Elfriede Jelinek: Science – Art – Democracy 

Interdisciplinary Workshop for early career researchers and artists organized by the Joint Research Network Elfriede Jelinek of the University of Vienna and the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna in cooperation with Wien Modern and the Musikverein.

From 2 to 4 November 2026, the Joint Research Network Elfriede Jelinek will host an interdisciplinary workshop for early career researchers and early career artists. The workshop will take place at the University of Vienna and the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, in cooperation with Wien Modern and the Musikverein. The workshop is aimed at master’s students, doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, habilitation candidates, and project staff from the fields of literary studies, musicology, theatre studies, film studies, and media studies, as well as at emerging artists working in dramaturgy, directing, acting, dance, scenic writing, vocal performance, composition, and instrumental studies.

Applicants should be engaged in an academic or artistic project in the context of Elfriede Jelinek and interested in establishing longer-term networks with international experts. Thematically, the workshop is connected to the current research focus Science – Art – Democracy of the Joint Research Network Elfriede Jelinek, which examines the role of science and art in the face of the erosion of democratic commitments and the global resurgence of populist politics and authoritarian forces. In her texts, Jelinek analyses how anti-democratic movements abolish fundamental freedoms and undermine democratic checks and balances. She exposes global mechanisms of propagandistic mass mobilization and the willingness of the masses to be seduced by images, slogans, and false promises. She warns against the destruction of democratic structures, the regression to traditional gender hierarchies, and the strengthening of reactionary economic and media dynamics that establish themselves through violence, exclusion, manipulative linguistic aesthetics,
and prophetically mythologizing rhetoric. 

How can Jelinek’s analyses be used to describe and interrogate contemporary risks to democratic structures? And which concrete aesthetic and epistemic strategies can, and should science and art develop in order to counter anti-democratic discourses and rhetorics, to produce and promote enlightened, democratic knowledge, and thereby to open up new spaces for political thought and perception?

We welcome academic and artistic contributions, as well as projects in the field of artistic research, that engage—drawing on Elfriede Jelinek and her contexts and traditions—with the above questions in the media of linguistic form, musicality, and performativity. Text-based projects are equally encouraged, as are contributions from the fields of composition, dance, performance, and staging. 

Working languages are German and English; active proficiency in one of the two languages as well as passive knowledge of the other is required. Abstracts and contributions will be published online.
The following scholars and artists have agreed to serve as mentors and co-mentors. Each will supervise a group of 4–5 participants during the workshop:
• Prof.in Dr.in Inge Arteel (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
• Mag.a Magdalena Hoisbauer (Volksoper Vienna)
• Assoc. Prof.in Dr.in Marie-Anne Kohl (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna)
• Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Stefan Krammer (University of Vienna)
• Univ.-Prof. Joonas Lathinen MA PhD (Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna)
• Univ.-Prof. Dr. Bartolo Musil (Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna)
• Univ.-Prof.in Mag.a Alex Riener (Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna)
• Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Günther Stocker (University of Vienna)

Application

Early career researchers and early career artists are invited to submit a project working title, a description of the proposed project, an abstract (approx. 500 words, including 3–4 relevant bibliographic references), and a short biographical note (no more than 70 words), as well as, where applicable, an additional video or audio file of up to 3 minutes, in German or English to: r.eidelpes@muk.ac.at

Further information Call for Papers

For further information, please contact

Dr. Rosa Eidelpes
Joint Research Network Elfriede Jelinek
of the University of Vienna and the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna
Hofburg, Batthyanystiege
1010 Wien | Austria
T: +43 1 4277 42237
r.eidelpes@muk.ac.at
https://www.ifvjelinek.at/