Qualitative social research

The Institute for Qualitative Social Research at Sigmund Freud University combines the realisation of qualitative research projects with well-founded and practice-oriented methodological training. In addition, the Institute offers support in the planning and implementation of qualitative-reconstructive research projects in individual and group settings.

A special feature is the close link between research and teaching as well as the constant reflection and further development of qualitative methodology and practice. In addition to the theoretical introduction to qualitative methodology, the project-based form of teaching introduces students to research practice at an early stage – primarily within the framework of existing teaching research projects. Interested students have the opportunity to write their qualification theses in connection with ongoing projects at the institute and thus immerse themselves more deeply in practice.

Head: Ass.-Prof^.ⁱⁿ Dr Katharina Hametner, katharina.hametner@sfu.ac.at

Fields of Activity

Academic teaching
Research activity
Methodological counselling
Research workshop
Workshop discussions
Supervision of internships

Areas you can contact us for:

Questions on planning and analysing qualitative research projects
Methodological advice for Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD theses
Questions about the qualitative research workshop
Questions about the curriculum and teaching of qualitative methods
Advice on evaluation programmes and support with borrowing recording equipment
Enquiries about potential cooperation opportunities for qualitative studies

Team

Ass.-Prof. Dr. Katharina Hametner

Head

Katharina Hametner is a psychologist and head of the Institute for Qualitative Social Research. She has been teaching qualitative methods, philosophy of science and 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

Contact: katharina.hametner@sfu.ac.at

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Dr. scient.pth. Sarah Birgani

Sarah Birgani has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and social psychology and wrote her dissertation (psychotherapy studies) on the after-effects of the Shoah on psychoanalytic discourse in Austria. She is a research associate at the Institute for Transcultural and Historical Research at the SFU and works as a psychoanalyst in private practice in Vienna. Her research focuses on psychoanalysis and cultural criticism.
Teaching focus: social psychology, qual. Social research, racism research

Contact: sarah.birgani@sfu.ac.at

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Mag. Monika Gritsch

Monika Gritsch is a medical anthropologist and has been a research associate at Sigmund Freud University Vienna since the beginning of 2022. She teaches qualitative methods and medical anthropology for psychologists at the Faculty of Psychology. At the Faculty of Medicine, she heads the module “Diversity in Medicine”. Her areas of focus include diversity research and structural competence in healthcare, the training of healthcare professionals, cervical cancer prevention, vaccinations and the pharmaceuticalisation of society and medicine.

Contact: monika.gritsch@sfu.ac.at

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Ass.-Prof. MMag. Dr. Stefan Hampl

Stefan Hampl is Vice Rector of the Sigmund Freud Private University of Vienna. He studied business administration (Vienna University of Economics and Business) and psychology (University of Vienna). Doctorate in cultural and media psychology; lecturer at the University of Vienna, Sigmund Freud Private University and Ferdinand Porsche FernFH; reviewer for 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.
Teaching focus: cultural and media psychology, qualitative methods, participatory research

Contact: stefan.hampl@sfu.ac.at

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Dr. Sara Paloni

Contact: sara.paloni@sfu.ac.at

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Emelie Rack, MSc

Emelie Rack is a psychologist and has been working as a research assistant and lecturer at Sigmund Freud University since 2020, where she teaches qualitative methods and social psychology. She is also a co-founder of the Research Workshop for Qualitative Methods and has a background in comparative literature and sex education. Her dissertation project deals with questions of epistemic (in)justice, especially in the context of feminist digital movements.
Teaching specialisations: social psychology, qualitative social research

Contact: emelie.rack@sfu.ac.at

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Barbara von Rechbach, MA, BFA

Barbara von Rechbach works at the Faculty of Psychology at Sigmund Freud University and is an assistant lecturer for visual communication and design fiction at the University of Art and Design Linz. She works as a lecturer and collaborates on externally funded research projects at the Faculty of Psychology at SFU.
Her general areas of expertise include media theory and design, communication and linguistics, and research communication.

Contact: barbara.rechbach@sfu.ac.at

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Univ.-Ass. Natalie Rodax, PhD.

Natalie Rodax is a psychologist and works as a university assistant at the Sigmund Freud Private University, 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).

Contact: natalie.rodax@sfu.ac.at

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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 and social research

Contact: j.struppe-schanda@sfu.ac.at

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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 fields of qualitative methods, scientific theoretical foundations of psychology and social psychology since 2009. His research focuses on emotion psychology and the methodology of qualitative social research.
Teaching focus: qualitative methods, social psychology, philosophy of science

Contact: markus.wrbouschek@sfu.ac.at

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Study Assistance – Institute: Isabel von Hansemann, BSc, 62302043@mail.sfu.ac.at
(Research) intern: Julia Orthuber

Teaching

Teaching team

Bachelor’s degree programme Vienna (German/English degree programme)

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

PS Einführung in qualitative Methoden I / PS Introduction to Qualitative Methods I
This course provides a practical introduction to the research practice of qualitative research. The focus is on developing skills in the field of qualitative field research, data collection and transcription. These skills are taught by means of project-based lessons.

PS Einführung in qualitative Methoden II / PS Introduction to Qualitative Methods II
This course provides a practical introduction to the research practice of qualitative research. The focus is on procedures for analysing qualitative data. By working together on empirical material, students learn basic skills for qualitative analyses (including content analysis, documentary method, discourse analysis). These skills are taught in project-based lessons.

Modulhandbuch – Bachelor Psychologie / Module Handbook – Bachelor Psychology

Master’s degree programme Vienna (German / English programme)

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

VO/UE Research Methods and Evaluation: Qualitative Methods II / ILC Research Methods and Evaluation – Qualitative Research Techniques II
The consecutive continuation of the VO/UE aims to familiarise students with and deepen their knowledge of qualitative evaluation methods by presenting specific research projects. In the context of the exercise, evaluation skills as well as the preparation and presentation of results are deepened. In this step, the introduction to the publication of qualitative-reconstructive findings is central.

Modulhandbuch – Master Psychologie / Module Handbook – Master Psychology

(Teaching) Research Projects

Ongoing projects

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

Head: Ass.-Prof^.in Katharina Hametner & Dr Markus Wrbouschek (PSY) and 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

Experiences of pupils in dual training systems using the example of the Ballsportgymnasium Vienna

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

The research project is dedicated to the experiences 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 with regard to the various educational components (development of sporting potential, school education, balancing performance aspects and personal development), but also on the consideration of personal perspectives.

Contact: markus.wrbouschek@sfu.ac.at

Vienna mobility climate

Head: Ass.-Prof.in Katharina Hametner & Dr Markus Wrbouschek (PSY) and Prof. Dr Konrad Lachmayer (JUS)

Funded by the City of Vienna
Part of the research cluster: Sustainability in the field of tension between affectivity/emotion, normativity, need and socio-economic situation

The Vienna Mobility Climate research project examines the everyday mobility practices of young Viennese (18 to 30 years old) and asks how climate-related, legal control measures in the field of mobility are experienced against the background of their own practice and social situation.

Duration: March 2024 to February 2025

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

Completed projects

The cultural heritage of Wilhelm Reich in Ukraine and Romania (Galicia & Bukovina)

Head: Assistant Professor 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 includes visiting the villages in Ukraine in person, talking to the local people, translating, experiencing, thoroughly documenting the results and conducting archival research. The reappraisal of Wilhelm Reich’s cultural heritage is thus linked to a number of interconnected projects. More information on this can be found at https://www.wilhelmrei.ch.

Contact: stefan.hampl@sfu.ac.at

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

Chair: Assistant Professor Dr Katharina^Hametner & Associate^Professor 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 from (patriarchal) restrictions and that gender equality is already largely achieved. In this context, Angela McRobbie speaks of a post-feminist ‘double entanglement’, which is characterised by an affirmation of freedom of choice and a simultaneous rejection of feminist movements. The aim of the project is to investigate how post-feminist imperatives and ambivalences of freedom of choice are inscribed in the everyday worlds of women and how young women negotiate their own ‘womanhood’ against the background of such debates and integrate it into their self-image. This will be researched from a psychological perspective using dialogue-based methods. The guiding question here is how being a ‘modern’ woman is experienced and lived individually and, above all, what affective function is assigned to the freedom of choice staged by the media and politics.

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

Teaching research

Teaching research at the Institute for Qualitative Social Research offers practical training and consolidation of qualitative-reconstructive research skills. Students gain insights into all phases of the qualitative research process due to the real project connection and can thus be introduced to the scientific practice of qualitative social research at an early stage.

Current teaching research projects: Viennese mobility climate

Publications

Coming soon:

Hametner, K & Wrbouschek, M. (under review). Analysing experiences of inequality. The benefits of an intersectional perspective for the documentary method in the context of power-critical research. Social Sense.

Hametner, L., Wrbouschek, M., & von Zieglauer, F. (under review). On the interplay of mobility orientations and (non-)sustainable norms. Mobility practice between automobile arrangement and sustainability appeal. Nachhaltige Verhältnisse und Norm, special issue of Psychologie & Gesellschaftskritik.

Hampl, S. (2025, forthcoming). Exploring Wilhelm Reich’s Childhood in Galicia and Bukovina. In H. F. Nilsen (ed.), Wilhelm Reich and Psychoanalysis. Routledge

2024

Becker, D., Neuhaus, M., & Paloni, S. (Eds.). (2024). Uncertain affiliations. German history in the contemporary experience of young adults. Giessen: Psychosozial-Verlag.

Hametner, K., Rodax, N., & Binder, B. (2024). Resonance, reciprocity and resentment. Experienced agency and its function for the practice of relating to others. Social Sense, 25(1), 55-87. doi: 10.1515/sosi-2024-0002

Hametner, K., Rodax, N., Paloni, S., Knasmüller, F., Wrbouschek, M., & Brixel, L. (2024). Experiences of the ageing subject: On coping with dynamics of passivation/activation in the everyday practice of elderly people. Awry – Journal of Critical Psychology, 4(1), 1-16. https://awryjcp.com/index.php/awry/article/view/55

Hametner, K., Rodax, N., Ruck, N., Krüger, P., Nitsche, J., Payr, V., Poltrum, H., Reisch, S., & Schludermann, I. (2024). How the reference to common sense psychological concepts de-thematises gender inequality: A couple’s interview on tensions in an egalitarian relationship model. Annual Review of Critical Psychology, 18, 1069-1088. https://discourseunit.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1069_hametner_et_al.pdf

Rack, E. (2024). Rethinking big P: Integrating personal and academic psychology knowledge in university teaching. Possibility Studies & Society, 2(4), 381-394. doi: DOI: 10.1177/27538699241240608

Struppe-Schanda, J. (2024). Having a seat at the table-A feminist autoethnography of the university kitchen. Possibility Studies & Society, 2(4), 395-407. doi: DOI: 10.1177/27538699241246410

2023

Becker, D., Brixel, L., Paloni, S., & Neuhaus, M. (2023). Feeling The Past – Experiencing Belonging, History and the Present in the German Post-Reunification Generation. Research DSF, 9(61), 1-47. https://bundesstiftung-friedensforschung.de/blog/forschung-dsf-no-61/

Birgani, Sarah (2023). “Un rythme pour la vie.” In: La Cause du Désir. Revue de psychanalyse. Faut le temps. p. 82-88.

Hametner, K., Rodax, N., & Reisch, S. (2023). Accessing the Gap between Feminist Ideals and Everyday Practice. Advancing psychosocial analyses utilising the documentary method. In E. Tseliou, C. Demuth, E. Georgaca, & B. Gough (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Innovative Qualitative Psychological Research (pp. 1-13). London: Routledge.

Hametner, K., & Wrbouschek, M. (2023). Appropriating space?. Psychology and Social Criticism, 47(3), -.

Riegler, J., Hametner, K., Wrbouschek, M., Distler, P., & Slunecko, T. (2023). Learning to teach qualitative research. Perspectives for a balancing act in times of institutionalisation and neoliberal study operations. Journal of Psychology, 31(2), 19-41. doi: 10.30820/0942-2285-2023-2-19

Wrbouschek, M. (2023). Transactional moods and processes of individuation. Journal of Psychology, 31(1), 221-238. doi: 10.30820/0942-2285-2023-1-221

2022

Birgani, Sarah (2022). “Estou sofrendo de uma falta.” In: Agente, Revista de Psicanálise, 19, Brasilia: Escola Brasileira de Psicoanálise. 165-168.

Birgani, Sarah (2022). Is psychoanalysis in the city? In: Lacanian Review Online (LRO), 360. https://www.thelacanianreviews.com/is-psychoanalysis-in-the-city/

Birgani, Sarah (2022). Poetic of the Feminine. In: The Lacanian Review (TLR), 13, “The Woman”.

Hampl, S. (2022). The psychological laboratory. In Gerhard Benetka on his 60th birthday [Festschrift] (pp. 42-43). SFU Publishing House.

Krouzecky, C., Aden, J., Bunina, A., Hametner, K., Klaps, A., Kovacovsky, Z., Ruck, N., & Stetina, B. U. (2022). “My Companion Through The Pandemic”: The Importance of the Human-Animal Bond During COVID-19. People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 5(1), 1-17. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/paij/vol5/iss1/13/

Krouzecky, C., Aden, J., Hametner, K., Klaps, A., Kovacovsky, Z., & Stetina, B. U. (2022). Fantastic Beasts and Why It Is Necessary to Understand Our Relationship-Animal Companionship under Challenging Circumstances Using the Example of Long-Covid. Animals, 12(15), 1892. doi: 10.3390/ani12151892 (IF: 3.231)

Paloni, S. (2022). Queer-feminist perspectives on cultural policy and cultural policy research. In J. Crückeberg, J. Heinicke, J. Kalbhenn, F. Landau-Donnelly, K. Lohbeck, & H. Mohr (Eds.), Handbook of cultural policy (pp. 1-17). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-34381-1_26-1

Ruck, N., Luckgei, V., Rothmüller, B., Franke, N., & Rack, E. (2022). Psychologisation in and through the women’s movement: A transnational history of the psychologization of consciousness-raising in the German-speaking countries and the United States. Journal of the History of the Behavioural Sciences, 58(3), 269-290. doi: 10.1002/jhbs.22187

Struppe-Schanda, J., Brunner, M., Hametner, K., & Ruck, N. (eds.) (2022). Emotions in conflict. Psychology & Social Criticism, 45(179/180).

Struppe-Schanda, J. & Wrbouschek, M. (2022). Care orientations of psychosocial practitioners. Psychology & Social Criticism, 46(184), 27-46.

Method Counselling

The Institute for Qualitative Social Research offers methodological advice on practical research questions and decisions. You will be supported in planning and/or realising qualitative research projects at various points in the research process. Methodological advice ranges from the conceptualisation of a design to data analysis and presentation of results.

The methods consulting team draws on many years of experience in the supervision of qualification theses, the implementation of contract research (e.g. AK Vienna), the development and implementation of teaching research projects (e.g. Divided Lifeworlds) as well as the conception and realisation of externally funded projects (e.g. On the Construction of the Muslim Woman in the Conflicting Fields of Freedom and Coercion) and self-financed studies (e.g. Cultures of Psychosocial Care).

Do you have questions about your own projects?
Would you like to arrange a consultation?

Contact for SFU employees, students & external parties at: qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at.

A counselling session always lasts 45 minutes!

The offer

The methodological counselling service is available to SFU students, SFU staff and other people working on qualitative projects and covers the following range of services:

For SFU students:

SFU students can make use of the “Qualitative Methods Consultancy” to receive advice for their own projects (for example, in the context of qualification theses at Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level).

The methods consultation hour for SFU students offers counselling in the following areas:

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

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

For SFU employees:

SFU employees can make use of the “Qualitative Methodological Counselling” to receive advisory support for their own projects.

Methodological counselling for SFU employees offers advice in the following areas:

Support with study design and survey planning, training in survey methods
Support with data analysis and training in analysis methods (especially for documentary methods, content analysis according to Mayring, discourse analysis and grounded analysis) Mayring, discourse analysis and grounded theory)
Support with the preparation and presentation of results in final theses

For specific methodological/methodological questions, we can differentiate the above-mentioned services on request.

Methodological counselling for SFU-external persons:

The above range of services is available on request. We will be happy to provide you with a quote as part of a consultation.

Research Workshop

The research workshop of the Institute for Qualitative Social Research at the Faculty of Psychology offers the opportunity to contribute your own materials and to engage with different research projects and approaches. The aim is a practical examination of qualitative methods and immersion in concrete qualitative research practice.

Methodological as well as evaluation-related concerns that arise in the context of qualification theses (Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level) and research projects are welcome.

Two slots are available per session for the submission of own material. Persons who wish to participate without their own material are also welcome.

Dates in the summer term 2025:

1st date: 02.04.25 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (in German)
2nd date: 21.05.25 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (in English)
3rd date: 02.07.25 10-14 h (in German language)

Registration for participation is possible before the respective date at qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at.

The free material slots will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis and can be reserved by e-mail. After confirmation, please send your own material to the organisers no later than 14 days before the respective date, otherwise the slot will be allocated elsewhere.

The programme and associated material will be sent to all participants before the dates so that everyone has enough time to read it in advance.

We look forward to your active participation!
Katharina Hametner, Markus Wrbouschek & Emelie Rack

Research Workshop FAQs 2024/25 DE-EN.pdf

Workshop Talks

The Institute for Qualitative Social Research organises a workshop discussion on current methodological and methodological issues once a semester. Each workshop discussion begins with a thematic input. This is followed by an exchange on current experiences and challenges in research projects and plans.

Next Workshop Talk

Supervision of Internships

The Institute for Qualitative Social Research offers the opportunity to complete internships.

On the one hand, an internship offers the opportunity to support ongoing research projects. For example, you can gain experience in field research, conducting and transcribing interviews, group discussions, etc. Interns can also familiarise themselves with various qualitative analysis methods and the possibilities of presenting qualitative research results. On the other hand, interns have the opportunity to observe the teaching of qualitative methods. In addition, interns assist with organisational tasks such as planning events.

Internships at the institute usually comprise 10-20 hours/week over a period of at least three months (longer is also possible). This ensures that interns can immerse themselves more deeply in the work of the institute and at the same time complete the internship alongside their studies with a certain degree of flexibility.

If you have any questions or are interested, please contact: qualitative.methoden@sfu.ac.at

Loan of devices / MAXQDA licences

Loan of devices

The following equipment can be borrowed from the Test Library (Testausgabe – Freudplatz 1, 5th floor, room 5017) of the Faculty of Psychology:

Recording devices
Foot pedals for transcription
Clip-on microphones

Opening hours: Tuesday, 08:00 – 09:00 & Friday, 08:00 – 09:00
If you would like to borrow a device, please follow the steps described here in advance and register at testvergabe@sfu.ac.at.

Please note that when borrowing a device, you are obliged to return the device undamaged and on time and, in the case of recording devices, completely cleaned of data in the test edition. When borrowing a device, you also undertake to comply with data protection regulations.

MAXQDA licences for qualification work

As part of qualification work, it is possible to have the costs of a student licence for the “MAXQDA” software for qualitative data analysis (limited to 6 months) reimbursed. Two criteria must be met for this:

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

If these criteria are met, the licence can be purchased independently and a form for the reimbursement of costs can then be requested from the Study Service Centre (psychologie@sfu.ac.at). Confirmation from the supervisor is required on the form for the reimbursement of costs.