A Meeting of 'Continents' at Izmir University of Economics
The ‘Netnocon 2026 Global Netnography Conference’, organized by Izmir University of Economics (IUE) and the Association for Netnographic Research, in strategic cooperation with the Aegean Young Businesspeople Association (EGIAD), brought together academics from all over the world in Izmir. More than 100 academics and students from 6 continents and 20 countries attended the international conference, which was held in Turkey for the first time. During the three-day event themed ‘Cultural Crossroads’, netnography, which examines the behavior of human communities on the internet and social media, was discussed in all its dimensions. Scholarship support was also provided to 20 doctoral students whose research presentations were deemed successful. Prof. Dr. Sema Misci Kip, Co-Chair of Netnocon 2026 and faculty member of the IUE Department of Public Relations and Advertising, said, “We are delighted to host the first international event where the netnography method is discussed in Turkey, and to contribute to the promotion of our city and University.”
Organized by Rob Kozinets, the developer of the netnography method, and previously held in the UK, Italy, and France, the event was held in Turkey this year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the emergence of netnography and to evaluate the progress the method has made to date. The netnographic research method is used to deeply understand and analyze the interactions, attitudes, and behaviors of social groups, communities, and cultures on the internet.
Providing information about the conference, Prof. Dr. Sema Misci Kip said, “A large number of academics and students from different regions of the world, from India to the USA, from Brazil to Australia and Europe, attended our conference. We managed the organization process with great care. Our alumna and faculty member at Pacific University, Asst. Prof. Dr. Lena Çavuşoğlu, and Netnocon 2026 Co-Chair, Asst. Prof. Dr. Burcu Yaman Akyar, made significant contributions to organizing the conference at our University. I would like to thank them.”
“CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROMOTION OF IZMIR”
Stating that netnography was developed 30 years ago by the world-renowned academic Rob Kozinets, Prof. Dr. Misci Kip continued as follows: “At the conference, which brought together valuable academics, creative thinkers, and practitioners, research conducted using the netnography method, predominantly in the fields of marketing and communication, was presented. All the shared studies were highly enlightening. We started the promotional activities for the conference months ago. In promotional events held in Marseille, France, we showed promotional films introducing both Izmir and Izmir University of Economics. We are very happy to hold such a prestigious international conference with the theme of ‘Cultural Crossroads’ in Izmir, which has been the meeting point of different civilizations for centuries with its trade, migration, cultural interaction, and rich culinary heritage. We believe this organization has made a significant contribution both to the international promotion of Izmir and to increasing the worldwide recognition of our University.'
