Society and Communication

14. April 2026

Parliamentary elections in Hungary

Hungary as a touchstone – how much autocracy can the EU take?

Hungary is often cited as an example of how democracies can be gradually eroded, even in the heart of the EU. Where exactly is the line between democracy and autocracy, and why does the EU often react so hesitantly? In the aftermath of the historic election on April 12th, political scientist Dorothee Bohle explains how 'democratic regression' takes hold and why the question of how much autocracy a democracy can withstand concerns all EU citizens alike.

26. March 2026

Health and society

'You cannot think about health without thinking about politics'

Health inequities are rooted in long-standing structural exclusion of marginalised groups. Rudolphina met with Helena Hansen, an international leader in social medicine. In the interview, she explains how the American opioid crisis reflects a lack of appreciation for the social determinants of health – and what health equity has to do with democracy.

25. March 2026

Semester question

Democracy and human rights – a 'complicated' relationship?

Human rights need to remain dynamic because society is changing. But how much restriction can human rights endure in a democracy? What happens when society is no longer able to agree on common rules? For example, when the loser does not want to accept the result of an election. Two perspectives on wriggle rooms and limitations in democratic politics.

4. February 2026

Science meets School

What does citizen science have to do with democracy?

In his citizen science project ‘SAG'S MULTI’, German studies scholar Hannes Schweiger introduces school students to scientific thinking – an important skill for the future, says sociologist Katja Mayer. In our conversation, the University of Vienna scientists explain why asking questions like a researcher can help build and defend strong democracies.

29. January 2026

Rudolphina Reads: Education special

Must-reads on lifelong learning, democracy and inclusion

For an entire semester, the Rudolphina has focused on the question "What should we learn when everything is changing?". To wrap up, we discussed essential future skills with educational researchers Edvina Bešić, Dirk Lange and Barbara Schober and asked them for their must-reads to dive deeper.

21. January 2026

Research for teachers

Research literacy for tomorrow's teachers

To keep on top of their profession, teachers need better access to findings from educational research. English language education researchers Julia Hüttner and Julia Pittenauer are developing innovative resources that bridge the gap between theory and practise in language teaching.

12. December 2025

Guest article by

Jennifer Meyer

AI and learning

Can AI feedback help us learn better?

How does feedback from artificial intelligence affect us and what does the future of learning look like? Educational researcher Jennifer Meyer discusses the risks and opportunities of AI-supported feedback in schools, universities and lifelong learning.

20. November 2025

Guest article by

Veronika Wöhrer

Democracy in schools

How much participation can classrooms take?

Participation supports peer learning and promotes key skills as well as democratic awareness. Educational scientist Veronika Wöhrer explains how joint decisions can strengthen schools and democracy and why this is important.

6. November 2025

Teaching in times of change

Teaching: a job that is never finished

From digitalisation and artificial intelligence to cultural diversity – life has become increasingly complex and today’s schools reflect this. Educational scientists Nele Kampa and Susanne Schwab discuss old and new challenges in the classroom.

29. October 2025

International perspectives

Education is a reflection of society

Education researcher Barbara Schulte argues that the impact of school systems depends on the socio-political background of each nation. With extensive research and lived experience in different European countries and China, she knows that no system is perfect, but everyone can learn from each other.

22. October 2025

Learning in times of change

Future-ready learning: Can schools help build a toolkit for life?

Schools aim to prepare young people for the future. But what skills belong in the "toolkit for life" during times of extraordinary change? And how can educators learn and teach them? A family sociologist, an educational psychologist and an expert on subject didactics outline the principles of learning that can keep curiosity and motivation alive for a lifetime.

14. October 2025

Digitalisation and education

Learning in times of change: What skills do we need tomorrow?

Digitalisation is not only reshaping the workplace also learning itself. But what skills do we need to compete in a fast-moving world?

25. September 2025

Downward mobility

Lost potential: Hurdles for skilled immigrants in Vienna

Deskilling affects many highly educated and academic migrants from Central and Eastern European countries living in Vienna. A research project shows how language barriers, bureaucratic hurdles and discrimination affect their career opportunities.

4. September 2025

Guest article by

Ana Mijić

Rudolphina Roadtrip: Flight and identity

From Vienna to Chicago: Identity, war and migration

This time the Rudolphina Roadtrip takes us to Chicago. Ana Mijić studies how people who fled the Bosnian war as children or adolescents have (re)built their lives and identities – and compares their experiences with those of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in Vienna.

14. July 2025

Rudolphina Reads

Reading Science Societies with Sarah Davies

Technologies and scientific knowledge are all around us. In her recent book, Sarah Davies suggests a toolkit to navigate this increasingly complex world. The most important strategy: to understand that the way that technoscience develops is not inevitable, but the result of human choices.

5. March 2025

Rudolphina Reads

Reading Climate Fiction with Tatiana Konrad

More than storytelling: Tatiana Konrad, a cultural studies scholar, examines the history of "climate change fiction" and its power to make possible futures more tangible. For newcomers to the genre, she also recommends must-read cli-fi by Margaret Atwood and Paolo Bacigalupi.

19. November 2024

Fertility decline

Everyone wants women to have more babies, is technology the solution?

Can the booming "baby-making market" with its assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVFs and surrogacy, help stop the global trend of fertility decline? Veronika Siegl and Ayo Wahlberg at the University of Vienna cast doubt on technocratic solutions that overlook the challenging social contexts of fertility and womanhood.

31. October 2024

Film industry

How to reboot European cinema

Vienna just hosted the Viennale, Austrias biggest film festival. Best moment to check in with Katharine Sarikakis, Professor of Communication Science at the University of Vienna, who is heading an international project on the future of European film.