Institute for Security Research and Crisis Management

The Institute for Security Research and Crisis Management at SFU pursues an integrative and holistic strategy of knowledge by aiming to uncover, for example, cultural, systemic, cognitive or psychodynamic structures behind ostensibly material security problems. The focus is therefore not only on objective security (i.e. technical-structural issues), but above all also on subjective security and thus on aspects of the humanities, social sciences and cultural studies, which are becoming increasingly important in security research.

Special emphasis is put on integrating current findings in psychotherapy science, which has established itself as a discipline of its own beyond the immediate therapeutic practice and thereby implies a holistic understanding of the human condition as an interweaving of phenomena from the humanities, social and cultural sciences.

From a psychological and sociological perspective, particular interest is also directed at certain trends and phenomena that do not initially appear to be directly and obviously relevant to security issues, but which can ultimately be decisive for an understanding of the security-relevant social environment. These include, for example, conspiracy theories or changing consumption and lifestyle habits.     

Heads of the Institute:

• Dr. Cornelius GRANIG (Cybersecurity): cornelius.granig@sfu.ac.at
• Mag.(FH) Dr. Gerd HIESS, BSc MSc (general security research, social science aspects): gerd.hiess@sfu.ac.at