Uni:docs Fellow Lisa Achathaler stellt sich vor

06.11.2018

Lisa Achathaler ist Doktorandin am Institut für Theologische Grundlagenforschung und seit Oktober uni:docs Fellow der Universität Wien. In einem kurzen Interview stellt sich Lisa Achathaler vor.

  • Sie forschen zum Thema Trust in God. Ethics of Hope in the Face of Ecological Devastation. Beschreiben Sie Ihr Forschungsprojekt in drei Sätzen?

Against the backdrop of ecological crisis, uncertainty and fear, this interdisciplinary project investigates on the notion of “trust in God” which links together the fields of resilience, vulnerability, and creative processes, all of which are characterized by a dichotomical relation between openness and safety. The aim of the thesis is to investigate on the contribution achieved by trust in God in order to help to constructively alter the view of unforeseeable future events. This does not mean that fear (e.g. of the future or the ecological crisis) is eradicated, but what this thesis aims to demonstrate is that trust in God, by a radical openness and embracing of one’s own vulnerability and finiteness, helps to build a resilient way of dealing with fear of the unknown, thus changing the inwardness of a human being and creating a space where creativity and innovation may prosper despite an increasingly inhospitable external and continuously changing environment; this further releases innovative potential to help overcome upcoming challenges, as well as strengthens the individual and creates an open, free, and caring space to encounter ‘the other’.

  • Was fasziniert Sie an Ihrem Thema?

There are a lot of aspects I find interesting concerning my topic - for instance it’s topicality, it’s connectivity, or that it allows for a dialogue between natural sciences and theology. However, I think what really motivates me, is, that it – over time and in a subtle way– grew into something that is very dear to me.

  • Was sind Ihrer Meinung nach die drei wichtigsten Eigenschaften eines Forschers/einer Forscherin?

Curiosity; the ability to express highly complex, often veiled and extremely intertwined topics, phenomena and thoughts in an easily understandable, precise and tremendously condensed way in order to present particularly the outcomes in a nutshell; endurance

  • Zur Person

Since 2017 Lisa Achathaler works at the Research Centre Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society (RaT) in Vienna. Her prior study programmes include International Development at the University of Vienna and Applied Crop Sciences at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. In December 2016 she took up the PhD programme Advanced Theological Studies at the University of Vienna in the framework of which she now received the uni:docs Fellowship by the University of Vienna. Forthcoming publication:. “Rekonvaleszenz. Kunst. Blickwechsel”. In: Kunst Heilt Medizin. 10 Werke.