RAHEL SÜSS
Photo: Olivier Pol Michel
Rahel Süß is a political scientist and philosopher at The New Institute. She is exploring desirable democratic and digital futures and is working on a new paradigm of experimental democracy for the digital age.
ABOUT ME
As a dedicated writer and speaker, I explore desirable futures. How does the future come into being? How can societies open themselves to meet the demands of tomorrow? I explore these questions through the lenses of political philosophy, social theory, and social psychology.
Driven by a passion for understanding the conditions for social change, I embarked on an extensive journey. Growing up in Germany's Ruhr area (Ruhrgebiet), I spent almost two years in Bucharest after graduating from high school, where I worked in a social center. From there, I got involved in various political struggles and organizations. This journey eventually led me to found the journal "engagée," drawing inspiration from Jean-Paul Sartre's concept of "littérature engagée".
Throughout my journey, I pursued studies in Political Science, achieving distinctions in my Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD degrees. I also graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, achieving distinction. From 2015 to 2021, I taught courses at the University of Vienna on topics such as democracy and digital politics. My interest in these areas led me to take up visiting and research positions in the USA, London, and Berlin, including at Duke University's Literature Program, the London School of Economics and Political Science, the Department of Digital Humanities at King’s College London, and the Humboldt-University of Berlin. My work received support from various scholarships and fellowships.
How do desirable futures come into being?
New Article:
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
BA in Philosophy, University of Vienna, 2023 (with distinction)
Specialisation: Philosophy of Technology and Media Philosophy
Dr. phil., Political Science, University of Vienna, 2020 (with distinction)
Specialisation: Democratic Theory, History of Political Ideas, and Digital Politics
Duke University, North Carolina, 8-12/2019
Visiting Student
Franklin Humanities Institute & Literature Program (sponsor Michael Hardt)
Queen Mary University of London, 6/2018 - 1/2019
Visiting Student
School of Politics and International Relations (sponsor Lasse Thomassen)
University of Westminster, London, 1/2017 - 3/2019
Visiting Student
Centre for the Studies of Democracy (sponsor Chantal Mouffe & Paulina Tambanaki)
MA in Political Science, University of Vienna, 2014 (with distinction)
Specialisation: International Politics and Political Theory
Erasmus-Program, Charles University, Prague (10/2013-4/2014)
BA in Political Science, University of Vienna, 2012 (with distinction)
Specialisation: International Politics and Political Theory
PROJECTS & POSITIONS
The New Institute, Hamburg 02/2024 - Current
Fellow
The New Institute (2nd Host), Hamburg 10/2022 - 01/2024
Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow
The Future of Democracy Program
Humboldt-University of Berlin (1st Host), 2/2022 - 01/2024
Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Social Science, Theory of Politics
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), 3-8/2022
Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Visiting Scholar
Government Department (sponsor Lea Ypi)
Humboldt-University of Berlin, 2/2021-8/2022
Founding Director of the Data Politics Lab
Department of Social Science, Theory of Politics
King's College London, 9/2021 - 1/2022
Visiting Scholar
Department of Digital Humanities (sponsor Paolo Gerbaudo)
Founder, Co-Editor & Graphic Designer engagée Journal - London, Wien, Berlin, 2012 - 2022
Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Vienna, 2015-2021; seminars include the history of political ideas, democratic theory, and digital transformation.
Humboldt-University of Berlin, 4-7/2020
Research Fellow
Center for Humanities and Social Change, Department of Philosophy
Goldsmiths University of London, 1-6/2020
Visiting Fellow
Department of Politics and International Relations (sponsor William Davies)
Project Coordinator, Economy for the Common Good, Vienna, 9/2011-7/2013
Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India, 6-12.2008
Volunteer Service, Social Center Sf. Lazar, Concordia, Bukarest, Rumania, 2006-2008
GRANDS, FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
-
The New Institute Fellowship
-
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Visiting research grant for the London School of Economics and Political Science
-
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
-
The Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) Post-DocTrack Fellowship
-
Humanities & Social Change International Foundation Fellowship
-
University of Vienna Dissertation Fellowship (Abschlussstipendium)
-
Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD) Marietta Blau Dissertation Fellowship
-
University of Uppsala, Uppsala Forum Workshop-Grant
-
Rosa Luxemburg-Foundation Dissertation Fellowship
-
Rosa Luxemburg-Foundation Scholarship for postgraduate studies MA
-
University of Vienna, Accomplishment Awards (2013, 2014 & 2016)
EDITOR & REVIEWER
Founder and Editorial Board Member, engagée Journal (until 2022)
Former reviewer activities: Polity Press, Routledge, Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft (ZPol), Philosophy & Social Criticism, Constellations, and Democratic Theory
TEACHING
University of Vienna
-
2022 | What is digital democracy? (guest lecture)
-
2021 | The Politics of the Future: Technology, Democracy and Resistance
-
2020 | Power and Resistance in the Digital Constellation
-
2019 | Digital Protest and the Political
-
2016 – 2020 | The History of Political Ideas (20S, 19W, 18W, 18S, 17W, 17S, 16W)
-
2018 | Radical Democracy and Municipal Movements
-
2016 | Methods of Political Science
-
2015 | Introduction to International Politics