Institute for Qualitative Social Research

• Academic teaching
• Research activities
• Consulting on methods
• Research workshop 
• Workshop talks

Areas you can contact us for:

• Questions concerning the planning and evaluation of qualitative research projects
• Methodological consulting for Bachelor/Master/PhD theses
• Questions about the qualitative research workshop
• Questions about curriculum and teaching of qualitative methods
• Advice on evaluation programs and support in borrowing recording equipment
• Inquiries about potential cooperation opportunities in qualitative studies

Ass.-Prof.ⁱⁿ Dr.ⁱⁿ Katharina Hametner
Katharina Hametner is a psychologist and director of the Institute for Qualitative Social Research. She has been teaching in the areas of qualitative methods, philosophy of science as well as social psychology since 2008. Her research focuses on the social psychology of social inequality, resentment and racism research, and qualitative social research.
Teaching focus: Qualitative methods, social psychology, philosophy of science.

Univ.-Ass. Dr. phil. Markus Wrbouschek
Markus Wrbouschek is a psychologist and research associate at the Faculty of Psychology at SFU Vienna. He has been teaching in the areas of qualitative methods, scientific theoretical foundations of psychology and social psychology since 2009. His research focuses on the psychology of emotions and the methodology of qualitative social research.
Teaching focus: Qual. methods, social psychology, philosophy of science

Univ.-Ass.ⁱⁿ Natalie Rodax, PhD.
Natalie Rodax is a psychologist and works as a university assistant at Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität, where she teaches research methods in psychology (qualitative social research), bachelor thesis preparation and scientific writing, and heads the bachelor’s programme in psychology. Her research expertise lies in the areas of psychosocial (current research focus: feminist-psychological research topics) and methodological research (current research focus: introspection in psychological research).

Ass.-Prof. MMag. Dr. Stefan Hampl
Stefan Hampl is Vice Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at Sigmund Freud University Vienna. He studied commerce (Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration) and psychology (University of Vienna). Doctorate in the field of cultural and media psychology; teaching at the University of Vienna, Sigmund Freud Private University and the Ferdinand Porsche FernFH; reviewer of Culture & Psychology; co-developer of the Documentary Method; author of relevant texts on qualitative methods, TV shows, TV series and films as well as on the image policy of euro banknotes. Current research project: The cultural heritage of Wilhelm Reich in Ukraine and Romania (Galicia & Bukovina) www.wilhelmrei.ch
Teaching focus: cultural and media psychology, qualitative methods, participatory research

Dr.scient.pth. Sarah Birgani
Sarah Birgani has a Master’s degree in clinical psychology and social psychology and wrote her dissertation (study of psychotherapy science) on the aftermath of the Shoah on psychoanalytic discourse in Austria. She is a research associate at the Institute for Transcultural and Historical Research at SFU and works in independent practice in Vienna as a psychoanalyst. Her research focuses on psychoanalysis and cultural criticism.
Teaching focus: social psychology, qualitative social research, racism research

Julia Struppe-Schanda, MSc, BA
Julia Struppe-Schanda is a psychologist and doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Psychology at SFU Vienna. In her PhD project, she focuses on the role of (unconscious) emotions and feelings in the criminal justice processing of cases of gender-based violence. Since 2023 she has been a research associate at the SFU Vienna and a lecturer at the University of Vienna. Her research focuses on socio-psychological gender research, violence and gender relations, qualitative social research, gender and mental health.
Teaching focus: Qualitative methods, social psychology, empirical human & social research

• Dr.ⁱⁿ Sara Paloni
• Mag.^a Monika Gritsch
• Emelie Rack, MSc
• Barbara von Rechbach, MA, BFA

Teaching Team

• Sara Birgani, MSc.
• Mag.^a Monika Gritsch
• Ass.-Prof.ⁱⁿ Dr.ⁱⁿ Katharina Hametner
• Ass.-Prof. MMag. Dr. Stefan Hampl
• Florian Knasmüller, MSc
• Dr.ⁱⁿ Sara Paloni
• Emelie Rack, MSc
• Barbara von Rechbach, MA, BFA
• Univ.-Ass.ⁱⁿ Natalie Rodax, PhD.
• Univ.-Ass. Dr. phil. Markus Wrbouschek
• Julia Struppe-Schanda

Bachelor’s programme Vienna (German / English programme)

VO Einführung in die qualitativen Methoden I / LE Introduction to Qualitative Methods I
The lecture imparts basic knowledge of qualitative research methodology and introduces the qualitative research process. The focus of the lecture is on the processes of observation, linguistic data collection and data documentation.

VO Einführung in die qualitativen Methoden II / LE Introduction to Qualitative Methods II
The lecture imparts basic knowledge of qualitative research methodology and introduces the qualitative working process. The focus of the lecture is on methods of qualitative data analysis. In addition, the lecture deals with possibilities of processing and presenting qualitative research results.

PS Einführung in qualitativen Methoden I / PS Introduction to Qualitative Methods I
The exercise course introduces the research practice of qualitative research in a hands-on manner. The focus is on the development of practical competences in the scope of qualitative field research, data collection and transcription. These competences are taught by means of project-based teaching.

PS Einführung in qualitative Methoden II / PS Introduction to Qualitative Methods II
The exercise course introduces the research practice of qualitative research in an hands-on manner. The focus is on procedures for evaluating qualitative data. In the joint interpretation of empirical material, students learn basic competences for qualitative evaluations (e.g. content analysis, documentary method, discourse analysis). These competences are taught in project-based lessons.

Master’s programme Vienna (German / English programme)

VO/UE Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation: Qualitative Methoden I / ILC Research Methods and Evaluation – Qualitative Research Techniques I
The exercise course combines the refreshment and consolidation of methodological knowledge from the Bachelor’s programme with in-depth practical research training in methodological skills. Students are guided to implement their acquired knowledge in the project-based exercise course. In addition to collecting their own material, the focus lays on the ethical and practical handling of data in research.

VO/UE Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation: Qualitative Methoden II / ILC Research Methods and Evaluation – Qualitative Research Techniques II
The consecutive continuation of the VO/UE aims to deepen the students’ acquired research skills in qualitative evaluation methods by presenting concrete research projects. In the context of the exercise, evaluation skills as well as the preparation and presentation of results will be further developed. In this step, the introduction to the publication of qualitative-reconstructive findings is central.

Ongoing Projects

Understanding (Non-)Compliance with Mobility Related Measures Against Climate Change

Lead: Ass.-Prof.ⁱⁿⁱⁿ Katharina Hametner & Dr. Markus Wrbouschek (PSY) sowie Prof. Dr. Konrad Lachmayer (JUS)

The research project aims to analyse the topic of climate-related mobility legislation from a psychological and practice-theoretical perspective. In order to achieve a better and more accepted legal framework, subjective perceptions regarding concrete legal mobility provisions related to climate change that serve as behavioural guidelines will be observed and analysed. These perceptions of legal provisions will be related to concrete mobility practices, especially to understand how people comply with and practically promote these measures in the everyday. To take into account the unequal distribution of knowledge and resources concerning climate-conscious behaviour, the project focuses economically differentially situated groups.

Our research will be based on open group discussions with persons from different social backgrounds at the age of 18-27. To analyze the group discussions we employ the Documentary Method, a state-of-the-art method for analyzing group discussions because it provides two distinct steps to address communicative and practical knowledge.

Contact: katharina.hametner@sfu.ac.at; markus.wrbouschek@sfu.ac.at

The Cultural Heritage of Wilhelm Reich in Ukraine and Romania (Galicia & Bukovina)

Lead: Ass.-Prof. Dr. Stefan Hampl

The aim of this research is to reconstruct the collective memory of the places in Galicia and Bukovina where the psychoanalyst and natural scientist Wilhelm Reich was born and spent his inspiring youth. This involves visiting the villages in Ukraine in person, talking to local people, translating, experiencing, thoroughly documenting the results and conducting archival research. The reappraisal of the cultural heritage of Wilhelm Reich’s origins is thus linked to a variety of interrelated projects. More information on this can be found at https://www.wilhelmrei.ch.

Contact: stefan.hampl@sfu.ac.at

Experiences of pupils in dual training systems using the example of the Ball Sports High School in Vienna

Lead: Armin Klaps, Msc. & Univ.-Ass. Dr. phil. Markus Wrbouschek

The research project is dedicated to the worlds of experience of students in dual education systems (preparation for the Matura, competitive sports with a focus on ball sports). The project focuses on the expectations and demands of young people in relation to the different components of education (development of sporting potential, school education, balancing performance aspects and personality development), but also the consideration of personal perspectives.

Contact: markus.wrbouschek@sfu.ac.at

Finished Projects

Affects of Postfeminism: A look into the everyday-worlds of post-feminist self-concepts 

Lead: Ass.-Prof.ⁱⁿ Dr.ⁱⁿ Katharina Hametner & Univ.-Ass.ⁱⁿ Natalie Rodax, MSc

Current media discourses on femininity and gender equality in the global North rely heavily on a rhetoric of freedom of choice. This rhetoric includes the idea that a woman can choose her life free of (patriarchal) restrictions and that gender equality is already largely established. Angela McRobbie speaks in this context of a post-feminist ‘double entanglement’, characterised by an affirmation of freedom of choice while rejecting feminist movements. The aim of the project is to investigate how postfeminist imperatives and ambivalences of choice are inscribed in women’s everyday worlds, or how young women negotiate their own ‘womanhood’ against the backdrop of such debates and integrate it into their self-image. This will be researched from a psychological perspective using conversation-based methods. The guiding question is how ‘modern’ womanhood is experienced and lived individually and, above all, what affective function the freedom of choice staged by the media and politics has.

Contact: katharina.hametner@sfu.ac.at; natalie.rodax@sfu.ac.at

Research-based Teaching

The research-based teaching at the Institute for Qualitative Social Research offers practice-oriented training and consolidation of qualitative-reconstructive research skills. Due to the connection to real research projects, students gain insights into all phases of the qualitative research process and can thus be introduced to the scientific practice of qualitative social research at an early stage.

The Institute for Qualitative Social Research offers methodological assistance on practical research questions and decisions. You will be supported at different points of the research process in planning and/or implementing qualitative research projects. The methodological advice ranges from design conceptualisation to data analysis and presentation results.
The methodological consultation team draws on many years of experience in supervising qualification theses, conducting commissioned research (e.g. Arbeiterkammer Vienna), developing and conducting teaching research projects (e.g. Divided Lifeworlds) as well as designing and implementing projects funded by third parties (e.g. On the Construction of the Muslim Woman in the Field of Freedom and Coercion) and self-financed studies (e.g. Cultures of Psychosocial Concern).

Do you have questions about your own projects?
Contact us at qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at

Our service

Our methodological consulting is available to SFU students, SFU staff and others working on qualitative projects and covers the following range of services:

FOR SFU STUDENTS:

For SFU students, we offer an “Qualitative Method Consultation Hour”. Each consultation is a 45-minute unit that serves to advise students on their own projects (for example, in the context of qualification theses at Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level). To make an appointment, please send a request to qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at.

We offer advice in the following areas:

• Support regarding study design and survey planning
• Support with data analysis
• Support in the preparation and presentation of results in final theses

The methodological advisory service cannot take over any specific steps for you, but will guide you towards independent research practice. We would like to point out that the assistance offered is not to be understood in competition with or as a substitute for consultation with the supervisors of the final theses.

FOR SFU STAFF:

For SFU staff we offer “Qualitative Methodology Consultation”. Each counselling session lasts 45 minutes and serves to support your own projects. To make an appointment, please send an enquiry to qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at.

We offer assistance in the following areas:

• Support with regard to study design and survey planning, training in survey methods
• Support in data evaluation and training in evaluation methods (especially for documentary methods, content analysis according to Mayring, discourse analysis and ground analysis).
• Support in the preparation and presentation of results in final theses
• In case of special methodological questions, we can individualise the above-mentioned offer upon request. Please contact us at qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at.

METHODOLOGICAL ADVICE FOR EXTERNAL PERSONS:

The above range of services is available upon request. We will be happy to provide you with an offer. Please contact us with your request at qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at.
A consulting session lasts 45 minutes.

The Institute offers a Qualitative Research Workshop for methodological and evaluation-related concerns that arise in the context of qualification theses (Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level) and research projects. Empirical material and methodological designs can be discussed.

Current dates 

• 18.10.23 – Research Workshop (German)
• 06.12.23 – Research Workshop (English)
• 31.01.24 – Research Workshop (German)
• 20.03.24 – Research Workshop (German)
• 15.05.24 – Research Workshop (English)
• 12.06.24 – Research Workshop (German)

Overview Research Workshop WiSe 2023-24 (PDF)

Information and registration: qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at

At the Institute for Qualitative Social Research, workshop talks on current methodological questions take place once per semester. Each workshop begins with a thematic input. This is followed by an exchange about current experiences and challenges in research projects and plans.

More information is available on our German page. 

Borrowing Equipment

In the lending office (Testausgabe – Freudplatz 1, 5th floor, room 5017) of the Faculty of Psychology you can borrow:

• Recording devices
• Foot pedals for transcriptions
• Clip-on microphones

Hours: Monday and Thursday from 5-6pm.
To borrow a device, you must register in advance at diagnostik@sfu.ac.at.

Please note that when borrowing a device, you undertake to return it undamaged and on time and, in the case of recording devices, completely cleansed of data in the test edition. When borrowing a device, you also agree to respect data protection.

MAXQDA Licenses for Qualification Theses

In the context of qualification theses, it is possible to have the costs for a student license of the software for qualitative data analysis “MAXQDA” (limited to 6 months) reimbursed. Two criteria must be met:

1) The thesis is a qualitative qualification thesis
2) The supervisor considers the use of MAXQDA to be necessary for the thesis.

If these criteria apply, the license can be purchased independently, and then a form for reimbursement can be requested at the Study Service Center (psychologie@sfu.ac.at). For the reimbursement, the confirmation of the supervisor is required on the form.

Please note that the books listed below are mostly in German. 

Banister, P., Bunn, G., Burman, E., Daniels, J., Duckett, P., Goodley, D., Lawthom, R., Parker, I., Runswick-Cole, K., Sixsmith, J., Smailes, S., Tindall, C. & Whelan, P. (2011). Qualitative Methods in Psychology. A Research Guide (2. Aufl.). Open University Press.

Bergold, J. & Thomas, S. (2020). Partizipative Forschung. In G. Mey & K. Mruck (Hrsg.*innen), Handbuch Qualitative Forschung in der Psychologie. Band 2: Designs und Verfahren (2. Aufl., S.113-133). Springer.

Bohnsack, R., Loos, P., Schäffer, B., Städtler, K. & Wild, B. (1995). Die Suche nach Gemeinsamkeit und die Gewalt der Gruppe. Hooligans, Musikgruppen und andere Jugendcliquen. Leske und Budrich.

Bohnsack, R., Nentwig-Gensemann, I. & Nohl, A.-M. (Hrsg.*innen). (2013). Die dokumentarische Methode und ihre Forschungspraxis. Grundlagen qualitativer Sozialforschung (3.Aufl.). Springer VS.

Bohnsack, R., Przyborski, A. & Schäffer, B. (2010). Das Gruppendiskussionsverfahren und seine Forschungspraxis (2. Aufl.). Barbara Budrich.

Breuer, F. (2020). Wissenschaftstheoretische Grundlagen qualitativer Methodik in der Psychologie. In G. Mey & K. Mruck (Hrsg.*innen), Handbuch Qualitative Forschung in der Psychologie. Band 1: Ansätze und Anwendungsfelder (2. Aufl., S.27-48). Springer.

Breuer, F., Muckel, P. & Dieris, B. (2019). Reflexive Grounded Theory: Eine Einführung für die Forschungspraxis (4. Aufl.). Springer VS.

Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory (2. Aufl.). SAGE.

Denzin, N. K., Lincoln, Y. S., Giardina, M. D. & Cannella, G. S. (Hrsg.*innen). (2023). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (6.Aufl.). SAGE.

Flick, U. (2002). Qualitative Forschung. Theorie, Methoden, Anwendung in Psychologie und Sozialwissenschaften (2.Aufl.). Rowohlt.

Flick, U. (Hrsg.). (2013). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Analysis. SAGE.

Hametner, K. (2013). Wie kritisch ist die rekonstruktive Sozialforschung? Zum Umgang mit Machtverhältnissen und Subjektpositionen in der dokumentarischen Methode. In P. C. Langer, A. Kühner & P. Schweder (Hrsg.*innen), Reflexive Wissensproduktion. Anregungen zu einem kritischen Methodenverständnis in qualitativer Forschung (S. 135-148). Springer VS.

Hametner, K., Wrbouschek, M. & Rodax, N. (2020). Zum Umgang mit Rassismuserfahrungen im Spannungsfeld antitürkischer/ antimuslimischer Diskurse – Dokumentarische Methode. In J. Donlic. & I. Strasser (Hrsg.*innen), Gegenstand und Methoden qualitativer Sozialforschung. Einblicke in die Forschungspraxis (S.103-120).  Barbara Budrich.

Hampl, S. (2016). Videoanalysen von Fernsehshows und Musikvideos. Ausgewählte Fallbeispiele zur dokumentarischen Methode. Barbara Budrich.

Hopf, C. (1978). Die Pseudo-Exploration – Überlegungen zur Technik qualitativer Interviews in der Sozialforschung. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 7 (2), 97-115. [im SIGI zu finden!]

Jäger, S. (2015). Kritische Diskursanalyse. Eine Einführung (7. Aufl.). UNRAST.

Keller, R. (2011). Diskursforschung. Eine Einführung für SozialwissenschaftlerInnen (4. Aufl.). Springer VS.

Langer, P. C., Kühner, A. & Schweder, P. (Hrsg.*innen). (2013). Reflexive Wissensproduktion. Anregungen zu einem kritischen Methodenverständnis in qualitativer Forschung. Springer VS.

Mayring, P. (2022). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. Grundlagen und Techniken (13. Aufl.). Beltz.

Mey, G. & Mruck, K. (Hrsg.*innen). (2020). Handbuch Qualitative Forschung in der Psychologie. Band 1: Ansätze und Anwendungsfelder (2. Aufl.). Springer.

Mey, G. & Mruck, K. (Hrsg.*innen). (2020). Handbuch Qualitative Forschung in der Psychologie. Band 2: Designs und Verfahren (2. Aufl.). Springer.

Ormerod, T. C.  &  Ball, L. J. (Hrsg.). (2017). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research in Psychology. SAGE.

Przyborski, A. & Wohlrab-Sahr, M. (2021). Qualitative Sozialforschung. Ein Arbeitsbuch (5. Aufl.). Oldenbourg.

Przyborski, A. (2004). Gesprächsanalyse und dokumentarische Methode. Qualitative Auswertung von Gesprächen, Gruppendiskussionen und anderen Diskursen. Springer VS.

Schütze, F. (2016). Biographieforschung und narratives Interview. In W. Fiedler & H.-H. Krüger (Hrsg.), Sozialwissenschaftliche Prozessanalyse: Grundlagen der qualitativen Sozialforschung (S. 55-73). Barbara Budrich.

• ZQF – Zeitschrift für qualitative Sozialforschung
• FQS – Forum: Qualitative Sozialforschung
• Qualitative Inquiry
• Qualitative Research in Psychology
• Qualitative Health Research
• International Journal of Qualitative Methods
• ikus – Institut für Kulturpsychologie und qualitative Sozialforschung
• ces – Centrum für qualitative Evaluations- und Sozialforschung
• Berliner Methodentreffen Qualitative Forschung
• Magdeburger Methodentreffen
• Vienna Autumn School of Methods

Mail: qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at

Institute for Qualitative Social Research
Faculty of Psychology
Sigmund Freud University Vienna
Freudplatz 1, room 5007, 5th floor
1020 Vienna