Research methods in economics and social sciences are changing quickly with AI-driven analytics, Large Language Models, and causal machine learning. New Internet and Big Data sources support fresh approaches to measurement, inference, and theory testing. As these tools become more interdisciplinary, the 8th International Conference on Advanced Research Methods and Analytics (CARMA 2026) offers a forum for researchers and practitioners to share advances in computational and data-intensive methods applied to social and economic issues, and to discuss their opportunities and challenges.