Hosted by the Societal Change Unit of the Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg (FVA), the second network meeting of scholars doing forest-related sociological research was held in Freiburg (Germany), from 17.-18. October 2024. As part of the symposium, Dr. Susanne Koch conducted as workshop on positionality in forest research. 

The sociological forest symposium took place for the second time in this form. Scholars from all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland gathered at the FVA for exchange on sociological research concerned with forests and human-forest relations. A specific focus was placed on the exchange of theories and methods of social science forest research and networking between participants. 

Interactive formats offered plenty of space to present research projects and discuss diverse perspectives on emerging themes, such as forest futures and care, (post-) colonial forest relations and methodological considerations on the materiality of the forest in qualitative data.

Susanne Koch actively engaged in the symposium – on the first day as a panelist in a session on experiences of doing sociological research in forest contexts; on the second day as convenor of the workshop “Positionality in forest-related sociological research: how do I deal with it in practice?” The workshop facilitated lively discussions among participants, and initiated ideas for continuing exchange on reflexive methodologies in forest-related research.   

Please find the report on the symposium (in German language) on the FVA webpage: https://www.fva-bw.de/aktuelles/artikel/soziologisches-waldsymposium-tagte-an-der-fva#