Aleksandra Barjaktarevic (EN)

Aleksandra Barjaktarević is a sociologist and art historian who specializes in classical and current sociological theories, sociology of culture, and sociology of arts and architecture, as well as methods of qualitative social research. Since 2021, she has been working as a research and teaching assistant at the Max Weber Institute of Sociology in Heidelberg, Germany and since August 2024 she is Research Affiliate at Center for Cultural Sociology, Yale University. She holds a B.A. degree in Art History and Sociology, as well as two M.A. degrees in Art History and Sociology, both with honors, from Heidelberg University, Germany. Her current Ph.D. project focuses on interpreting and situating Max Weber’s unwritten theory of the arts and exploring its potential. In this project, she explores methodological and intellectual debates in the early 20th century, particularly Alois Riegl’s art-historical concept of ‘Kunstwollen’. Her latest publication covers the institutional analyses of the documenta biennial. In her teaching, she frequently collaborates with art institutions, festivals, and artists. Recently, she has been recognized with two teaching prizes for the most innovative teaching approach and the best course in the academic year 2023/24 for a seminar on theorizing German rap music that was part of a collaboration with Berlin-based rap artist PTK.

Research interests

Classical and current sociological theories
Sociology of culture
Sociology of arts and architecture
Comparative institutional analysis
Qualitative methods

Teaching

Current courses: summer 2025

German rap as a heuristic – between sociological and artistic research with PTK (together with PTK)

For further information, see: heiCO

Past courses:

Seminar (B.A.): Neue Heimat and 'good living': a Visual Sociology of Architectural Styles between Politics, Ethics and Utopia with Zara Pfeifer, together with Zara Pfeifer (winter 2024/25)
Seminar (B.A.): Theorizing German Rap Music with PTK: a Subculture between Social Inequality, Distinction and Commerce, together with PTK (summer 2024)
Reading course (B.A.): Theories of Social Differentiation (winter 2023/24)
Research Seminar (B.A.): Art Between the State (Museums), Civil Society (Art Associations), and the Market (Galleries, Fairs), together with Dr. rer. soc. Steffen (winter 2022/23 and summer 2023)
Seminar (B.A.): Introduction to Cultural Sociology (summer 2023)
Reading course (B.A.): Introduction to Max Weber's Methodology (summer 2023)
Reading course (B.A.): Sociology of the Arts (summer 2023)
Seminar (B.A.): Social Inequality (winter 2022/23)
Reading course (B.A.): Niklas Luhmann (winter 2022/23)
Seminar (B.A.): Welcome to the Science (winter 2022/23)
Research seminar (B.A.): Cultural Re-evaluations, together with Dr. rer. soc. Steffen Sigmund (winter 2021/22 and summer 2022)
Seminar (B.A.): Fundamentals of Sociology (winter 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22)

Recent publications

2022: "Präsentation auf Zeit – Wirkung auf Dauer. Zur Institutionalisierung einer Idee," in: Paul Buckermann (ed.): Die Welten der documenta. Wissen und Geltung eines Großereignisses der Kunst, Weilerswist-Metternich: Velbrück Wissenschaft, pp. 207–223 (together with Steffen Sigmund)

Conferences and workshops

04/12/2022: Panel discussion The Worlds of documenta (1955–2022). Controversies about a major cultural event, Heidelberger Kunstverein
05–06/11/2022: Presentation "documenta and its Charismatic Power to Reinvent itself," "Reinvent Yourself." Alignment and Resistance in the Arts and Culture Amidst Soviet Claims for Change, University of Lucerne (RC-SAC–Foko-KUKUSO), Switzerland
11/2018 and 02/2019: Scholarship and participation in the research school, Groeningemuseum Brugge, Belgium

About the person

since 08/2024: Research Affiliate at Center for Cultural Sociology, Yale University
since 10/2022: Research assistant at the Chair of Sociological Theory, Max-Weber-Institute of Sociology, Heidelberg University
10/2022–10/2023: Student advisor at the Max Weber Institute of Sociology, Heidelberg University (substitute PD Dr. Stefan Bär)
03/2022: Master of Arts, Sociology, Heidelberg University
10/2021–10/2022: Research assistant at the Chair of Organizational Sociology, Max-Weber-Institute of Sociolog, Heidelberg University
- Misconduct in Organizations: How to Improve Speak-Up Cultures? (until October 2022)
- Main Research Area: Rule-Breaking and Preventive Action Settings (until March 2022)
07/2021: Master of Arts, European Art History, Heidelberg University
10/2019–10/2021: Student research assistant at the Max Weber Institute of Sociology, Heidelberg University
10/2016–07/2020: Student research assistant at the Institute for European Art History, Heidelberg University
10/2018: Bachelor of Arts, European Art History and Sociology, Heidelberg University
2007–2008: Danube scholarship Baden-Württemberg from the "Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg"