Short biography

Matthias Aistleitner has been a research associate at the ICAE (Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy) since 2017 and, starting in 2024, a research associate with the "Socio-Ecological Transformation" (SET) research group at the Linz Institute for Transformative Change. His work focuses on the role of economic knowledge in the context of socio-ecological transformation processes. Matthias holds a Master’s degree in Social Economics from Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU) and has been pursuing a doctorate degree in Socioeconomics at the University of Duisburg-Essen since 2023.

Research interest

Matthias engages in elite research in a broad sense, focusing on two key areas: (1) The analysis of scientific elite discourses, particularly the study of economic discourses and their influence on other social science disciplines (economic imperialism). This includes fields such as development studies and interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary research on socio-ecological transformation. (2) The analysis of economic elites, with a specific focus on the structures of extreme wealth in Austria. In his empirical work, Matthias employs quantitative (scientometric) and mixed-methods approaches, such as (social) network analysis and discourse analysis.

• social studies of economics, sociology of economics, science and technology studies, scientometrics, political economy

Functions and Responsibilities

• Substitute member senate (JKU)