An Address From the Directors

This success would not have been possible without the strategic support of our Academic Advisory Board and the collaboration with partners such as our colleagues from the Trent Centre for Aging & Society, Peterborough, Canada, who generously shared their strategic knowledge and founding documents and served as a blueprint for CIRAC. The close connection to the Faculty of Theology at the University of Graz is also important.

Against the background of current socio-demographic developments, we are convinced that CIRAC was founded at the right time, and it seems that other institutions are already following suit. The introduction of new structures during budget crises is not a matter of course, and we are proud to be the first and so far only center at an Austrian university dedicated to aging and care research from the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences.

Major social questions can only be adequately answered in an interdisciplinary manner. And we cannot approach the questions of aging and care research in a life-abstinent scientific manner, but must deal with the everyday questions of life, practices of care, but also with the existentially fragile and vulnerable life and care contexts; together with citizens, communities, practice partners and political stakeholders.

It is therefore wonderful that these cross-cutting, diverse, and transdisciplinary relationships are reflected in our collaboration with organizations and colleagues from health promotion, the Migrant Advisory Board of the City of Graz, neighbourhood work and neighbourhood assistance, social and health organizations, hospice and palliative care, and many other areas. They contribute significantly to fruitful multi-perspective discussions.