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.

PhD in the spotlight

Fellowship and award winners

Marietta Blau Grant: Research stays in the Netherlands and Spain

Political scientist and ViDSS student Elena Heinz has been awarded a Marietta Blau Grant to support her upcoming research visits to Leiden University and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Her doctoral research addresses the political consequences of partisan prejudice. The grant offers financial support for study periods abroad lasting between six and twelve months. Congratulations!

Media articles and press releases

News about the Middle Eastern conflict: Hostile legacy media, friendly social media?

A recent study by ViDSS student Alexandra Wölfle (co-authored with Desirée Schmuck) shows that when following news about the Middle Eastern conflict, young Austrians rely on legacy media and ordinary social media users to a similar extent and trust both more than social media influencers and celebrities. At the same time, ordinary users are perceived through a ‘friendly bias’.

Media articles and press releases

Right-wing influencers and their toxic images of men

In an interview with the ORF format Prisma, communication scientist Phelia Weiss discusses the socio-political image of masculinity based on dominance, as exemplified by political leaders such as Russian President Putin and US President Trump. Right-wing influencers adopt this image and disseminate it alongside messages that are hostile towards women and queer individuals. (In German)

Fellowship and award winners

Theodor Körner Förderpreis 2025

Evelyn Hutter, ViDSS student in nursing science, was awarded the Theodor Körner Förderpreis for her doctoral thesis project on the biographical experiences of trainees in geriatric healthcare and nursing in relation to death and grief. The Theodor Körner Förderpreis recognises outstanding work in progress by early career researchers. Congratulations!

Media articles and press releases

Co-creation in research: Sharing knowledge, distributing power

Together with Sarah Davies, ViDSS student Ariadne Avkıran presents the project “Organising Co-Creation”. They conducted ethnographic research over a period of two years using the example of the Action for Sustainable Future (ASF) Hub to examine the organisational dimensions of co-creation in research organisations. (In German)

Fellowship and award winners

Johanna-Dohnal-Förderpreis for Elif Gül

Elif Gül, ViDSS student in science and technology studies, was awarded the Johanna-Dohnal-Förderpreis by the Johanna Dohnal Archive for her doctoral thesis project on the material-semiotics of obstetric violence. The award honours authors of outstanding dissertations that promote gender democracy and equality, and serve as role models for women in education. Congratulations!

Fellowship and award winners

sowi:docs Fellows 2025

We warmly welcome our new sowi:docs Fellows! Léa Dudouet (science and technology studies) will explore the sociotechnical meanings of fertility tracking and reproductive decision-making in Austria. Clara Lerch (communication) will investigate how political and media discourse influences public perception and policymaking in three European Member States.

Blog

Behind the closed doors of high sea negotiations

(by Alice Vadrot, Emil W. Hildebrand, Carolin Hirt, Wenwen Lyu, Felix Nütz, Hristina Talkova)

Kingston, Jamaica. July 2025. The tickets to Jamaica were already booked, the US transit visa secured, and a field note outline meticulously prepared. Then the news broke: academics and civil society actors would be barred from fully accessing this year’s Council Meeting of the ...

Radio and podcast

Episode 19 – Library and data in the 21st century

Felix Maile and Dorota Vargová provide insights into their experiences with archives and data bases. Learn about the extraordinary lengths they had to go to chase primary sources, which ethical questions they have to deal with and why they are not using any AI tools for their analyses.