Jane's Walk: Diverse academic researchers on their work in Wien Now

Jane Jacobs is the American urbanist who inspired Eugene Quinn to explore Vienna. She campaigned hard for community, and against cars. She explored what makes for good streetlife, and why some districts are so much more fun and social than others. Please read her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities. On her birthday weekend every year, groups around the world lead walks to start debates and get to know their neighbourhood better.

We find there should be more dialogue between the universities of this city, and the wider population, but also between the different colleges. So we will walk right across Vienna, exploring how our city has become a top research location, with so much dialogue and interdisciplinary thinking.

We are open to your suggestions, if you know an interesting reader or student in our city, at any level of education. We want to reference the salon tradition of Vienna, and update it.

Since Eugene regularly works with many of these institutions, it is a voyage of discovery, to also learn where the students he meets actually learn or read. And after two years of pandemic, how did universities change, as places of informal exchange, joy and gossip?

The teaching staff have been protesting for years now about unfair contracts, which force them to leave Austria after eight years, to continue their research.

While most Jane's Walks focus on a Grätzel, we will do the opposite. We will drift between isolated communities, and seek to build bridges. We want to tell the stories of the researchers' study.

One-in-ten Viennese is a student, which is a very high number. One third of them come from outside of Austria, like Eugene. Why do they choose to study here, and why do so many stay on after graduation? Which language are the courses delivered in, and how did the students come to understand so much German? What are the differences and rivalries between the 19 Vienna universities?

During our walk, we will have the opportunity to meet various researchers who will share their work with us, including:

• Dr. Barbara Korbei: Dr. Korbei is a principal investigator at BOKU University in the field of molecular plant biology. After completing her Ph.D. in molecular cell biology at the University of Vienna, she moved to basic plant research at BOKU. Her research aims to understand molecular mechanisms in plant adaptation and resilience by assessing membrane protein turnover.

• Alix: Alix is a student at the Central University of Vienna pursuing a master's degree in International Relations. Currently, they are researching the impact of toxicants in fresh-cut flower production, with a focus on understanding the long-term consequences of human actions. Alix's research reflects a deep interest in reimagining time and its implications for sustainable governance. Alix's work highlights the interconnectedness of present actions with future outcomes, urging a shift towards holistic and forward-thinking policies.

• Eugene Quinn: Eugene is a London-born, Vienna-based urbanist, DJ, and co-founder of the political culture group Whoosh. His work focuses on engaging with the city, cultivating social capital, and communicating fresh political perspectives. Over the past 15 years, Vienna has been his primary study subject, with a particular emphasis on analyzing its urban life and dynamics.

• Daria Orlandini: Since October, Daria moved to Vienna and has been collaborating with Whoosh as an Italian student. She just finished her bachelor studies in International Studies and Political Science at the University of Trento. Driven by an interest in urbanism and human geography, Daria is exploring a deeper understanding of the city's spatial organization and the use of public space by the population.

2024 marks the ninth year where Whoosh (previously space and place) leads a tour for Jane's Walk Vienna. We thank Andreas Lindinger for all his hard work across those years and beyond.

Free Tour, no registration is needed.

Walk Leader: Eugene Quinn

https://janeswalk.at

(Hotline for latecomers: 0680/1254354)

PS Eugene will moderate a symposium on the future of student housing in Wien, organised by Stadt Wien, in Seestadt, in June. See the website!