From Digital Soft Power to Immersive Conflict: Rethinking Geopolitics in the Age of the Metaverse en [Ponencia] 2nd International Conference on Applied Research in Humanities & Social Sciences

Authors

• Bárbara Mercedes Castillo Abdul Hadi, Universidad de Diseño, Innovación y Tecnología, UDIT
• Pavel Sidorenko, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)
• Luis M. Romero-Rodriguez, American University of Sharjah

ORCID

Bárbara Castillo Abdul Hadi ORCID

Files

Description

This paper examines the metaverse as a geopolitical infrastructure shaped by state and corporate control over platforms and data. It explores how immersive environments reshape digital soft power and public diplomacy, while amplifying disinformation, polarization, and cognitive warfare. It also considers governance gaps related to generative AI and biometric data and recommends multilateral regulatory frameworks for immersive and AI-driven environments.

Publication Date

10-2-2026

City

Sharjah, Emiratos Árabes Unidos

Keywords

digital soft power, metaverse, geopolitics, immersive environments, disinformation, cognitive warfare, generative AI, biometric data, digital governance

Comments

Presented at the 2nd International Conference on Applied Research in Humanities & Social Sciences, “Future Society in the Age of AI,” Sharjah, 10–12 February 2026.

Recommended Citation

Castillo Abdul Hadi, Bárbara Mercedes; Sidorenko, Pavel; and Romero-Rodriguez, Luis M., "From Digital Soft Power to Immersive Conflict: Rethinking Geopolitics in the Age of the Metaverse en [Ponencia] 2nd International Conference on Applied Research in Humanities & Social Sciences" (2026). Congresos y Conferencias. 71.
https://sciencevalue.udit.es/congresos_conferencias/71