Boris Traue is sociologist and full professor of Social Work and Social Pedagogy. His works on the making of the modern self through psychosocial interventions, the transformation of social relations through media of communication, and the relevance of amateur practices delineate the power of institutions, technologies, and collective action in shaping the knowledge and agency of individuals, groups, and collectives. He has contributed to theoretical and methodological innovations in the social sciences, interdisciplinary studies of subjectivation, and visual studies. His research has been widely published in German, English and French. Books and special issues include (Transcript, 2010), (Beltz Juventa, 2018), (Qualitative Inquiry special issue, 2019), (Springer, 2022) and (Springer, 2023). He is co-editor of the book series (Springer). Das Subjekt der Beratung Handbuch Interpretativ Forschen Visibilities and Visual Discourses Following the Subject Positioning the Subject Studies in Subjectivation
A graduate of Freie Universität Berlin (2002, sociology, philosophy and psychology), he received his Doctorate (Dr. phil, 2008) and venia legendi for sociology (2018) from Technische Universität Berlin. After working as a research assistant at Max Planck Institute for Human Development, PhD researcher at Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences and lecturer as well as principal investigator at Technische Universität Berlin, he became researcher at the Centre for Digital Cultures, Leuphana University Lüneburg. In 2017 he was appointed substitute Professor of General Sociology at Technische Universität Berlin. 2009-2011 he was visiting researcher at the Centre for Invention and Social Process (CISP) at Goldsmiths/University of London. His research has been funded by the Hans-Böckler-Foundation, the German Academic Exchange service, the German Research Foundation as well as the Fonds National de la Recherche. He has been serving on the board of the sociology of knowledge section in the German Sociological Association since 2021.
Boris Traue joined the University of Luxembourg in February 2020. He serves as the Director of the Bachelor en sciences sociales et éducatives. His current research focuses on relational social theories, studies of subjectivation, musical communication, labor market inclusion of people with disabilities, as well as on participatory processes and pedagogies in social and cultural interventions.
Research Projects
Audiovisuelle Kulturen der Selbstthematisierung (2011-2014, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/German Research Foundation; 340.000 EUR)
Pathways into the labor market of young people with disabilities in Switzerland and Luxembourg: Drivers of and barriers to successful transitions (PATH_CH-LUX) (2023-2025, Schweizer Nationalfonds/SNF & Fonds national de la recherche Luxembourg/FNR; 1,5 MEUR)
Sustainability, Environmental Knowledge and Social Imaginations of Climate Futures (SEaSons) (2024-2026, Fonds national de la recherche/FNR, 750.000 EUR
