Cain Friedrich

Friedrich Cain is a University Researcher (post-doc) at the Department of Historical Transregional Studies, University of Vienna. His work focuses on the history of science, political epistemology, and the socio-political dimensions of knowledge production in Eastern Europe. He holds a PhD from the University of Constance and has conducted interdisciplinary studies across multiple institutions in Germany, Poland, and the U.S.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degrees from Universities of Halle/Saale, Bremen, and Jagiellonian University (Kraków)
• Master’s degrees from University of Konstanz and UC Berkeley
• Doctorate in History from University of Konstanz (2016)

Research Interests: Cain explores clandestine research practices under authoritarian regimes, the interplay between science and political power, and the transnational networks shaping Eastern European intellectual history. His current project investigates Cold War-era scientific collaborations across divided Germany and the Soviet bloc.

Editorial & Collaborative Work: Co-founder of the History of Science in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe platform, and organizer of transnational workshops on the region’s scientific and humanistic histories. Active in bridging German, Polish, and Central European academic communities.

Labs/Teams: Core member of the Chair of Historical Transregional Studies, collaborating with institutions in Europe and North America on projects blending historical sociology and science studies.