Call for Applications - REMASS PhD Workshop
Call for applications - REMASS Rethinking Social Metabolism in Times of Crisis
PhD Workshop
Location: Boku University, Vienna
9-10 October 2025
Keynotes by Melanie Pichler & Helmut Haberl
The multiple ecological and social crises of our time demand a
fundamental, interdisciplinary rethinking of the relationship between society and nature.
This workshop seeks to foster such reflections by bringing together diverse research perspectives from both natural and social sciences. Its aim is to deepen our understanding of the structuring principles and dynamics of social metabolism, which ultimately form the conceptual ground to explore pathways for an urgently needed socio-ecological transformation.
Therefore, we will discuss various conceptualizations and operationalizations of the social metabolism in order to explore the entanglements between social structures and agency, technology, political power, and ecological processes. The concept of social metabolism is utilized to examine flows of resources within and between societies, as well as between societies and their natural environment. Both natural and social science make use of this concept, however, integrating each other's insights remains challenging.
While the former usually focuses on biophysical assessments, technological and infrastructural systems, as well as their lock-in effects, the latter emphasizes societal structures, actor constellations and power relations. Therefore, this workshop aims to bring together natural and social scientists to explore how social theory and metabolic analysis can be meaningfully integrated.
Together, we want to address questions such as:
What methodological criteria must metabolic analyses meet to be integrated with social theory?
How can social scientists incorporate metabolic data to account for the materiality of the social?
How can social scientists provide useful theoretical concepts and perspectives to be used in metabolic analysis?
And what enables successful interdisciplinary, socio-metabolic research?
We invite PhD and early career researchers from a variety of disciplines — including sociology, environmental studies, geography, welfare studies, gender studies, political science, decolonial studies, ecological economics, social ecology, psychology, and philosophy — to submit abstracts that engage conceptually or theoretically with nature-society relations across various levels of analysis (e.g. global, national, regional or organizational). Individual contributions should address benefits, challenges, or limitations of their respective approach.
Workshop Program
Ahead of the event, participants will submit short written pieces that along with keynotes and discussant inputs, will serve as the basis for discussion. The two-day workshop will be held in Vienna. Participants will have opportunities to connect outside the formal sessions, including an excursion on 'Red Vienna' as the official conclusion.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit an abstract of your contribution of max. 500 words by the 18th of August 2025 to daniel.roose@uibk.ac.at. Participation in the workshop is free.
For questions, feel free to contact us at: simon.graf@boku.ac.at
We look forward to your submissions and to a stimulating exchange!
Daniel Roose, Manuel Rotter (University of Innsbruck) & Simon Graf (BOKU Vienna)