Category: Culture and Society

Portrait

A child of the Cold War

Von Margit Schwarz-Stiglbauer

Kerstin S. Jobst, a specialist in Eastern European history at the University of Vienna, speaks about the impact of the Ukraine war on her research, about the background of the Russian invasion of its neighbour, about the origin of the deep-seated mistrust between East and West and about why this conflict represents a watershed in […] Continue reading “A child of the Cold War”

Projects

Mixing like in a paint box

“Surzhyk” is a linguistic mix between Russian and Ukrainian that is widely used in oral communication in Ukraine. While there is already a larger body of research on “Old Surzhyk”, which is more strongly based on Ukrainian, there are still large research gaps in respect of “Neo-Surzhyk”, which sticks more closely to Russian. The Slavist […] Continue reading “Mixing like in a paint box”

Projects

Harnessing the power of art

“The Art of Arrival” is a project in the course of which sociologists from the University of Vienna accompany the working process of artists both with and without the experience of being a refugee, and subsequently engage with recipients as they explore these works of art. Exchanges of scientific, creative and everyday experiences and knowledge […] Continue reading “Harnessing the power of art”

Projects

Assistance in finding accommodation helps refugees with labour market integration

In Austria, society expects recognised refugees to find accommodation and a job quickly. A study conducted at the University of Innsbruck shows that if they are given support in looking for a place to live, refugees find it much easier to be integrated into the labour market. This kind of assistance, however, is provided to […] Continue reading “Assistance in finding accommodation helps refugees with labour market integration”

Projects

Need and recognition

Who deserves what or how much? While focusing on need is a fundamental principle in the discussion about equitable distribution, the assessment of what someone “needs” for their life is highly subjective. The social scientist Bernhard Kittel and his team areexploring what needs to happen so that others will accept an individual’s declared need as […] Continue reading “Need and recognition”

Interview & Opinion

“Researchers are pessimistic about the impact of sanctions”

Interview: Jonas Vogt

The European Union has recently adopted far-reaching sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The political scientist Katharina Meissner of the University of Vienna has been studying EU sanctions regimes for some time. What has to happen for sanctions to be adopted? And what can we hope they will achieve? Continue reading ““Researchers are pessimistic about the impact of sanctions””

Interview & Opinion

Post-pandemic mobility relaunch for postdocs

Alois Pumhösel

The mobility of researchers has been abruptly interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Young researchers keen to engage in exchanges with top international researchers have been particularly affected. While helpful during the pandemic, digital cooperation formats will not be able in the long run to replace the wealth of experience gained during stays abroad, such as […] Continue reading “Post-pandemic mobility relaunch for postdocs”

Projects

Leveraging the clout of purchasing power and the rule of law

What possibilities does the EU have, across all levels from the Union to local authorities, to improve labour and environmental conditions in global production networks? In a joint project, researchers based in Austria and Germany are investigating how socially responsible public procurement could enforce higher standards, for example in the production of garments and electronics. Continue reading “Leveraging the clout of purchasing power and the rule of law”