The online academic journal “soziales_kapital” has been promoting discourse on Social Work in Austria since 2007 and is supported by the editorial boards of the Austrian universities of applied sciences’ Social Work programs. The MCI department of Social Work has been actively involved since the journal’s inception and is currently represented in two roles: Laura Feith González (teaching & research assistant) serves as the liaison for the MCI editorial office, while Moritz Reisberger (teaching & research assistant) is a member of the editorial board of the Austrian Society for Social Work (ogsa). Both editorial boards provide expert guidance on submissions from the initial idea through to publication and, in particular, support emerging authors in revising their texts.
The recently published 32nd issue of the online journal “soziales_kapital” focuses on the theme “Social Work as a Profession & Methodological Practice.” It explores, from various perspectives, how methodological practice is evolving in the face of mounting social problems, a worsening staffing situation, and the growing presence of AI applications. Moritz Reisberger authored the issue’s editorial. Together with Lena Rolvering, he also contributed a scholarly article on ethnographic observation in Social Work practice, which stems from a research project at the department of Social Work funded by the State of Tyrol. More information on this project and the research article can be found in the news article on the DARE Conference 2026.
The department of Social Work is extremely pleased that two theses by our graduates have found their way into the academic discourse: In the “Young Researchers” section, the authors have presented the findings from their theses for a specialized audience.
Nathalie Nunner, a graduate of the bachelor’s program in Social Work, focuses on the secondary prevention of substance use among adolescents. This leads to an understanding of prevention that aims to strengthen consumers’ ability to manage their use and assess risks, as well as to develop functional alternatives. At the same time, the paper precisely highlights the limitations of this approach, such as the tension between the duty to report under the Federal Child and Youth Welfare Act and the duty of confidentiality under the Substance Abuse Act. Today, Nathalie Nunner works as a social worker at the NEUSTART association and at baseCamp, operated by Tiroler Kinder- und Jugend GmbH.
Lena Rolvering, a graduate of the master’s program in Social Work, Social Policy & Management and a former project staff member at the MCI department of Social Work, examines the state of hospital Social Work in public hospitals in Tyrol. Based on data from the TNF studies conducted at the department and additional semi-narrative interviews, her article reflects the tension between the high professional standards of social workers and the challenging structural conditions in a context of multiple crises. Equally clearly, the article identifies possible courses of action: systematic documentation, political engagement, and, above all, collegial networking and collective organization. Building on this, the article argues for a stronger focus on the third mandate of Social Work.
These publications impressively demonstrate the contribution MCI graduates can make to academic discourse. At the same time, both articles show that carefully crafted bachelor’s and master’s theses are academically sound and socially relevant. The department of Social Work would therefore like to encourage more alumni to share their research findings and innovative practical perspectives. Anyone interested in publishing their thesis in the “Young Researchers” section of the journal soziales_kapital is welcome to contact Laura Feith González or Moritz Reisberger. They will help assess whether and in what form a thesis is suitable for publication and will guide authors through the process of transforming their thesis into an academic article.
Moritz Reisberger with Nathalie Nunner, graduate of the bachelor’s program in Social Work
Moritz Reisberger with Lena Rolvering, graduate of the master’s program in Social Work, Social Policy & Management
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