like to come along to Cory’s keynote, you can sign up using this Eventbrite link by 1 November 2026. Tickets will be first come, first served, so be sure to register early! If you’ve already registered for the conference, you don’t need to register again.

If you’re passionate about open code, digital sovereignty, and the possibility of a new, good internet, please do come along. You won’t want to miss it!

About Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, activist, and journalist.

He is the author of dozens of books, most recently ENSHITTIFICATION: WHY EVERYTHING SUDDENLY GOT WORSE AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT; and the novels PICKS AND SHOVELS (a followup to RED TEAM BLUES). Other notable books include the solarpunk novels WALKAWAY and THE LOST CAUSE; the tech policy books THE INTERNET CON and CHOKEPOINT CAPITALISM; and the internationally bestselling YA LITTLE BROTHER series. His latest book is THE REVERSE CENTAUR’S GUIDE TO LIFE AFTER AI (June 2026).

He maintains a daily blog at Pluralistic.net. He works for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is an AD White Professor at Cornell University; an MIT Media Lab Research Affiliate; a Visiting Professor of Computer Science at Open University; a Visiting Professor of Practice at the University of North Carolina’s School of Library and Information Science. He co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. Born in Toronto, Canada, he now lives in Los Angeles and London.

In 2020, Cory was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. In 2022, he earned the Sir Arthur Clarke Imagination in Service to Society Awardee for lifetime achievement. In 2024, the Media Ecology Association awarded him the Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity. York University (Canada) made him an Honourary Doctor of Laws; and the Open University (UK) made him an Honourary Doctor of Computer Science.

About the Bennett Institute Symposium

This year’s meeting will mark the third annual Bennett Institute Symposium. Our previous symposia have focused on OpenSAFELY, our award-winning platform for analysing large, sensitive datasets, and medicines data – including the digital tools, such as OpenPrescribing – that support better research, policy, and clinical practice.