Doctoral student and scholarship holder of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (DOC) at the Institute for Sociology (Department for the Theory of Society and Social Analyses) of the Johannes Kepler University Linz on the topic "No more Workers in the Factories? Industrial Robots and Work in the Automotive Sector in Austria, in the context of the New Automation Debate"

Research Areas

Labor and Industrial Sociology
Political Economy of Work
Critical Theory

Education

2021 - 2024 Social and Economic Sciences, JKU Linz (PhD)

2019-2021 Political Economy at the University of Oxford (PhD, not completed)

03/2020-09/2021 Visiting Researcher at the Institute for Sociology and Empirical Social Research at the Vienna University of Economics and Business

12/2019-02/2020 Visiting Researcher at the Institute for Institutional and Heterodox Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business

2017-2019 Economics Vienna University of Economics and Business (MSc, not completed)

2015-2016 Economic Sociology University of Cambridge (MPHIL)

2012-2015 Economics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (BSC)

2010-2013 Philosophy at the University of Vienna (BA)

2009-2010 Law at the University of Vienna (not completed)

Specialization in political economy / economic sociology / heterodox economics of work

Academic Positions

10/2023-12/2023, Research Fellow, WZB - Weizenbaum Institut Berlin, Research Group “Working with AI”, supervisors: Florian Buttolo, Martin Krzywdzinski

1/2022-5/2022, Research Fellow, Marshall Plan Foundation, UC Berkeley, Institute for European Studies, supervisor: Christoph Hermann

10/2019-10/2021 Clarendon Doctoral Scholar, University of Oxford

10/2018-8/2019 Research Fellow Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, at the European Forum, Hebrew University Jerusalem

2/2017-2/2019 Research Assistant, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute for the Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy, Project on Wealth Distribution in Austria and the EU

10/2016-3/2017 Research Assistant, Karl Franzens University Graz, Institute for Applied Organisation Studies, Project on Economic Decision Making

Awards and Grants

Doctoral Scholarship provided by the Clarendon Fund, University of Oxford (University Fees and Maintenance Grant) 2019-2022

Research Fellowship Austrian Ministry of Science and Education 2018

Support for Thesis Research, Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, UK 2016

Maria Szécsi Scholarship awarded by the Austrian Chamber of Labor for studies at the University of Cambridge, UK 2015

University of Washington Dean’s List member for “outstanding academic performance” 2013

Scholarship for an academic exchange to the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, December 2012 - July 2013

Academic Eligibility met, scholarship of the University of Business and Economics Vienna for Academic Excellence (Economics) in 2013 and 2014

Scholarship of the University of Vienna for Academic Excellence (Philosophy) in the years 2011 and 2012

Publications

Books

Atzmüller, R., Decieux F., Ferschli B. (eds.; 2023): Ambivalences of the Transformation of Social Policy and the Welfare State. Beltz Juventa (German)

Refereed Journal Articles

Ferschli, B.; Rehm, M.;Schnetzer, M., Zilian, S (2021a): Digitalization, Market Concentration, and Productivity in Germany, Journal of Economics and Statistics
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jbnst-2020-0058/html , opens an external URL in a new window

Ferschli, B. (2017a): Capitalism without Bosses: The Nature of the Firm and Labour-Process under Self-Management. Momentum Quarterly, 6(3), 153-209.
 

Journal Articles

Ferschli, B./ Rehm, M./ Matthias, S./ Zilian, S., (2019a): Market Power, Financialisation and Inequality. On the Effects of Digitalisation on the German Economy. (Marktmacht, Finanzialisierung und Ungleichheit. Wie die Digitalisierung die deutsche Wirtschaft verändert), Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

Ferschli, B./ Grabner, D./ Theine, H., (2019b): On the Political Economy of German Media enterprises (Zur Politischen Ökonomie der Medien in Deutschland: Eine Analyse zu Konzentrations und Besitzverhältnissen), isw-Report 118

Ferschli, B. / Schütz, B. / Kapeller, J. / Wildauer, R., (2018a): Simulation of a Wealth Tax in Austria. (Wie viel bringt die Vermögenssteuer? Neue Aufkommensschätzungen für Österreich), Wirtschafts und Sozialwissenschaftliche Zeitschrift. 1/2018.

Ferschli, B. / Schütz, B. / Kapeller, J. / Wildauer, R., (2017b): Distribution and Stock of Private Wealth in Austria 2014/2015 (Bestände und Konzentration privater Vermögen in Österreich 2014/2015), Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft 2017, Band 43 Nr.4, S499-534

Ferschli, B. / Schütz, B. / Kapeller, J. / Wildauer, R., (2017c): Stock and Concentration of Private Wealth in Austria. (Bestände und Konzentration privater Vermögen in Österreich). Materialien zu
Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft Nr. 167.

Ferschli, B., Grabner, D. (2014a): Unhelpful Economics or the Virtue of Irresponsibility (Unhilfreiche Ökonomik oder die Tugend der Verantwortungslosigkeit). Standpunkte
 

Book Chapters

Atzmüller, R., Decieux F., Ferschli B.(2023): Ambivalences and Contradictions of Social Policy in Societal Transformation Processes (German). In: Atzmüller, R., Decieux F., Ferschli B. (eds.; 2022): Ambivalences of the Transformation of Social Policy and the Welfare State. Beltz Juventa

Ferschli B. (2023): From Digital to Post-Capitalism? Automation, Crises of Work and Social Policy Transformation (German) In: Atzmüller, R., Decieux F., Ferschli B. (eds.; 2022): Ambivalences of the Transformation of Social Policy and the Welfare State. Beltz Juventa

Ferschli B. (2023): Capitalism without Workers: On the Impossibility of Automation and its Relation to the Question of Value.In: Deautomating the Future: Marxist Perspectives on Capitalism and Technology, Historical Materialism Series, Brill. (Forthcoming)

Kapeller J., Ferschli B. (2019c): Financialisation and Global Inequality. In: Fischer, K., Grandner, M. (eds.) Global Inequality (Globale Ungleichheit). Mandelbaum Verlag

Kapeller J., Ferschli B. (2018b): Hans Albert and the Critique of Modell-Platonism in Economics (Hans Albert und die Kritik am Modell-Platonismus in den Wirtschaftswissenschaften). In: Franco G. (eds) Handbook Karl Popper (Handbuch Karl Popper). Springer Reference Geisteswissenschaften. Springer VS, Wiesbaden

Studies, Projects and Reports

Research Network “Political Economy of Media in Austria” 08/2019-08/2021, Principal Investigator with Daniel Grabner and Hendrik Theine, funded by the Vienna Chamber of Labour.

Study on Digitalisation, Monopolisation, Financialisation and Wealth Inequality in Germany 12/2018-6/2019, Research Assistant with Stella Zilian under Miriam Rehm and Matthias Schnetzer funded by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Study on the Political Economy of German Media 9/2018-4/2019, Principal Investigator with Daniel Grabner, Hendrik Theine, funded by the ISW München

Project on Wealth Distribution in Austria and the EU 2/2017-12/2018, Research Assistant under Jakob Kapeller, Rafael Wildauer, Bernhard Schütz, funded by the Vienna Chamber of Labour
 

Media and Other

Ferschli, B.; Rehm, M.;Schnetzer, M., Zilian, S (2019): How Digitalisation Increases Wealth Inequality and what can be done about it, A&W Blog: https://awblog.at/wie-digitalisierungvermoegensungleichheit-erhoeht/, opens an external URL in a new window

Ferschli B., Grabner D., Hendrik T. (2019): The Top 1% owns 40,5% of Wealth in Austria. Kontrast.at: https://kontrast.at/vermoegen-oesterreich-erbschaftssteuer/, opens an external URL in a new window

Ferschli B., Grabner D., Hendrik T. (2019): Getting rich through inheritance. A look at established rich families in Austria. Kontrast.at: https://kontrast.at/reichste-oesterreicher-erben/, opens an external URL in a new window

Ferschli B., Grabner D., Hendrik T. (2019): A wealth tax could double Austria’s investment in education. Kontrast.at: https://kontrast.at/vermoegen-oesterreich-steuern-bildung/, opens an external URL in a new window

Ferschli B., Grabner D., Hendrik T. (2019): Concentration of the German Media market (Konzentration am deutschen Medienmarkt). Heise.de: https://www.heise.de/tp/features/Konzentration-am-deutschen-Medienmarkt-4511483.html, opens an external URL in a new window

Ferschli B., Wildauer, R. (2017d): Underestimated Inequality of Wealth (Unterschätzte Vermögenskonzentration). Blog Arbeit-Wirtschaft: https://awblog.at/unterschaetztevermoegenskonzentration/, opens an external URL in a new window

Ferschli, B., Grabner, D. (2014b): Unhelpful Economics or the Virtue of Irresponsibility (Unhilfreiche Ökonomik oder die Tugend der Verantwortungslosigkeit). Blog Arbeit-Wirtschaft: https://awblog.at/unhilfreiche-oekonomik-die-tugend-der-verantwortungslosigkeit/, opens an external URL in a new window

Conferences, Lectures and Other

What does labour productivity tell us about automation in the automotive industry? 1.12.2023, Gerpisa Research Seminar

Presentation “More with Less by Fewer? Robots, Productivity and Competition in the Automotive and Manufacturing Sector 2010-2019”, at EAEPE, 13-15.9.2023, Leeds UK

Presentation “More with Less by Fewer? Robots, Productivity and Competition in the Automotive and Manufacturing Sector 2010-2019”, at IIPPE, 5-8.9.2023, Madrid Spain

Participant AFEE Workshop on Institutional Economics, Washington DC, 14-19.8.2023

Presentation “More with Less by Fewer? Robots, Productivity and Competition in the Automotive and Manufacturing Sector 2010-2019”, at Disrupting Technology: Contextualizing Continuity and Change in technology, work and employment, 11-13.6.2023, Prato Italy

Presentation “More with Less by Fewer? Robots, Productivity and Competition in the Automotive and Manufacturing Sector 2010-2019”, at Industry 4.0 Ten years later: Digital Transformations in Manufacturing and Work,17-19.5.2023 Modena, Italy,

Presentation “A Simple Question of More with Less by Fewer? Relating Labour-Productivity, Automation and Sectoral Concentration in the Automotive and Generalized Manufacturing Sector” at CPERN Midterm Workshop, Limerick July 2022

Presentation “Capitalism without Workers: On the Function of Automation and its relation to the question of Value” at ILPC, 4/2021, Online

Participant at AHE PG, PhD-Seminar “Mixed Methods in Economics”, 4/2021

Workshop organised “Concentration in Media Markets in Austria”, 6/2020, Chamber of Labour Vienna, with Daniel Grabner and Hendrik Theine

Workshop organised “Proprietary Structure and Networks of Austrian Media Firms”, 3/2021, Chamber of Labour Vienna, Daniel Grabner and Hendrik Theine

Presentation “The Relation of Value to Automation and Artificial Intelligence: A topography of the Economic Functions of Technology under the Capitalist Mode of Production” at ILPC, April 2020, Newcastle (cancelled)

Presentation “Digitalisation, Monopoly, Financialization and Inequality” at CERIC Annual Conference, “Disrupting Technologies” January 2020, Leeds

Presentation “Digitalisation, Monopoly, Financialization and Inequality” at Digital Capitalism Congress, October 2019, Berlin with Stella Zilian, Miriam Rehm and Matthias Schnetzer

Presentation “On the Political Economy of German Media: Analysis of Concentration and Ownership” at the Second Regional Conference of the German Sociological Association: Great Transformation, the Future of Modern Societies, September 2019 with Daniel Grabner and Hendrik Theine

Presentation “Digitalisation, Monopoly, Financialization and Inequality” at the International Initiative for Promoting Political Economy Annual Conference 2019, July, Lile France

Presentation “Digitalisation, Monopoly, Financialization and Inequality” at 2nd International Conference for Economic Pluralism, BOKU Vienna, April 2019 with Stella Zilian, Miriam Rehm and Matthias Schnetzer

Presentation “The Labour Process and Self-Organisation in Post-Fordist Firms” at the International Labour Process Conference April 2019, University of Vienna (could not attend, lack of funding)

Presentation “Self-Organisation in Post-Fordist Firms” at International Conference of Labour and Social History (ITH), JKU Linz, March 2018 (talk funded by Rosa Luxembourg Stiftung)

Participant at the EAEPE Summerschool 2018 on Deindustrialisation and Financialisation

Presentation “Capitalism without Bosses: The Labour-Process in the Post-Fordian Firm” - Economic Sociology MPhil-Thesis at “International Labour Process Conference”, Sheffield, UK 2017 (could not attend, lack of funding)

Presentation “Towards a Late-Modern Labour-Theory: Smith, Weber, Marx and Boltanski/Chiapello” - Economics BSc-Thesis at the Graduate Conference, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary 2015

Presentation “The Political as Implicit: Social Aesthetics and Ritual Education in Schiller, Confucius, Marx and Critical Theory”- Philosophy BA-Thesis at the “International Žižek-Studies Conference”, Cincinnati U.S.A, 2014