VANDA is an international conference, first to be held in Vienna in fall 2018, aimed at bringing together scholars from various fields of anthropology and ethnology, as well as other social sciences and humanities. While there is a certain regional focus, by proactively addressing researchers and students from Central and Eastern Europe, the conference is open to all from near and afar.

VANDA wants to be more than a mainstream science conference; its intention is to serve as a place where young researchers and early career scholars find a welcoming environment. Therefore, this International Conference also includes a Young Scholars’ Forum, where aspiring graduate students can network, can receive mentoring and practical advice, and have a chance to meet experienced colleagues and profit from their know-how.

VANDA is a joint effort by three anthropological institutions in town – the Institute for Social Anthropology (ISA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Weltmuseum Wien (formerly the Museum of Ethnology), and the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Vienna.