Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences

The Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences promotes innovative, excellent, problem-oriented research that aspires to contribute to societal debates and address key global challenges.

The cohorts trained and supported by the ViDSS are part of a vibrant research environment and international networks. The ViDSS encompasses and fosters connections between a broad range of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspectives. The ViDSS embraces the entire range of epistemological, methodological and theoretical approaches that are employed at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Doctoral candidates receive research training and write a doctoral thesis in the fields of communication, demography, development studies, nursing science, political science, science and technology studies, social and cultural anthropology, and sociology. The ViDSS aims for the highest standards in doctoral training and close supervision to ensure a mastery of social scientific debates and relevant theories and methods. As a result, ViDSS graduates are highly employable both within and outside academia. Evaluating

PhD in the spotlight

Fellowship and award winners

Scholarship of the Foundation for Canadian Studies for Katrin Schmid

Social and cultural anthropologist Katrin Schmid was awarded a scholarship by the Foundation for Canadian Studies to continue her field work in the Canadian Arctic. In her dissertation, she examines the role of pre-existing transport infrastructures in territorial food sovereignty in Nunavut, a territory without agriculture.

Radio and podcast

Episode 17 – How it started and how it’s going

Adityo Darmawan Sudagung and Emily Genatowski talk with Aleksandar Anđelović and Ying Liang Zhang about expectations at the beginning of their doctoral studies, unexpected challenges and transformative moments. About accumulating skills, academic criticism, peer feedback and changing career plans – listen in and learn what Ying Liang and Aleksandar would do if they had a time machine.

Media articles and press releases

Key risks from Arctic permafrost thaw

Together with Peter Schweitzer, social and cultural anthropologist Susanna Gartler presents the project “Nunataryuk” in which scientists from various disciplines worked together to investigate the effects of the increasing thawing of permafrost soils and to develop the Arctic Permafrost Atlas. (In German)

Media articles and press releases

Diego Garusi’s work featured by #UseTheNews

In their latest research overview, #UseTheNews presents the paper “Unpacking news consumption and trust decisions” by communication scientist Diego Garusi (co-authored with Clara Juarez Miro). The study shows the ongoing importance of traditional journalistic values for audiences’ news use and trust decisions despite the emergence of new forms of journalistic actors. (In German)

Fellowship and award winners

DGPuK Förderpreis Journalismus for Melanie Haberl

Communication scientist Melanie Haberl was awarded the Förderpreis Journalismus 2024 of the German Communication Association for her ongoing doctoral thesis project about the balance between proximity and distance in journalists’ professional relationships with politicians. Congratulations!

Fellowship and award winners

GAIN Gender & Agency Prize and Förderpreis of the Dr. Maria Schaumayer Stiftung for Ilona Grabmaier

Social and cultural anthropologist and ViDSS Alumna Ilona Grabmaier was awarded the GAIN Gender & Agency Prize and the Förderpreis of the Dr. Maria Schaumayer Stiftung for her doctoral thesis entitled “Stayed at home. (Re)Configurations of care in rural Ukraine”. Congratulations!

Fellowship and award winners

Danubius Young Scientist Award for Clara Holzinger

Sociologist and ViDSS Alumna Clara Holzinger won the Danubius Young Scientist Award 2024. The Award aims at honouring the scientific contribution to addressing challenges of the region and at strengthening the networking between the talents in the region. 14 young scientists were granted this award, one for each country that is part of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. Congratulations!

Video

How to better birth care

Childbirth is often associated with joy, family, and new beginnings, but what happens when it becomes a source of harm? Elif Gül, ViDSS student in science and technology studies, delves into obstetric violence and reproductive justice, specifically birth justice, a concept introduced by Black feminist activists in the 1990s.

Video

What does participation mean?

Political scientist Jule Kegel explains in a short video class for children what participation means and why it is important for democracy. The initiative is part of the project “Nachgefragt” organised by the Kinderbüro of the University of Vienna. (In German)