Des Plaines, Ill. (July 15, 2026) — From artificial intelligence to the future of human thought, Oakton College Professor Peter Hudis challenged an international audience to examine how emerging technologies are reshaping society. The Humanities and Philosophy professor recently delivered a keynote address at the Fourth International Conference on Innovations in the Social Sciences and Humanities in Vietnam.
Hosted by Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the conference brought together researchers and educators from universities across Australia, Taiwan, India, Japan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and the United States.
Hudis presented the opening keynote, "Reification and the Future of Critical Thought," to an audience of about 800, including university leaders, government officials, faculty members and students. His presentation explored the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on human thought and relationships, encouraging participants to consider both the opportunities and challenges posed by increasingly automated decision-making.
"It was an honor to speak before such a large international audience and engage with scholars who are doing cutting-edge research on the impact of digital technology on society," Hudis said. "What made the experience especially valuable was the opportunity to build connections with researchers from around the world and continue those conversations long after the conference ended."
Hudis was invited to deliver the keynote after presenting at the conference in 2024. Following that conference, his research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Inter-Asia Cultural Studies.
A member of Oakton's faculty since 2012 and an adjunct instructor beginning in 2003, Hudis earned a bachelor's degree in history and English literature from Queens College, City University of New York; a master's degree in Latin American studies; and a master's degree and doctorate in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago. His research focuses on social and political philosophy, with particular interests in race, feminism, globalization, and Latin American studies.
In addition to his teaching and research, Hudis serves as the general editor of an international project to publish the complete English-language works of Rosa Luxemburg, an influential early 20th-century political philosopher. The multi-volume scholarly effort brings together a 16-member international editorial board translating Luxemburg's writings from Polish, German, and Russian into English. This fall, Hudis will teach Introduction to Philosophy, Ethics, Modern and Contemporary Philosophy, World Religions, and Contemporary Culture and the Arts. To learn more about these or other Humanities courses offered at Oakton, visit Oakton’s website.
The International Conference on Innovations in the Social Sciences and Humanities was hosted by Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.