EMCY
How can the interests of people with a migration background be represented more fairly in research? The EMCY project addresses this question through the topic of cycling in everyday life.
Cycling researchers investigate what obstacles people face in using cycling as a means of transport, to provide recommendations to increase cycling levels and reduce CO2 emissions. Underrepresented in such surveys, in many cases, are immigrants and people whose first language is not the local language. The EMCY project - Enabling Migrants to Cycle - complements existing surveys with a focus on this underrepresented group. It uses a mixed methods approach with surveys and interviews in eleven languages. The VVAL supports the project with qualitative interviews and video portraits, which are being edited into a short film.
Advisory board meeting to discuss the survey questions with illustrations by Martin Udovičić. Hosted by the TU Wien and stape, 06 March 2025.
Bicycle repair workshop by Fahrradschmiede Andreas Röderer, hosted by IBZ@Diakonie Zinnergasse and Siedlungstreff Leberberg (@jugileberberg) in Simmering. Andreas and Lara, 09 March 2025.
Cycling course taught by @schulterblick_radfahrschule, at the Radmotorikpark, Donauinsel. Aesha and Bettina, 28 April 2025.
Workshop about cycling in everyday life taught by Beatrice Stude (stape e.U. URBAN CONSULTING, lead) and Tadej Brezina (TU Wien) at a German course of @youarewelcome_wien, 12 April 2025.
Illustrated surveys being filled out in public space at Simmering, 13 June 2025.
Interview about cycling attitudes and barriers to cycling in Vienna. Noah and Aesha, 12 June 2025.
Trailer
Team
The EMCY team includes expertise from traffic engineering, urban studies, environmental science, and anthropology. It consists of Beatrice Stude (stape e.U. URBAN CONSULTING; lead), Elisabeth Kampel (klarFakt e.U.), Tadej Brezina (TU Wien) and Sanderien Verstappen with Helen Vaaks and Noah Egger (University of Vienna).
Screenings
The film “So, I (don’t) cycle” (“Deswegen fahre ich (nicht) Rad”) is going to be screened and discussed in:
- Cycle Cinema Club, Vienna, Helmut-Zilk-Park, 21 August, 2026
- Bicycle Shorts Film Festival, Philadelphia, 26 September 2026
- Virtual Bicycle Film Festival, September 2026
Funding
EMCY is funded by FFG, Bundesministerium Innovation, Mobilität und Infrastruktur.
Credits
So, I (Don’t) Cycle was created as part of the project Enabling Migrants to Cycle at the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab, Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Vienna
Director, Cinematography, Editing
Helen Vaaks
Original Sound
Daniel Kunz, Miao Fangping
Interviews
Noah Egger
Camera Assistants
Lorenz Eimansberger, Patricio Sota Renero, Martina Rohrer, Daniel Kunz
Sound Mixing
Alessio Bertoldi
Colour Grading
Maximilian A. Lange
Producers
Beatrice Stude, stape e.U. URBAN CONSULTING
Tadej Brezina, Technische Universität Wien
Sanderien Verstappen, Universität Wien
Elisabeth Kampel, klarFAKT e.U.
Protagonists
Aesha Abdullah, Bingyu Zhao, Mohsen Saberi, Mohammad Lata
Additional Contributors
Andreas Röderer, Anisgoll Hashimi, Aziz Mohammadi, Bakhtawar Mohammadi, Beatrice Stude, Bettina Reidlinger, Brimo, Ibrahim Yousufi, Robert, Schulterblick, Sahida Sultani, Tadej Brezina
Translators
Amina Gharwal, Ehsan Mosaddegh, Jamila Amin, Tala ElMouassarani
Equipment
Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab, Paul Katterl
Film Supervision
Sanderien Verstappen
Secretariat
Tabitha Schnöller
Thanks to
Alisa Cela-Goldgruber, Amaradi, Andreas, Christian Scheindel, Dušica, Ella, Eman, Feri, Furqan Faridi, Gharal, Gül Lüle, Johanna, Kamela, Kelvin Ighinodlon, Lara Abdelrahman, Lukas Cela-Goldgruber, Mahdi, Maria, Marleene Kargl, Melissa Saavedra Ravest, Milena, Muska Yahya, Noah Walenta, Nora, Paulina, Peter, Pia Klawatsch, Philomena Pober, Razia Darwishi, Sonja Haderer-Stippel, Zalikna, Zoé, Schulterblick, Violetta Bugnits, Wansa Nassrallah, Wolfgang Kauders, Yalda, Yosra, Yuliia und Sofiia
Partner Organizations
Fremde werden Freunde, IBZ Diakonie Zinnergasse, Piramidops/Frauentreff, Verein Projekt Integrationshaus, you-are-welcome/PIR, Volksschule Braunhubergasse, Volksschule Molitorgasse, Volksschule Münichplatz
Survey Illustrator
Martin Udovičić
Advisory Board
Alisa Cela-Goldgruber, Günter Emberger, Kristin Hanna, Müslüm Korkut
Suarda Čataković, Suzana Jovicic, Yuri Albert Kyrill Kazepov
Funding
This project is financed by funds from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) (www.ffg.at).
Vienna, 2025