Area: Sociology of Sport and Physical Activity

 

University of Vienna - Faculty of Sport Science
Auf der Schmelz 6, 1150 Wien, Austria

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Otmar Weiss was born on 28 February 1953 in Weiss OtmarAustria. He studied mathematics and sport science at Vienna University, graduating with an MA in 1982 and completed his PhD in mass communications and sport science in 1984.

His academic career started in 1984 when he became assistant professor in the Department of Sport Science at the University of Vienna. 1987-88: Research grant to attend Ohio State University, OH, and San José State University, CA. He completed his post doctoral thesis on sport and society: a socio-psychological perspective, at the University of Vienna in 1989.

Since 1992 a professor at the Department of Sport Science at the University of Vienna, he served as President of the European Association for Sociology of Sport (2001-2008). He was director of post graduate studies in psycho-motor activity at the Lower Austrian Landesakademie from 1996 to 2009 and has been at the University of Vienna since 2009.

Main Academic Activities

Chairman of the Austrian Society for Sociology of Sport since 1994

Board member of the International Sociology of Sport Association (1995-1999 extended board, 1999-2003 executive board)

On the editorial board of the International Review for the Sociology of Sport (1995-2003)

On the editorial board of the European Journal for Sport and Society since 2004

President of the European Association for Sociology of Sport (2001-2008)

Vice-Head of the Department of Sport Science at the University of Vienna from 2004 to 2008 and since 2010.

Main Research Projects

1985-1987:  The image of sport in Austria

1988-1996:  Cross-cultural studies on sport identities and motivation in Austria, the Czech Republic and the USA

1990-1994:  Development of the curriculum and preparation of post-graduate studies in psycho-motor activity in Austria

1996-1998:  Ski tourism and environmental problems. Ecological awareness towards sustainable winter tourism

1999-2001:  Tempus Phare Joint European Project. Sports in incorporation of the Czech Republic into EU

2000-2002:  Development and trends of sports in Austria

2001-2003:  Sport and health: a socio-economic analysis

2003-2005:  Sport participation in Austria

2006-2008:  EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland

Since 2010: The significance of sport in different European countries. Design of a sport index


Author of 5 books and approx. 100 articles and contributions in national and international publications, 7 books edited.
 

Books


Otmar Weiß, Gilbert Norden: Einführung in die Sportsoziologie. Wien 2013: Waxmann Verlag (2.ed.).

Petra Hilscher, Gilbert Norden, Manfred Russo, Otmar Weiß: Entwicklungstendenzen im Sport. Wien/Berlin 2011: LIT Verlag (3. ed.).

Georg Anders, Joachim Mrazek, Gilbert Norden, Otmar Weiß: European Integration and Sport. Münster/Hamburg/Berlin/Wien/London 2004: LIT Verlag.

Otmar Weiß und Julika Ullmann (Hg.): Motopädagogik. Wien 2003: Facultas.


Otmar Weiß et al.: Sport und Gesundheit. Die Auswirkungen des Sports auf die Gesundheit eine sozio-ökonomische Analyse. Wien 2001.


Contributions in Books and Journals


Otmar Weiß: Identity and (democratic) values in sport. In: Journal 02. The official journal of the Olympic Academy. Athen. 2012. S. 26-29.


Otmar Weiß: Sport und Lebensqualität: Gesundheitliche und ökonomische Auswirkungen der Sportausübung. In: Hubert Christian Ehalt, Gilbert Norden, Christoph Reinprecht & Hilde Weiss (Hg.): Lebensqualität in modernen Gesellschaften. Peter Lang Verlag. Frankfurt am Main 2011. S. 201-209.


Otmar Weiß: Major Developments and New Perspectives of University Sport. In: Revista Portuguesa de Ciências do Desporto, 11, 1 (Supl. 1). 2011. S. 360-362.


Otmar Weiß: Bewegende Ergebnisse. Der gesundheitsökonomische Nutzen von körperlicher Aktivität und Sport. In: Ärzte Woche 16. Springer Verlag. Wien/New York 2010. S. 27-28.


Otmar Weiß: A sport mint pszichoszociális jelenség. In: Psychiatria Hungarica. A Magyar Psychiátriai Társaság VII. Nemzeti Kongresszusának elöadáskivonatai. The Journal of the Hungarian Psychiatric Association. Budapest 2010. S. 183-184.


Otmar Weiß: Sport verbindet und Doping trennt. In: Hubert Chr. Ehalt, Wilhelm Hopf & Konrad P. Liessmann (Hg.): Kritik & Utopie. Positionen & Perspektiven. Lit Verlag. Münster 2009. S. 415-418.


Otmar Weiß: Sport identities - empirical data. In: Mike Hughes, Henriette Dancs and Katalin Nagyvaradi (Eds.): Research in Sport Sciene. Data2win. Cardiff 2009. S. 267-277.


Silvie Bergant, Petra Hilscher and Otmar Weiß: Sport identity and motivation of Austrian competitive athletes. In: Dieter H. Jütting, Bernd Schulze (Eds.): Local sport in Europe. Waxmann. Münster, New York, München, Berlin 2009. S. 155-161.