zeitgenoss_in

About us

The zeitgenoss_in is the magazine of the ÖH Uni Wien (Vienna University Student Union). Our aim is to inform students about their studies and the university, their rights and opportunities. We also offer critical voices a space to write about education, politics and culture. We are always happy to welcome new and committed authors. If you would like to publish with us, please send us an e-mail at:

Current Call for Papers

Hi!
It’s that time again: for the next issue of zeitgenoss_in, we’re looking for contributors who’d like to write on the theme ‘Leap of Faith’.
In the upcoming freshers’ issue, we’ll be exploring new beginnings, change and the question of what actually happens after you’ve taken that first step.
We’ve all been freshers – and perhaps still are – but what advice would you actually give to those just starting their studies? What would you have liked to know first, or beforehand, when you set foot on campus?
How does it feel to leave familiar ground behind? What does it actually take to take the leap into the unknown? Which expectations of university life change after the first few weeks or months? When does a new beginning become everyday life – and when do you really feel settled? What role do financial worries, part-time work, pressure to perform or bureaucratic hurdles play? Who can afford a carefree start to their studies, and who has to struggle right from the start? Which structures make settling in easier, and which make it harder? And how can students support one another and the ÖH in this process?
The title has been deliberately chosen to be open-ended: what do terms such as ‘leap’, ‘upheaval’, ‘new beginning’ or ‘unknown landing’ evoke in you? What happens when the first step has been taken and the path still remains unclear?

From political analyses and critical essays to personal experiences and stories of everyday life, right through to practical tips for student life, all types of writing are welcome.
Your submissions can be either 3,000 or 7,000 characters, including spaces. Published articles will be paid for.
Please send us your article proposals by 14 August to

The proposal should be no longer than 1,000 characters and outline the planned text format, the desired length, the approximate structure and your own perspective.
We look forward to receiving your submission!

All the best and stay safe,
your zeitgenoss_in editorial team

Emma, Charlotte, Miriam, Pia-Katharina

How-to zeitgenossin

Call for Papers

Call see here & Instagram (@zeitgenoss_in.oeh)
One main topic per issue
Rubrics: Higher education, society, culture
Text form freely selectable

Concept

Concept: maximum 1,000 characters including spaces (no finished articles)
Formulate thoughts on text form, length, structure, perspective, etc.
Submit concept for contribution by the deadline to: zeitgenossin@oeh.univie.ac.at:

First draft

After confirmation, prepare the first draft of the article
Article: either 3,000 or 7,000 characters including spaces
Submit the first draft by the deadline
Feedback from the editorial team will follow and the editing process will begin

Final draft

Please incorporate feedback or provide reasons if you don't want to
If deadlines, feedback or style sheets are not followed, the article might not be published or paid for
Queries can be addressed to the editorial team at any time!

Accounting

Submit all necessary documents, including a copy of your ID, after the concept has been selected
Payment may be delayed due to bureaucratic procedures

Subscription

If you are not studying at the University of Vienna and would still like to receive zeitgenoss_in, you can register for a free subscription. The ÖH Uni Vienna will pay the postage costs.

At the moment, all students at the University of Vienna only receive every 3rd issue of zeitgenoss_in. If you would like to receive every issue as a student, please send us an e-mail to: . And if you don't want to receive the issues, then you can send us an email as well.

Forms for Authors

Procedure for submitting forms

The signature of the person receiving the money does not have to be in the original; a digital copy/scan is sufficient.
Then send to .

In order to write an article for zeitgenoss_in, authors must first fill out the following forms: Freier Dienstvertrag zeitgenoss_in (Freelance contract for zeitgenoss_in).

If you have not yet submitted a Stammdatenblatt (master data sheet) (i.e. you have never written an article or held an elected position at the ÖH Uni Wien), you must also submit this along with a copy of your student ID/passport.

Afterwards, the Verrechnungsblatt (Zeitgenossin invoice) form must be completed.

You will find the formal requirements for the text in the style sheet.

Forms zeitgenoss_in

Current issues of zeitgenoss_in

zeitgenoss_in_juni26_online

The June issue of zeitgenoss_in focuses on the theme ‘Health is political!’. It explores what happens when it is not individual people, but societal and institutional systems that cause illness. Among other things, it focuses on invisible illnesses and barriers, mental health, discrimination within the healthcare system, the realities of trans and non-binary lives, as well as questions of self-determination, care and the right to one’s own body.

Raum (März 2026)

This issue focuses on the spaces that are coming under increasing pressure for young people: from affordable housing and public infrastructure to places for culture, learning, and socializing. Activists share their experiences in the fight to preserve such spaces, such as through occupations at the university, in the Lobau, or the Fischa-Au, and we also take a look at the student movement in Serbia. In addition, we cover rising ticket prices, the connections between climate, capitalism, and space, as well as current developments at the University of Vienna. Finally, a visit to Planet10 and a look back at the Alte WU show just how important such places are for community, exchange, and social engagement.

Que(e)rformat (Dezember 2025)

This issue carves out the space that queerness needs—loud, diverse, and uncompromising. It challenges social norms, examines queer struggles around the world and right on our doorstep, and highlights where resistance, solidarity, and vibrant culture are taking place. Through political analyses, personal conversations, memories of queer pioneers, and reports on art and culture, it demonstrates that queer life transcends boundaries—and opens up new paths that we will continue to walk and fight for together.

Reality-Check Studieren (Oktober 2025)

Starting college brings new surroundings, many questions, and often financial concerns as well. This issue will guide you through your first semester, explain who represents you at the university, and show you how to navigate everyday college life. In addition to tips and personal accounts, it offers guidance, highlights potential challenges, and provides an overview of support and funding opportunities designed to help you get off to a good start in your studies.

Begehren im Kapitalismus (Juni 2025)

This year’s FLINTA* issue of zeitgenossin explores one of the most elusive yet fundamental phenomena: desire. What happens when love becomes a commodity, when relationships follow the logic of efficiency and matching? The essays explore how alienation operates—in our relationships, in our homes, in our ideas of the “good life.” And they point to possibilities: for a way of life rooted in solidarity. For new alliances. For spaces that are shared rather than locked away.

ÖH Wahlen 2025

In this issue, we’d like to share with you the most important information about the election. But beyond that, we also want to ask the fundamental question: What role does the ÖH play—and what role could it play? The university can—and should—be a place of exchange, community, and mutual support. A strong ÖH is not only a political necessity, but also a social one.

Zeitenwende oder Dauerschleife? Wege aus dem Faschismus (Dezember 2024)

In light of the National Council election held in September, we are dedicating this issue to the political landscape in Austria. What impact is the growing acceptance of right-wing extremism having? Does the so-called “firewall” against the right offer protection against anti-democratic actors? We have asked students and young journalists to reflect on possible ways out of Austria’s right-wing quagmire. The wide range of articles, interviews, and reviews is intended to serve as a catalyst for further reflection and action.

Die Zukunft in Deiner Hand (Oktober 2024)

This issue is intended for all first-year students at the University of Vienna. We provide an overview of how the student council operates and is structured, introduce our many areas of work, funding opportunities, and advisory services, and also raise substantive questions about the future of students.

Von Resignation und Hoffnung (Mai 2024)

This issue focuses on resignation and hope as tools for political reflection. It centers on the questions: “What is the relationship between them? How can we relate them to cultural phenomena? What causes us to despair, and what can we hope for?”

Older Issues until 2023