Alternate Digital Realities at the Dawn of Omni‑Universe: Social, Cultural, Behavioural and Business Evolutions
DETAILS
Call for Papers – Alternate Digital Realities at the Dawn of Omni‑Universe: Social, Cultural, Behavioural and Business Evolutions
Journal: Technology in Society
Publisher: Elsevier
Submission deadline: 28 February 2027
This special issue examines alternate and parallel digital realities—such as social media platforms, immersive virtual environments, online games, and AI‑generated content worlds—and how they evolve into early forms of an “Omni‑Universe” through integration and interoperability. It invites work that explores how these digital universes reshape social life, cultural practices, human behaviour, and business models, while raising questions about trust, agency, inequality, and long‑term societal well‑being.
Types of research this SI welcomes
Type of research | Typical focus |
|---|---|
Conceptual / theory‑building | Integrative frameworks for “Omni‑Universe”, co‑existing digital realities, and socio‑technical change |
Empirical / mixed‑methods studies | Behavioural, psychological, and social‑impact studies in digitally mediated environments |
Guest editors
Prof Demetris Vrontis, University of Nicosia, Cyprus, Email: vrontis.d@unic.ac.cy
Prof Shahriar Akter, University of Wollongong, Australia, Email: sa.kter@uow.edu.au
Prof Alkis Thrassou, University of Nicosia, Cyprus, Email: thrassou.a@unic.ac.cy
Dr Pantea Foroudi, Brunel University London, UK, Email: pantea.foroudi@brunel.ac.uk
List of suggested topic areas
Parallel digital universes as socially embedded environments (social media, metaverse, gaming, AR/VR)
Behavioural, psychological, and experiential effects of sustained engagement in digital environments
Power, inequality, and exclusion within and across digital platforms and “Omni‑Universe”‑like systems
Sustainability and long‑term societal implications of digital‑universe integration
Socio‑cultural and institutional contexts shaping digital engagement and identity construction
Governance, policy, and ethical standards for digital universes (privacy, content moderation, AI mediation)
Evolutionary, revolutionary, or “devolutionary” social transformations at individual and collective levels
Forms of integration across parallel digital universes viewed through the emerging “Omni‑Universe” lens
Submission information
The submission portal opens on 1 November 2026 and manuscripts must be submitted by 28 February 2027 via the journal’s Editorial Manager:
https://www.editorialmanager.com/techis/default2.aspx
When submitting, select article type “VSI: Digital Realities” to link your paper to the special issue.
Follow the journal’s Guide for Authors:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/technology-in-society/publish/guide-for-authors
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