Curriculum Vitae

Patrick Witzak is a postdoctoral researcher at the professorship for "Sociology of Digital Transformation" at the Ruhr University Bochum (Prof. Dr. Markus Hertwig). He previously also worked as a research assistant at the professorship for "Sociology with a focus on work and organization" at Chemnitz University of Technology (formerly Prof. Dr. Markus Hertwig). Patrick is currently also an adjunct lecturer in the Transdisciplinary Course Program (formerly Studium Professionale) at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.

In his PhD thesis, he focused on the role of legal actors and transnational activist networks influencing the legally binding nature of new forms of labor regulation. He also conducts research on the digitalization of labor relations using the digital platform YouTube as an example. In the context of his research, he completed a stay as a Visiting-PhD Candidate at the Departamento de Sociología y Antropología Social at the Universitat de València (Prof. Dr. José-Manuel Rodríguez Victoriano) and at the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University (Prof. Tobias Schulze-Cleven Ph.D.). Through the support of the Hans Böckler Foundation (Doctoral Seminar Program), he also completed a stay as a guest at the headquarters of the International Labor Organization.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Duisburg-Essen with a focus on work, organization and social structure. With the support of the Hans-Böckler-Foundation he completed a Master of Arts degree in Sociology at the University of Duisburg-Essen with a focus on comparative societies and transnationalization. Afterwards, Patrick completed his PhD at the Chair of Sociology with a focus on Comparative Sociology at the University of Duisburg-Essen under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sigrid Quack and Prof. Dr. Markus Hertwig with a PhD scholarship from the Hans Böckler Foundation.

Academic Qualifications

12/2017–10/2022

Doctorate at the Chair of Sociology with a focus on Comparative Sociology, Institute of Sociology, University of Duisburg-Essen.

• 10/2022 Passed disputation (doctoral committee: Prof. Dr. Quack, Prof. Dr. Hertwig, Prof. Dr. Thomas Haipeter, Prof. Dr. Frank Kleemann).

• 05/2022 Submission of the dissertation (first examiner: Prof. Dr. Quack, second examiner: Prof. Dr. Hertwig).

10/2015–09/2017

Master of Arts Sociology, University of Duisburg-Essen, focus: Comparison of societies and transnationalization.

10/2011–08/2015

Bachelor of Arts Sociology, University of Duisburg-Essen, focus: Organization, Work and Social Structure.

Professional Occupations

08/2022–09/2022

Parental leave

06/2021–Heute

Research Assistant, Chair of Sociology of Digital Transformation, Ruhr University Bochum.

01/2021–03/2022

Research Assistant, Chair of Sociology with a focus on work and organization, Chemnitz University of Technology.

Research and Guest Stays

10/2022–Today

Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Global Work and Employment, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA.

09/2019

Visiting-PhD Candidate at the Center for Global Work and Employment, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA.

04/2019–06/2019

Visiting-PhD Candidate at the Departamento de Sociología y Antropología Social, Universitat de València,València, Spain.

03/2019

Guest at the Headquarters of the International Labor Organization, Specialized Agency of the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Doctoral Seminar Program of the Hans Böckler Foundation.

Scholarships/Grants

 

12/2017–12/2021

 

Hans Böckler Foundation Doctoral Scholarship

10/2015–09/2017

 

Hans Böckler Foundation Master Scholarship

Selected Publications

Beiträge in Fachzeitschriften (mit peer-review)

• Hertwig, M. & Witzak, P. (2022). Hybrid Representation in the Platform Economy Challenges of ‘coalition building’ in the Cooperation between IG Metall and the YouTubers Union. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 51(2), 174-192. https://doi.org/10.1515/zfsoz-2022-0010

Discussion Paper

• Witzak, P. (2016). Theoretische Ansätze in der Eurobetriebsratforschung. Duisburger Beiträge zur soziologieschen Forschung - DBsF. https://doi.org/10.6104/DBSF-2016-02

Posterbeiträge (mit peer-review)

• Witzak, P. (2019). Prozesse durch Codierung erfassen? Auf dem Weg zu einem Analysemodell der Verrechtlichung transnationaler Arbeitsstandards. 15. Berliner Methodentreffen, Berlin.
• Witzak, P. (2018). Grenzüberschreitende Erwerbsregulierung durch Aktivistennetzwerke. Eine Triangulation mittels Process-Tracing, Temporal Backeting und Diskursnetzwerkanalyse. 14. Berliner Methodentreffen, Berlin.

Rezension und Tagungsberichte

• Witzak, P. (2022). Industrielle Beziehungen in der Krise — Die Jahrestagung der German Industrial Relations Association 2021. Industrielle Beziehungen. Zeitschrift für Arbeit, Organisation und Management, 29(1), 75-86. https://doi.org/10.3224/indbez.v29i1.04
• Witzak, P. (2017). Rezension: „Gewerkschaften und Wanderarbeit. Von Saisonarbeit, Werkverträgen und migrantischer Organisation in der Baubranche und im Grünen Bereich“ von Berit Schröder. In: soziologieblog. https://soziologieblog.hypotheses.org/10771

Selected Presentations

• Witzak, P., (09/2022). Labour regulation in transnational supply and value chains: Categorizing newly emerging order formations. 13th European Regional Congress of the International Labour and Employment Relations Association, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona.

• Witzak, P., Hertwig, M., Kahmann, M., Guillas-Cavan, K. and Hauptmeier, M. (09/2022). European Works Councils after Brexit: New Challenges for Transnational Employee Representation? 13th European Regional Congress of the International Labour and Employment Relations Association, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona.

• Hertwig, M. und Witzak, P. (10/2020). Hybride Interessenvertretung im Feld der Plattformarbeit. Die YouTubersUnion und die FairTube-Kampagne. Jahrestagung GIRA 2020, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg.

• Witzak, P. (03/2019). Transnational activist networks and the juridification of transnational labour regulation. Headquarters of the International Labor Organization in Geneva, specialized agency of the United Nations.

Teaching and Organized Events

WiSe 2022/2023

• Digital Labor Platforms and Transnational Labor Regulation, Seminar in the Master's Module on Employment Regulation and Participation, Faculty of Social Sciences, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Seminar in English.
• Change Management, Seminar in the Master's Module Organizational Management, Institute of Work Science, Ruhr University Bochum (together with Prof. Dr. Markus Hertwig).
• Kollektive Interessenvertretung in der digitalen Arbeitswelt, Seminar in the "Transdisciplinary Course Program", Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.

SoSe 2022

• Transnational Labor Governance and the Digital Transformation, Seminar in the Master's Module on Employment Regulation and Participation, Faculty of Social Sciences, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Seminar in English.

WiSe 2021/2022

• Kollektive Interessenvertretung in der digitalen Arbeitswelt, Seminar in the "Transdisciplinary Course Program", Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.
• Change Management, Seminar in the Master's Module Organizational Management, Institute of Work Science, Ruhr University Bochum (together with Prof. Dr. Markus Hertwig).
• Arbeits- und Organisationssoziologie, Exercise BA Sociologist, Institute of Sociology, Chemnitz University of Technology.

SoSe 2021

• Transnational Labor Governance and the Digital Transformation, Seminar in the "Studium Professionale" program for the acquisition of key qualifications and knowledge orientation, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Seminar in English.
• Beschäftigtenpartizipation, Module in the MA Organizational Management, Institute of Work Science, Ruhr-University Bochum (together with Prof. Dr. Markus Hertwig).
• Integration und Konflikt im Wandel von Erwerbsarbeit, Seminar MA Digital Work, Institute of Sociology, Chemnitz University of Technology.

WiSe 2020/21

• Arbeits- und Organisationssoziologie, Exercise BA Sociologist, Institute of Sociology, Chemnitz University of Technology (together witht Dr. Oliver Thünken).

WiSe 2020/21

• Transnational Labor Governance, Seminar BA Sociology, Institute of Sociology, University of Duisburg-Essen.

WiSe 2019/20

• Transnational Labor Governance, Seminar BA Sociology, Institute of Sociology, University of Duisburg-Essen.

SoSe 2018 – WiSe 2020/21

• Colloquium of the Working Group on Comparative Sociology, Institute of Sociology, University of Duisburg-Essen.

Supervised Theses

Master Thesis:

• Acceptance of the introduction of electronic incoming invoice processing in local governments. MA Digital Work, Chemnitz University of Technology (second referee).

• Effects of Virtual Collaboration on Employees in Project Teams - A Survey in Times of the Corona Pandemic. MA Digital Work, Chemnitz University of Technology (second referee).MA Digitale Arbeit, Technische Universität Chemnitz (Zweitgutachter).