People

Erika Bernacchi is a researcher at the Istituto degli Innocenti for more than 20 years and adjunct professor in sociology of education at the University of Florence. Her research themes concern; gender stereotypes in education, gender-based violence, masculinity and postcolonial studies.

Mart Busche is professor for General Pedagogy and Social Work at Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences. They have a background in political youth education and realized different research projects in the fields of critical masculinity studies and violence prevention.

Till Dahlmüller works as an educator in gender-reflective boys*' work and gives further training on boys*' work, critical examination of masculinity(s). He is particularly interested in cultural education and movement/dance pedagogical approaches.

Antonio Raimondo Di Grigoli is junior researcher in Educational studies at the University of Florence and consultant at the Istituto degli Innocenti. His main research regards critical studies on men and masculinities, queer and intersectional pedagogy and popular culture in educational studies.

Marc Gärtner is a sociologist and concerned with men and masculinities for more than 20 years. He works as an expert on International Gender Equality Policy at Bundesforum Männer/Federal Forum for Men in Berlin.

Majda Hrženjak is a sociologist and senior researcher at the Peace Institute in Ljubljana. Her research focuses on the concept of care in relation to gender, intersectional inequalities, migration, citizenship, and the feminist ethic of care.

Philipp Leeb was a teacher for 14 years and is the founder and director of poika - an association for the promotion of gender-sensitive work with boys in education and teaching. He has been working with children and young people for over 25 years on the topics of role models and gender identities using a violence prevention and intersectional approach.

Olivier Malcor is a philosopher. He develops games and theatrical tools to script gender based violence and rehearse change collectively.

Leja Markelj in a social pedagogue, currently working as a research assistant at the Peace institute – Institute for contemporary social and political studies. As a PhD student in gender studies at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, she draws upon her background as a former youth worker, bringing expertise in working with unprivileged youth.

Lisa Mittischek is a sociologist, gender researcher and didactics expert with a focus on gender and diversity, an employee of Graz University of Technology, a lecturer at universities in Graz and active in research and adult education.

Alex Moschitz is a social worker and associate at the Institute for Men's and Gender Studies and the Fachstelle für Burschenarbeit in Graz. He primarily works in projects with adolescents and children on the prevention of gender-based violence.

Anna Riegler, Mag. Dr.. Interim Head of the Institute of Social Work, Head of Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in Social Work. Deputy Academic Director at FH JOANNEUM. Social pedagogue, supervisor, organizational developer (ÖAGG certified). Teaching in the field of critical social work, supervision and research. Research in the field of migration, flight, difference, gender, intersectionality, recognition.

Elli Scambor, Sociologist. Managing Director of the Institute for Masculinity Studies and Gender Research (www.genderforschung.at). Coordinator of numerous international studies with a focus on men & gender equality, Caring Masculinities, gender based violence and violence resilience. Lecturer at Universities in Graz. Vice president at the Umbrella Association for Men’s Work in Austria (DMÖ).

Simone Schmiedtbauer graduated from high school in Graz and, after working in banking, started a farm where she ran a pig farm with direct marketing together with her husband. She finally entered politics as a career changer in 2009 and was mayor of her home municipality of Hitzendorf from 2015-2019. In 2019, she won a seat in the European Parliament as the Styrian ÖVP's top candidate and was deputy head of the ÖVP delegation in Brussels. In October of this year, she was elected to the Styrian provincial government as the successor to Hans Seitinger, who resigned for health reasons, where she heads the life department.

Rafa Soto is a Social Worker and Master in Interdisciplinary Intervention in Gender Violence, he works with men since 2005 in different areas especially in coeducation, violence and addictions.

Eva Eli Taxacher, studied sociology (Graz, Örebro/Sweden), international gender research and feminist politics (Graz and Vienna), works in the field of supervision, coaching and process support, as well as in the coordination and course management of the GenderWerkstätte at the Verein Frauenservice Graz.

Moritz Theuretzbacher, social worker in the Association for Men and Gender Issues (VMG), working in men‘s counselling in Neusiedl/See (Burgenland) as case manager, counsellor and anti-violence trainer. Involvement in research projects on the prevention of gender-based violence at the Institute for Masculinity Research and Gender Studies. School workshops with young people on sex education and violence prevention.

Benedikt Treschnitzer has been working at the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs since 2017, where he is responsible for the Caring Masculinities department, among other things. He has been in charge of the Boys‘ Day programme since this year. His area of responsibility also includes the Ministry of Social Affairs‘ violence prevention projects, which focus on preventing male violence against women.