Environmental and Agricultural Sociology

We work on inter- and transdisciplinary on environmental and agricultural sociological issues in rural and urban areas on:

Sustainability transitions: Multi-level governance of agricultural and food systems, livelihoods, land-use and tenure;
Adaptive capacity of family farms: covering farm succession, endogenous (e.g. generational change and values) and exogenous (e.g. agrarian policy, climate change) impact factors;
Interlinkages between social aspects and agro-ecology aspects;
Intersectionalities: addressing gender, marginalized voices, power asymmetries and justice implications;
Plural ontologies and decolonial epistemologies: overcoming the human-nature dichotomy, challenging Western-centric knowledge systems;
Our methodology/methods focus on the co-creation of knowledge with stakeholders and practitioners

Our teaching philosophy is to actively engage with students, learning from practitioners’ experience and expertise while encouraging hands-on participation and active involvement.

We teach:

+ Theories and concepts of environmental and agricultural sociology in Austria and internationally (Europe, East Africa, Latin America, South-East Asia,) :

Agency and solidarity of rural communities (e.g. women* in agriculture, gender dynamics, environmental justice aspects) (How can minorities be strengthened?)
Climate change vulnerability, adaptation and resilience (e.g. new forms of activism, media resonance, focus on vulnerable groups with a diversity of needs, participation, worldviews) (Which groups are most affected from the climate crisis and how can they be fostered?)
Multi-level governance for advancing fairness, equity, and sustainability in food and energy systems (e.g. in relation to local/global value chains) (How can different actors engage for a better food system?)
Sustainability transitions (e.g., MLP, systemic change, Just Transitions) (How can systems be changed in a profound way to reach a sustainable life for all?)

+ Reflective and ethical application of qualitative and quantitative methods of empirical social sciences.

+ Transdisciplinary approaches to address complex societal challenges, targeting process-oriented transdisciplinary learning and knowledge co-creation to encourage critical thinking.

Our approach to sustainability in research and teaching:

Power relations in the access to, the use of and control over resources.
Decolonial epistemologies and plural ontologies, for challenging Western-centric knowledge systems and the human-nature dichotomy.
Inter- and transdisciplinary approaches for increasing critical thinking, knowledge co-creation and inclusive decision-making processes in sustainability practices.

Ass. Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr. Xiomara F. Quiñones Ruiz, M.A.

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor left, Room DG/11
Consultation hour: on appointment
Phone: +43-1- 47654 - 73121
Email: xiomara.fernanda.quinones-ruiz(at)boku.ac.at

CV and Publications
Courses

Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Christine Altenbuchner, BEd

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor left, Room DG/12
Consultation hour: on appointment
Phone: +43-1- 47654 - 73127
Email: christine.altenbuchner(at)boku.ac.at

CV and Publications
Courses

Katherine Cano González, M.A.

Email: katherine.cano-gonzalez(at)boku.ac.at

Research Project

Dipl.-Ing. Fiona Lilith Medea De Fontana, B.Sc.

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor, right, Room DG/20
Phone: +43 1 47654-73128
Email: fiona.de-fontana(at)boku.ac.at

Research project

Judith Fischer, B.A. M.A.

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor, right, Room DG/21
Consultation hour: on appointment
Phone: +43-1- 47654 - 73127
Email: judith.fischer(at)boku.ac.at

CV and Publications
Courses

Mag. Dr. Michael Klingler

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor, right, Room DG/20
Phone: +43-1- 47654 - 73128
Email: michael.klingler(at)boku.ac.at

CV and Publications
Private Webpage
Courses

Tatiana Giraldo Liévano, M.A.

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor left, Room DG/9
Email: tatiana.giraldo-lievano(at)boku.ac.at

Research project

Dipl. Ing. Dr. Manuela Larcher

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor, left, Room DG/09
Consultation hour: on appointment
Phone: +43-1- 47654 - 73123
Email: manuela.larcher(at)boku.ac.at

CV and Publications
Courses

Dipl.-Ing. Marian Momen, B.Sc.

Email: marian.momen(at)boku.ac.at

Research project

Mag. Dr. Ulrike Tunst-Kamleitner

Office: Guttenberghaus, Top Floor, right, Room DG/21
Consultation hour: on appointment
Phone: +43-1- 47654 - 73126
Email: ulrike.tunst(at)boku.ac.at

CV and Publications
Courses