Ingo Mörth

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Ingo Mörth

Ingo Mörth (born May 1, 1949 in Grades , Carinthia ) is an Austrian sociologist and cultural theorist .

Career and work

Ingo Mörth studied business administration and sociology at the Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU) , received his doctorate there in 1977 with a focus on social philosophy and qualified there in 1984 in the subject of "general sociology". He started his scientific career in 1973 as Univ.-Ass. with Jakobus Wössner at the Institute for General Sociology and Social Philosophy in Linz, and was among other things visiting professor at Central Connecticut State University in the USA in 1978 , and also lecturer at the Universities of Vienna and Salzburg from 1987–1999 . After completing his habilitation, he was a university lecturer and assistant professor at the JKU and then from 1999–2011 as an associate professor .

In addition to his work at the Institute for Sociology

  • From 1998 to 2011 he headed the Institute for Cultural Economics and Cultural Research at the JKU as head of the institute.
  • From 1984 to 1990 he was chairman of the so-called "Cultural Institute at the JKU"
  • and co-founder (1984) and co-speaker (1984–1996) of the “Section Cultural Theory and Cultural Research” of the Austrian Society for Sociology
  • He has been retired at the Institute for Sociology at the JKU since 2011, but is still active as a consultant and project manager at the Institute for Cultural Economics and Cultural Research.
  • Since 2012 Mörth has also been a university lecturer at the Institute for Philosophy and Philosophy of Science at the JKU for Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies and the PhD program in Philosophy

Main focus of work and activities

The main focus of his work within sociology was and is the sociology of religion , sociological theory , cultural sociology , art sociology , media sociology , leisure and tourism research and educational research .

Together with Gerhard Fröhlich, Mörth founded, edited and supervised three comprehensive Open Access online projects, namely the world catalogs (all languages) of the publications by Pierre Bourdieu , Norbert Elias and Clifford Geertz .

After all, Ingo Mörth, together with Herwig Pöschl and others, developed training courses in the field of culture and media management from 1989 to 1998, and until 2000 also headed it scientifically.

Sociological focus

Sociology of Religion

Ingo Mörth developed a general sociological and social-psychological field theory of religion that seeks to grasp and explain religious phenomena on all levels of the social ( personal , interpersonal , transpersonal ) (cf. Mörth 1978, Mörth 1986). In a cultural-scientific - functionalist approach, religion is seen as that part of human knowledge and culture that is related to the boundaries of the lifeworld and society (= contingency ; cf. Mörth 2008) through irrefutable convictions and rituals and practices based on them, which are also significant for individuals are trying to deal. This approach also makes it possible at first glance to analyze non-religious phenomena such as astrology (Mörth 1986e) or science fiction (Mörth 1987, Mörth 2001) as fundamentally religious forms.

He was also responsible for the then significant first update of the “Handbook of Empirical Social Research” (ed. René König ) in the field of sociology of religion (= vol. 14) (Mörth 1979).

Sociological theory, culture and art sociology

Sociological theory as cultural theory

In the field of sociological theory Mörth tries society culturalist recognized as culturally defined network. In this context, various important theorists within sociology , social philosophy and cultural anthropology are processed, as well as re-read and interpreted, such as Norbert Elias and his theory of civilization (see Mörth et al. 1991), Pierre Bourdieu and his theories of social fields and types of capital ( cf. Mörth et al. 1994), as well as Clifford Geertz and his approach of the “dense description” of social structures and phenomena (cf. Mörth et al. 1998). Here the attempt is made to design a “ cultural sociology of modernity ” that understands modern society as a cultural phenomenon (and not as a mere economic phenomenon).

Sociology of culture and art

Within the sociology of culture and art in the narrower sense, Mörth mainly deals with questions of culture and art and their status on the one hand in urban space (Mörth 1982a, Mörth 1986b, Mörth 1994b, Mörth 2009a), which are diverse and also empirical well-founded research projects in the field of tension between high culture and autonomous cultural work in the so-called "third sector" were and are. The city of Linz and the federal state of Upper Austria repeatedly served as a study area. In this context, Mörth was also involved in the first Linz cultural development plan, the so-called “Kulturversuch Linz”, as scientific director.

On the other hand, there is also research on cultural initiatives and art projects in rural areas, such as in the upper Mühlviertel using the example of Schwarzenberg (cf. Mörth 1999), the Salzkammergut as a so-called “festival landscape” (Mörth 2000), and various Upper Austrian state exhibitions (Mörth et al 2003). In this context, art projects with primarily cultural tourism importance presented themselves empirically as a strong “fertilizer for regional culture” and “attractor of cultural tourism mobility” (cf. Mörth 1997).

Sociology of education, tourism and media

Sociology of education

Within the sociology of education , Ingo Mörth's research relates primarily to the disadvantages of children from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds and ways of overcoming them. There are research results, especially on educational pathways alongside or after the mainstream (= Austrian Matura in the so-called second educational path ) that prove this (cf. Mörth 1982). His study on “low-skilled in further training” (Mörth 2005a), however, shows that so-called “educationally disadvantaged layers” can only compensate for their initial disadvantages with further training later with difficulty.

In addition, there is research that relates to the role of libraries as educational institutions in the educational landscape (cf. Mörth 2005b).

Sociology of Tourism

Mörth's essential research on questions of the sociology of tourism relates empirically to the interaction between education and employment in the Upper Austrian tourism landscape. (cf. Mörth 2007), as well as, on the other hand, in terms of cultural theory, tourism as a phenomenon of dealing with the foreign (see Mörth 2003).

Media sociology

Mörth's research on media sociology is particularly important with regard to studies on so-called "free radios" (Mörth et al. 2011). Here, all "Free Radios" and "Free TV (dorf.tv)" in Upper Austria. empirically collected through a representative survey of all residents in the catchment area, which experiences, framework conditions and program preferences exist and need to be further developed.

Writings by Ingo Mörth (selection)

  • 1978: The Social Reality of Religion . Foundation of a general theory of religion . Kohlhammer-Verlag, Stuttgart etc. 1978, ISBN 3-17-004359-5 .
  • 1979: Sociology of religion (with Friedrich Fürstenberg ), in: René König (Hrsg.): Handbook of empirical social research, Volume 14: Religion, Education, Medicine, Enke-Verlag, Stuttgart 1979 ( ISBN 3-432-89382-5 ).
  • 1980: La sociologie de la religion comme Théorie Critique (L'École de Francfort). In: Social Compass. International Review of Sociology of Religion / Revue internationale de sociologie de la religion ( ISSN  0037-7686 ), vol. XXVII (1980) issue 1.
  • 1982: CULTURE - over all? against all? for all? Animation using the example of ars electronica at the Bruckner Festival in Linz (with Manfred Wagner , Hans Heinz Fabris, Franz Wagner), Trauner Verlag, Linz 1982 ( ISBN 3-85320-256-X ).
  • 1982: Education alongside work. Results of an investigation of different ways to the university entrance qualification on the second educational path (with Franz Wagner et al.), Universitätsverlag R. Trauner (social science materials, vol. 1) Linz 1982 ( ISBN 3-85320-276-4 ).
  • 1983: Sociology of Religion as Critical Theory. In: Karl-Fritz Daiber, Thomas Luckmann (Ed.): Religion in the contemporary currents of German sociology, Kaiser Verlag, Munich 1983 ( ISBN 3-459-01513-6 ).
  • 1986: The living environment and the creation of religious meaning. A contribution to the theory of everyday life, tuduv-Verlagsgesellschaft, Munich 1986 ( ISBN 3-88073-192-6 ).
  • 1986: Culture in the city as a living space. Theoretical and empirical perspectives using the example of Linz / D. (Ed. with Wilhelm Rausch): Universitätsverlag R. Trauner, Linz 1986 (Social Science Materials, Vol. 8, ISBN 3-85320-372-8 ).
  • 1986: Time as a structural element of the lifeworld and society (edited with Friedrich Fürstenberg ), Universitätsverlag Trauner, Linz 1986 (Social Science Materials, Vol. 9, ISBN 3-85320-373-6 ).
  • 1986: Fondamenti e linee di sviluppo di una teoria critica della religione. In: Alberto Bondolfi , Roberto Cipriani , Jürgen Habermas , Benjamin R. Mariante, Ingo Mörth, Roberto Vinco : La teoria critica della religione. Il fenomeno religioso nell 'analisi della Scuola di Francoforte, Edizioni Borla, Roma 1986 ( ISBN 88-263-0623-0 ).
  • 1986: Between superstition and ideology. Aspects of everyday religiosity using the example of Austria. In: Michael Ebertz , Franz Schultheis (ed.): Popular piety in Europe. Contributions to the sociology of popular religiosity from 14 countries, Kaiser Verlag, Munich 1986 ( ISBN 3-459-01594-2 ).
  • 1987: Elements of Religious Meaning in Science-Fiction-Literature. In: Social Compass. International Review of Sociology of Religion / Revue internationale de sociologie de la religion ( ISSN  0037-7686 ), vol. XXXIV (1987) issue 1.
  • 1991: The Infinite Process of Civilization . On the cultural sociology of modernity according to Norbert Elias (ed. With Helmut Kuzmics ), Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / Main - New York 1991 ( ISBN 3-593-34481-5 ).
  • 1993: Intraction & Communication. In: Hubert Cancik , Burkhard Gladigow , Karl-Heinz Kohl (eds.): Handbook of Basic Concepts for Religious Studies Volume III, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart 1993 ( ISBN 3-17-009555-2 ).
  • 1994: The symbolic capital of lifestyles . On the cultural sociology of modernity according to Pierre Bourdieu (ed. With Gerhard Fröhlich ), Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / Main - New York 1994 ( ISBN 3-593-34964-7 ).
  • 1994: City cultural experience. Theoretical and practical aspects of urban culture (edited with Birgit Brandner & Kurt Luger ), Picus Verlag, Vienna 1994 ( ISBN 3-85452-124-3 ).
  • 1995: Kulturbetriebslehre: Basic considerations on subject and methodology. In: Wolfgang Kemmetmüller, Heinz Kotek, Monika Petermandl (eds.): Success potential for small and medium-sized businesses. Festschrift for Walter Sertl on his 65th birthday, Universitätsverlag Rudolf Trauner, Linz 1995 ( ISBN 3-85320-752-9 ), (also online) , requested on September 17, 2016.
  • 1997: It depends on the dose: tourism as a fertilizer for regional culture. In: Tourism Journal. Journal for Tourism Research and Practice ( ISSN  1433-5948 ), 1st year (1997), Issue 3–4, (also online) , accessed on September 17, 2016.
  • 1998: Symbolic Anthropology of Modernity. Culture analyzes according to Clifford Geertz (ed. With Gerhard Fröhlich ), Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / Main - New York 1998 ( ISBN 3-593-35890-5 ).
  • 1999: Art in the field of tension between tourism and rural areas. The "art of vacation" in Schwarzenberg in the Bohemian Forest. In: Ingo Mörth (Hrsg.): Art and tourism in rural areas. Opportunities and Risks, KUWI-Verlag, Linz 1999 ( ISBN 3-902050-00-4 ), (also online) , requested on September 17, 2016.
  • 2000: Festival landscape Salzkammergut . 3 volumes: (Vol. 1) Basics of the offer . (Vol. 2) Basics of Demand . (Vol. 3) Feasibility study . Research reports, Institute for Cultural Economics, University of Linz, Linz 2000.
  • 2001: UTOPIA 2001: Space Odysseys as Religion. In: Organdi Quarterly . An online peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal ( ISSN  1630-7712 ), No. 3, October 2001, (also online) , accessed on September 17, 2016.
  • 2002: "Here in Austria you have the advantage that there are real opponents in power and not false friends." Pierre Bourdieu and Austria - some posthumous notes. In: Austrian Journal for Sociology ( ISSN  1011-0070 ), Volume 27 (2002), Issue 3, (also online) , accessed on September 22, 2016.
  • 2003: strangeness, well-dosed. Tourism as a culture of controlled encounter with the foreign. In: TRANS. Internet Journal for Cultural Studies - Internet Journal for Cultural Studies - Revue électronique de recherches sur la culture ( ISSN  1560-182X ), No. 15 (2003/2004), (also online) , accessed on September 17, 2016.
  • 2004: cultural tourism - culture of tourism: a connection of cultures? (Editor), in: Trans ( ISSN  1560-182X ), no.15 , April 2004, (also online) , accessed on September 17, 2016.
  • 2005: Low-skilled people in Upper Austria - the path to further training (with others), Office of Upper Austria . Landesregierung, Linz 2005, (also online) , requested on September 17, 2016.
  • 2005: Knowledge stores, search engines and places of learning. On the future of libraries in the education system. In: Christian Enichlmayr (Hrsg.): Libraries - Foundation of Education, conference proceedings 28th Austrian Librarian Day, Upper Austria. State Library & Library of the Province, Linz & Weitra 2005 ( ISBN 3-85252-684-1 ), (also online) , accessed on September 17, 2016.
  • 2007: Management report: Education and employment in the Upper Austrian Tourism and leisure industry (with others), WKOÖ Tourism and Leisure Section, Linz 2007, (also online) , requested on September 17, 2016.
  • 2008: Contingency (religious studies). In: Hans Dieter Betz , Don S. Browning, Bernd Janowski , Eberhard Jüngel (eds.): Religion past and present. Encyclopedia of theology and religion, Brill editors, Boston / USA & Leiden 2008, vol. 3 (Chu-Deu) ( ISBN 9789004139794 ).
  • 2009: Linz cultural districts today: New situation and perspectives. General considerations and special topics (with others), Linz 09 GmbH, Linz 2009, (also online) , requested on September 17, 2016.
  • 2009: Community identity and community awareness as a factor in possible amalgamation of communities in the Linz area (with Doris Baum , Michaela Gusenbauer, Bernhard Hofer, Claudia Pass), in: Friedrich Klug (Ed.): Administrative reform through the solution of the urban and surrounding area problem, ikw - Municipal Research in Austria, Vol. 117, Linz 2009 ( ISBN 978-3-902493-04-0 ).
  • 2011: The third media sector in Upper Austria. A range and potential analysis of free radios & TV stations: Radio FRO 105.0, Free Radio Salzkammergut, Free Radio Freistadt, Free Radio B 138 and dorf.tv (with Alexander Vojvoda, Michaela Gusenbauer, Otto Tremetzberger), Freier Rundfunk Oberösterreich, Linz 2011 ( ISBN 978-3-200-02445-8 ), (also online) , accessed on September 20, 2016.
  • 2015: Nodes for Knowledge, Communication and Identity , in: OPAC - Specialist Journal for Librarians in Upper Austria, Vol. 5, No. 3 (2015), pp. 26–27 ( ISSN  1864-2950 )

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Information about Mörth at the Institute for Sociology , requested on May 17, 2020.
  2. ↑ Information about Mörth at the Institute for Culture Industry , requested on May 17, 2020.
  3. ↑ Homepage of the cultural institute at the JKU , accessed on September 21, 2016.
  4. ↑ Homepage of the section on cultural theory etc. of the ÖGS , requested on September 21, 2016.
  5. ↑ Information on courses in Mörth , requested on May 17, 2020.
  6. ↑ Information on the cultural management courses at the University of Linz , requested on September 20, 2016.
  7. ↑ all references refer to the list of publications below.
  8. ↑ Information in the research documentation of the UniversitäLinz , requested on September 20, 2016.
personal data
SURNAME Mörth, Ingo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian sociologist
DATE OF BIRTH May 1, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Grades , Carinthia