IWM - Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen

Why does religious language reappear in societies that understand themselves as thoroughly secular, and what does its return reveal about crisis and the limits of the modern public sphere?

Reflecting on a recent conference held at the IWM, Clemena Antonova, research director of the Institute’s World in Pieces Program, and Arundhati Virmani (EHESS Marseille) weigh in on some of the key arguments that emerged from the discussions:

The Return of Religious Language in Times of Crisis Clemena Antonova: I would like to start with a general question: what ideas that came out of the conference sounded promising to you, and what avenues of thought were opened that, in your opinion, deserve to be explored further?

What if asylum accommodation is a diagnostic window into the internal restructuring of our own societies, a reflection of how inequality and opportunity are being redistributed within the places we inhabit?
Read Paolo Novak's reflections on the divides that have emerged against the backdrop of migration:
https://www.iwm.at/publication/iwmpost-article/this-is-not-a-migration-crisis-asylum-accommodation-and-the-real-divide

Preparations for the Vienna Humanities Festival are in full swing.
Under the title "Agency/Tu was", this year's festival highlights the importance of agency and explores ways to counteract the pervasive sense of anxiety and helplessness.
The full program will be published in early September.
Stay tuned and save the date!
https://www.humanitiesfestival.at

Historian Richard Cockett was a guest at the IWM earlier this year.
In the latest issue of the IWMpost, he explores the century-old intellectual clash between Hans Kelsen and Carl Schmitt, and how their opposing visions continue to shape political debates today:
https://www.iwm.at/publication/iwmpost-article/the-quarrel-of-our-age

On 20 June 2026, the Croatian writer Slavenka Drakulić passed away at her home in Istria. She was associated with the IWM for over 30 years, serving as a visiting fellow (on three occasions) and participating in numerous conferences, discussions, and events. Her contributions resulting from these engagements appeared in Transit, IWMpost, and Eurozine.

In lieu of an obituary, we let her speak for herself once more with her unmistakable voice:
https://www.iwm.at/news/in-memoriam-slavenka-drakulic

Zur Verstärkung unseres Teams suchen wir ab sofort eine:n Programs & Grants Manager:in (40 Std/Woche).

In dieser Funktion übernehmen Sie eine Schlüsselrolle am IWM und verantworten die Administration der Programme sowie der unterschiedlichen Zuwendungen.

Bewerbungsfrist: 24. August 2026

Alle Informationen zur Stelle und zum Bewerbungsprozess:
https://www.iwm.at/jobs/programs-grants-managerin

Last week, representatives of the IWM and the MNiSW signed the funding agreement for the years 2026–2027 during a festive ceremony in Warsaw.

For the IWM, the significance of this collaboration extends well beyond the realm of financial support. Institutional collaborations with Polish counterparts have been a crucial part of the IWM’s programming and have extended to a host of activities. With the signing of this agreement, the IWM looks forward to further strengthening exchange and collaboration between the Polish and Austrian research communities in the years ahead.

With sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego) and to all those who have supported the Institute along the way (BMFWF, Ambasada Austrii / Österreichische Botschaft Warschau, and Austriackie Forum Kultury / Österreichisches Kulturforum Warschau).

https://www.iwm.at/news/funding-agreement-with-polish-ministry-of-science-and-higher-education-signed

Photo courtesy of MNiSW

🇵🇱 Serdecznie gratulujemy podpisania porozumienia finansowego pomiędzy Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego a Instytutem Nauk o Człowieku (IWM) w Wiedniu. Cieszymy się, że współpraca polsko-austriacka w obszarze nauki i badań naukowych rozwija się i zyskuje nowe możliwości 🎓
🖊️ Porozumienie zostało podpisane ze strony austriackiej przez Katharinę Hasewend, dyrektor zarządzającą IWM, oraz Ivana Krasteva, pełniącego obowiązki rektora IWM. Ze strony Ministerstwa Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego dokument podpisał podsekretarz stanu, prof. Andrzej Szeptycki.

🇦🇹 Wir gratulieren herzlich zur Unterzeichnung des Finanzierungsabkommens zwischen dem Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Hochschulwesen in Polen und dem Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen (IWM) in Wien. Wir freuen uns, dass sich die österreichisch-polnische Zusammenarbeit in den Bereichen Wissenschaft und Forschung weiterentwickelt und neue Perspektiven eröffnet 🎓
🖊️ Das Finanzierungsabkommen wurde auf österreichischer Seite von Katharina Hasewend, Geschäftsführerin des IWM, sowie von Ivan Krastev, amtierenden Rektor des IWM, unterzeichnet. Auf polnischer Seite unterzeichnete der Unterstaatssekretär im Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Hochschulwesen, Prof. Andrzej Szeptycki, das Abkommen.

IWM - Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen

Adriana Zaharijević, a principal research fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory at the University of Belgrade, received the Emma Goldman Snowball Award at the IWM in 2022.

In the latest issue of the IWMpost, she reflects on the student protests in Serbia in an article adapted from her keynote speech at the 2026 Emma Goldman Awards Ceremony:
https://www.iwm.at/publication/iwmpost-article/brave-bodies-in-the-street

Since 2019, the IWM has invited renowned scholars and intellectuals to honor the legacy of its founding rector, Krzysztof Michalski, as part of this annual lecture series in his name.

This year, on the occasion of the upcoming 50th anniversary of Charter 77, IWM Permanent Fellow Ludger Hagedorn drew attention to the final episodes in the life of Czech philosopher and Charter 77 spokesperson Jan Patočka.

Read the full text of his speech on our website:
https://www.iwm.at/news/shaken-solidarity-ludger-hagedorn-delivers-the-2026-krzysztof-michalski-memorial-lecture

© Klaus Ranger