New Publication: Sociotechnical Reconfigurations of Social Policy in China

In a new article in the journal Global Social Policy, Christof Lammer examines social policy as a knowledge process and shows how the minimum livelihood guarantee (dibao) of the People’s Republic of China and its relationship to labour changes not only through human actors’ intentions but through the sociotechnical materiality of bureaucratic targeting methods.

The relationship between labour and social policy is at the heart of the social question. Scholars often treat this link as either a causal relation out there or a conceptual connection in policy makers’ minds. This article examines its sociotechnical materiality instead. Christof Lammer follows political anthropologists who ask how bureaucrats practice policy and scholars of science and technology studies who explore how social and technical aspects are interrelated in knowledge processes.

China studies has suggested that the minimum livelihood guarantee (dibao) was originally designed as a market-oriented response to transformations of labour such as mass layoffs, peasant proletarianisation and associated unrest but later revamped to only combat extreme poverty – similar to earlier forms of social assistance during the Mao era. Ethnographic insights into dibao policy in a village in Sichuan show how its designed links to labour were erased and transformed through different methods of bureaucratic targeting, as well as expectations about the bureaucratic ability to know. For a time, dibao was even integrated into alternative rural development projects aimed at decommodification.

Studying social policy as a knowledge process uncovers how its sociotechnical links to labour reconfigure it as an answer to the social question.

Lammer, Christof. 2023. “Social Policy as Knowledge Process: How Its Sociotechnical Links to Labour Reconfigure the Social Question.” Global Social Policy, https://doi.org/10.1177/14680181231210158.

Christof Lammer is a social anthropologist and postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Science, Technology and Society Studies (STS) at the University of Klagenfurt.

Bernhard Dieber: Natyra has impressed us right from the start

Bernhard Dieber is a Director of Software Development at Dynatrace. In our interview, he shared his perspective on mentoring Natyra Ferati, one of the Technology Scholarship holders and AAU alumna, and her path from intern to full-time employee of the company.

 

Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself and your current position at Dynatrace?

I studied Applied Informatics in Klagenfurt and completed my PhD in Information Technology. Prior to my current role as the Director of Software Development at Dynatrace, I devoted several years to research. In this position, I bear the responsibility for multiple teams in terms of creating the ideal environment to be productive, grow personally and make long-lasting contributions to the Dynatrace product.

To accomplish this, I focus on assembling teams with the right blend of talent, ensuring individuals have the opportunity for career development as well as personal growth, and actively seeking out the best talent to propel our organizational growth. Guided by these principles, I am committed to fostering an atmosphere where each team member not only thrives individually but also contributes meaningfully to our collective success at Dynatrace.

A former Technology Scholarship holder, Ms Natyra Ferati, started her Master’s thesis project at Dynatrace. Today, she is a full-time employee with the company. As her mentor and supervisor, could you briefly describe her professional path from your perspective and what it is like to work with ambitious young professionals?

Natyra has impressed us right from the start with her strong dedication towards developing the best user experience. I still remember my interview with her and how much enthusiasm she showed for making the use of a digital product an experience for the user. We identified a perfectly fitting Master’s thesis topic for her in our lab. Natyra developed an impressive prototype for automating design handoffs, thus making the job for UX designers as well as developers easier resulting in an increased experience for our users. Natyra’s attitude towards her work was very enjoyable to witness as she could dig very deep into her topic while at the same time being able to produce tangible results.

Already during her thesis work, Natyra demonstrated that she will be a perfect long-term fit for Dynatrace and that she has a lot of potential for further development. It turned out that the team that hosted Natyra for her Master’s thesis was already a nicely fitting homebase for her. Thus, we were more than happy to offer Natyra to stay with us, which turned out to be a great win for all involved.

Since joining Dynatrace, Natyra has continued to make noteworthy contributions to our product, solidifying her status as a valued and well-liked member of our lab. Recently, Natyra has supervised a six-month internship for an AAU student who was working on extending Natyra’s Master’s thesis project. Overall, Natyra’s journey with us has been marked by success and collaboration, ultimately exemplifying a win-win situation for all parties involved.

In general, working with young talents is one of the most enjoyable aspects of a leadership position as it allows me to witness the spark of creativity and enthusiasm that these individuals bring to the team. It is fulfilling to support them in their professional and personal development and to participate in shaping the future leaders of our organization. The vibrant energy and fresh perspectives they inject into our work environment make the journey of leading young talents a truly rewarding and uplifting endeavour.

Read the full interview with Natyra Ferati here.

 

Thanks to the University of Klagenfurt Technology Scholarships programme, many qualified and motivated students from all over the world have been able to take up studies at AAU and start internships at local ICT companies. Could you tell us more about career opportunities Technology Scholarship holders have at Dynatrace?

Dynatrace offers a broad range of career options. The most common place to start their career for Technology Scholarship holders is a development team. Another opportunity is to grow in the Dynatrace Academy programme and learn all the necessary skills hands-on that they will need to be successful later-on. Aside from a fulfilling career in a development team, one can pursue into different career tracks including product and people leadership. Dynatrace offers a broad range of support and personal development opportunities including leadership programmes, communication and agile coaching or mentoring programmes. Our guiding principle is to find the best role for everyone and equip them with the knowledge and skills to be successful.

Read the full interview with Julius Köpke here.

 

In your opinion, why is the regional labor market attractive for highly qualified ICT graduates?

Carinthia presents an exceptional quality of life complemented by a dynamic ICT community. You are never more than a few minutes away from the next mountain or lake, you are very close to the sea and the region offers excellent leisure possibilities. Combine this with exciting challenges in a high-tech job and you have everything you are looking for.

Prof. Julius Köpke: It is always a pleasure to guide students from various cultures and academic backgrounds

Academic supervisor of Technology Scholarship holders studying Master’s degree programme in Informatics, Prof. Julius Köpke shares his thoughts on the benefits of the scholarship programme both for students and local ICT industry.

 

In the scope of the Technology Scholarships programme, you have been providing academic guidance to several scholarship holders. One of them was Natyra Ferati. How has this experience been for you?

It is always a pleasure to guide students from various cultures and academic backgrounds who participate in the Technology Scholarships programme through their academic careers. These students, just like Natyra, are typically highly ambitious, hard-working, and highly skilled. On the one hand, this is a result of the programme’s design. On the other hand, students who are willing to pursue their Master’s abroad usually come with a distinctive mindset for reaching their goals.

What are the Faculty of Technical Science’s main goals with the Technology Scholarships programme?

The central aim for the faculty is to enlarge the group of active students in the different technical study programmes and to gain more visibility of the university for students from abroad.

Read the full interview with Natyra Ferati here.

 

From your perspective as an academic supervisor, what are the advantages of the Technology Scholarships programme for students? How is studying at the Faculty of Technical Sciences benefiting their academic and professional development?

The Technology Scholarships programme allows students to substantially extend their prior knowledge from their Bachelor’s degree at the University of Klagenfurt. The technical sciences in Klagenfurt are characterized by a highly research-driven environment, small group sizes, and an excellent ratio of the number of students and professors.

These benefits are paired with the close relationship between local companies and students within the programme.  This allows the students to accumulate significant work experience and, in many cases, to start a career in Austria.

In what way do you think the local ICT industry benefits by supporting this scholarship programme?

The ICT industry is facing a shortage of skilled workforce in general. The scholarship programme successfully addresses this issue. It enables companies to connect with pre-selected, highly skilled students. The programme has been running successfully for several years now. Many students like Natyra Ferati, who started as interns in local companies, have become essential and highly regarded permanent team members.

Read the full interview with Bernhard Dieber here.

Paper on validating dependencies in build configurations accepted by JSS

Our paper DValidator: An approach for validating dependencies in build configurations by Christian Macho, Fabian Oraze, and Martin Pinzger has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Systems and Software (JSS). Online version is available as open access.