Study
Lecture series „Health in Society“
Closing event | Programme of the lecture series | Examination dates | Opening event
Health depends on many factors that go beyond the individual and interact with each other. Different disciplines can contribute in different ways to understanding this multidimensionality and thus to promoting health.
Our first public lecture series in the summer semester of 2026 will bring two members into dialogue per unit. They will speak from their respective disciplinary perspectives on a common, socially significant topic and then engage in conversation with each other and the audience.
The lecture series is open to anyone interested in learning more about the connections between health and society. Students who wish to complete the lecture with an exam must register. Please note: With the exception of the opening event, all lectures will be held in German.
The lecture series will be streamed live on the University of Vienna's YouTube channel, and recordings will also be available there afterwards. To the YouTube playlist
Healthcare policy in turmoil: austerity measures, class-based healthcare and social polarisation
Panel discussion to mark the conclusion of the lecture series “Gesundheit in Gesellschaft”
Austria’s healthcare system, long hailed as a model of excellence, is under pressure in many areas: whilst healthcare staff suffer from chronic overwork, patients are having to wait ever longer for appointments. Those who can afford it are switching to the private sector. Announced austerity measures in the social sector threaten to further exacerbate the situation, particularly for marginalised groups. Growing dissatisfaction is contributing to social polarisation and opening the door to right-wing populist movements.
The panel discussion will examine the causes and consequences of this development, linking data with practical experience, and discuss ways to achieve greater justice – for a healthcare system based on solidarity and accessibility.
- Tuesday, 23 June 2026, 18:00
- Projektraum WUK, Währinger Straße 59, 1090 Vienna
- In German
The panel
Richard Gauss
Head of department at MA 24 – Strategische Gesundheitsversorgung (Strategic Healthcare Services) of the City of Vienna, which is responsible, among other things, for the strategic planning, management and improvement of healthcare services.
Elisabeth Hammer
Social scientist, author and managing director of the neunerhaus, which provides support in the areas of housing, health and counselling to homeless people and those without housing or health insurance.
Barbara Prainsack
Professor for Comparative Policy Analysis, head of the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Solidarity and co-director of the Vienna Centre for Advanced Studies an the University of Vienna Wien. New book: States of Solidarity: How to Build a Society
Dominique Stiefsohn
Spokesperson for the Wiener Pflege- und Patient*innenanwaltschaft (Vienna Care and Patient Advocacy Service), which supports patients in asserting their rights in the health and care sector.
Programme of the lecture series
When: Wednesday, 18.03.2026
Different start time: 18:00
Where: VHS Urania, Dachsaal, Uraniastraße 1, 1010 Wien
Speakers:
- Keynote by Helena Hansen (UCLA):
BioSocial Futures: Toward a Community Ecology of Health and Well-Being - Input by Janina Kehr & Robert Böhm (Co-Directors of the Health in Society Research Network)
When: Tuesday, 24 March 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speaker:
- Judith Welz, Health in Society Research Network:
Introduction of the Research Network, overview of the lectures in the lecture series, examination procedures
In German
When: Tuesday, 14 April 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Johanna Chovanec, Department of European and Comparative Literature and Language Studies:
Neurodiversität erzählen: Autistische Perspektiven in der zeitgenössischen Literatur und Wissenschaft - Kathrin Karsay, Department of Communication:
Zwischen Influencer*innen und Selbstdiagnosen: Mentale Gesundheit im Social-Media-Feed
In German
When: Tuesday, 21 April 2026, 16:45–18:15 (was originally planned for 5 May 2026)
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Robert Böhm, Department of Occupational, Economic and Social Psychology:
Die Psychologie der Impfentscheidung - Katharina T. Paul, Department of Political Science:
Vom Labor bis in den Arm: Welche Rolle spielt Politik beim Impfen?
In German
When: Tuesday, 28 April 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Barbara Wessner, Centre for Sport Science and University Sports:
Vom Muskel zur App – der smarte Bewegungscoach zur Selbstoptimierung bis ins hohe Alter - Michaela Pfadenhauer, Department of Sociology:
Kommunikative KI im Feld der Begleitung: AI-Companion-Apps als omnipräsente Alltagsbegleiter
In German
When: Tuesday, 5 May 2026, 16:45–18:15 (was originally planned for 21 April 2026)
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Martin Nagl-Cupal, Department of Nursing Science:
Was wirkt wie und warum? Evaluierung komplexer Interventionen in der Palliative Care - Anja-Xiaoxing Cui, Department of Musicology:
Musikbasierte Intervention für Alzheimerpatient*innen
In German
When: Tuesday, 19 May 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Birgit Nemec, Faculty centre for transdisciplinary historical-cultural studies:
Von Patient:innen-Kampagnen lernen: Forschungsethische Überlegungen zur historischen Rekonstruktion eines transnationalen Arzneimittelfalls - Julia Holzer, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology:
Mit uns statt über uns – Partizipative Forschung im Schulkontext
In German
To the video – Unfortunately, due to a technical fault, only half of the session was recorded. We apologise for any inconvenience.
When: Tuesday, 26 May 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Janina Kehr, Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology:
Das globale Krankenhaus - Karl Stöger, Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law:
Das österreichische Krankenhaus im Brennpunkt des Föderalismus
In German
When: Tuesday, 2 June 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Sebastian P. Klinger, Department of German Studies:
Schlaf und Schlaflosigkeit aus kulturwissenschaftlicher Sicht - Monika Pietrzak-Franger, Department of English and American Studies
Zwischen Liegen und Hoffen: Zur Politik des Horizontalen
In German
When: Tuesday, 9 June 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Petra Rust, Department of Nutritional Sciences, and Daniel König, Department of Sport and Human Movement Science:
Healthy Campus Life: Besser essen, mehr bewegen, smarter studieren
In German
When: Tuesday, 16 June 2026, 16:45–18:15
Where: Lecture Hall 31, Main Building of the University of Vienna
Speakers:
- Christian Haddad, Department of Science and Technology Studies:
Der Rückschlag der Mikroben und das Ende der „Globalen Gesundheitspolitk“ - Wolfram Weckwerth, Functional and Evolutionary Ecology: tba
In German
When: Tuesday, 23 May 2026
Different start time: 18:00
Different location: Project Room WUK, Währinger Straße 59, 1090 Vienna
Panel discussion “Gesundheitspolitik im Widerstreit: Sparmaßnahmen, Klassenmedizin und gesellschaftliche Polarisierung”
Speakers:
- Barbara Prainsack, Department of Political Science, University of Vienna
- Elisabeth Hammer, Managing Director neunerhaus
- Richard Gauss, Head of Department MA 24 – Strategic Healthcare Provision for the City of Vienna
- Dominique Stiefsohn, Vienna Care and Patient Advocacy Service
Moderation: Gudrun Springer, Der Standard
In German
Opening event: Contrasting US and European Perspectives on Health
Helena Hansen, an MD, Ph.D. psychiatrist-anthropologist, is Professor and Interim Chair of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, and Interim Director of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
She is an internationally leading scholar in the field of social medicine, and of integration of rigorous social science into academic medicine as well as into research on social determinants of health and health equity.
Her keynote address, BioSocial Futures: Toward a Community Ecology of Health and Well-Being, highlighted health inequalities and how they can be overcome.
In the subsequent discussion with Janina Kehr and Robert Böhm, the heads of the research network, the US perspective was contrasted with European approaches.
Practical research seminar: Health and policy
- Lecturers: Julia Reiter and Robert Böhm
- u:find-entry
Over two semesters, students work in small groups to go through the entire research process, from the research question to study design, pre-registration, data collection and analysis, to the creation of a comprehensive results report. What makes this seminar special is that the research questions come directly from real-world practice. This is made possible by a partnership with local practitioners and policy makers such as the Wiener Gesundheitsverbund and the City of Vienna. In addition to comprehensive research skills, students acquire skills in science communication and coordination with real stakeholders. This seminar thus combines scientifically sound training with relevant practical skills for future careers outside the university.
Topics for Master's thesis
On our matching platform MasterMatch, you will find health-related topic suggestions for your Master's thesis. The topics come from partners in the healthcare sector who have an urgent need for research but do not have sufficient time and resources themselves.
Your thesis will make a direct contribution to a better healthcare system for everyone.
