Very happy to see this article out @spsr.bsky.social 🥳🎉!! If you're interested in whether and how crises affect turnout + vote choice, here is what @eliemichel.bsky.social & I found for the Swiss case⬇️ Many 🙏🙏 to @retobuergisser.bsky.social, Claire Dupuy, @mgerber.bsky.social & @linerenn.bsky.social

Elie Michel@eliemichel.bsky.social · last wk.

What happens when voters are exposed to several crises in succession? With @lukaslauener.bsky.social we examine how the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the energy crisis shaped turnout and vote choice in the 2023 Swiss elections. @spsr.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

My thesis also shows that low regional occupational upgrading is more strongly associated with support for the social democrats than the radical right. And across Europe, two frequently invoked mechanisms, labour market pessimism and cultural grievance, don't operate uniformly.

The short version: the narrative travels less well than we thought. In Germany, where I track long-term change in occupational upgrading, regional divides are only broadly urban-rural and also heavily marked by East-West and North-South legacies. doi.org/10.1007/s115...

Beyond Thriving Cities and Declining Rural Areas: Mapping Geographic Divides in Germany’s Employment Structure, 1993–2019 - KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie

This article assesses the popular thesis of growing regional inequality and urban–rural divides for Germany, focusing on the quality of employment opportunities. Drawing on a 2% sample of individuals registered in the German social security system over the period 1993–2019, we examine the level and evolution of employment opportunities along three established geographic divides—urban–rural, east–west, and north–south—at the small-scale level of districts (330 Kreisregionen). Occupation groups were ranked by median wage and assigned to quintiles to trace whether different districts experience diverging changes in their occupation structures. Our findings confirm significant urban–rural divides in the quality of employment opportunities, as upgrading has been much stronger in urban districts. Yet the differences we observe on an aggregated German level are also influenced by north–south and east–west divides, as these divides partially align. While some smaller cities and urban districts, mostly in southern Germany, have seen an above-average increase in high-wage jobs, most eastern German districts and many northwestern districts are still struggling to catch up with national upgrading trends. Our study thus shows that geographic polarization in Germany goes beyond simple urban–rural divides. Moreover, it demonstrates how examining the quality of employment opportunities provides long-term and spatially detailed indicators for studying geographic divides that capture a tangible aspect of regionally diverging life chances.

doi.org

Warum die SVP-Initiative abgelehnt wurde. Eine Analyse von Werner Seitz @defactoexpert.bsky.social www.defacto.expert/2026/06/17/a...

How politically apathetic are young Swiss voters? And why do we see an increase in youth turnout in some countries, but not in others? I had the chance to contribute many analyses to an article from @republik.ch, providing some interesting patterns (in German): www.republik.ch/2026/06/17/w...

Wie politikfaul sind die Jungen tatsächlich?

In der Schweiz sinkt die politische Beteiligung der Jungen. Warum? Eine Spurensuche.

republik.ch

...much greater affective power if framed as violations of a deep structure of popular moral expectations. At the moment, "polarization entrepreneurs" on the far right are particularly good at tapping into this type of energy, aided by certain incentives of media ecologies. But this could change.

I really enjoyed doing this study. It is part of a larger research project written up more in a book about to appear in English translation @brisunipress.bsky.social. More about this soon, but you can pre-order here: bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/triggerpoints.

Trigger Points

Trigger Points - Inequality and Political Polarization in Contemporary Society; Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. Is society really polarized? This book explores key conflicts...

bristoluniversitypress.co.uk

Observing group interviews (and daily reality) @thomaslux.bsky.social @steffenmau.bsky.social and I were puzzled to see how, even among fairly apolitical citizens, specific issues almost always lead to heated debates. Why do people get so much more worked up about bathrooms than about wealth taxes?

Knife crime! Pronouns! Meat bans! Some political issues lead to "hotter", more emotional and polarizing debates than others. We show how these "trigger points" reveal a contested structure of moral expectations and how they get weaponized by polarization entrepreneurs. OA @bjsociology.bsky.social 🧵

Why do Public Debates Escalate? Trigger Points and the Moral Dynamics of “Hot Politics”

Escalating, emotionally charged, and moralized forms of controversy are a central feature of contemporary politics. Our study develops a framework for understanding how political debates between ordi...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Pre-announcement: Call for questions, Selects 2027 Contribute your questions to the Swiss electoral study during the 2027 federal elections. 📅 Call: end of April 2026 🗓 Deadline: end of June 2026 Selects 2023, including datasets, questionnaires & documentation www.swissubase.ch/en/catalogue...

"Kann sich die Sozialdemokratie noch retten?" 🥀 fragt @markuswagner.bsky.social im Kommentar der Anderen im @derstandard.bsky.social Neben den Gründen für den Wählerverlust der Sozialdemokraten zeigt Prof. Wagner außerdem mögliche Wege aus der Krise auf: www.derstandard.at/story/300000...

Kann sich die Sozialdemokratie noch retten?

In Deutschland geht es rapide bergab, auch anderenorts, etwa in Österreich, läuft es schlecht. Gibt es einen Ausweg?

derstandard.at

Do apply to this six-year research and teaching position! Apart from teaching two classes a term, you should have ample time to focus on your research goals as part of an international department in a great (and affordable) city.

Reto Bürgisser@retobuergisser.bsky.social · 4mo ago

🚨 Job Alert 🚨 We have an opening for a 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗰 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 @stawi-univie.bsky.social starting Aug/Sep 2026! Focus: political representation, party competition, political institutions, political economy, political behavior, or related fields 📅Apply by 29 April 2026 jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Universi...

❇️ The 2026 Joint Sessions #ecprjs26 are officially underway! Wishing all participants across our 3️⃣3️⃣ Workshops an enriching week ahead ⛰️ Not in Innsbruck this week? You can still join us for the Stein Rokkan Lecture by @siljahausermann.bsky.social, streaming FREE as part of #ECPRHouseSeries 👇

House Series – The Stein Rokkan Edition: Silja Häusermann, Cleavage Politics and Democratic Resilience, Online, 8 April 2026

European Consortium for Political Research

ecpr.eu

Fakultät SoPo@sopouibk.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Die ECPR Joint Sessions of Workshops 2026 haben heute an der Sowi begonnen! #ecprjs26 @ecpr.bsky.social A warm welcome to all participants 🌎🧡 We hope you have a lovely stay in #innsbruck and enjoy lots of interesting discussions ⛰️ @polsciuibk.bsky.social @uniinnsbruck.bsky.social

10-Millionen-Schweiz: Warum die Politmuffel den Ausschlag geben könnten – www.defacto.expert/2026/04/02/1...

Defacto Expert@defactoexpert.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Suisse à 10 millions : pourquoi les réfractaires à la politique pourraient faire la différence – @linerenn.bsky.social, @lukaslauener.bsky.social Le sort de l’initiative de l’UDC dépendra notamment du potentiel à mobiliser cette frange de l'électorat. www.defacto.expert/2026/04/02/s...

Suisse à 10 millions : pourquoi les réfractaires à la politique pourraient faire la différence – @linerenn.bsky.social, @lukaslauener.bsky.social Le sort de l’initiative de l’UDC dépendra notamment du potentiel à mobiliser cette frange de l'électorat. www.defacto.expert/2026/04/02/s...

Einige unserer Analysen zum Nachhaltigkeits-Framing der SVP-Initiative basierend auf Paneldaten der Schweizer Wahlstudie Selects fanden gestern Eingang in diesen äusserst lesenswerten @nzz.ch -Artikel🧐 @linerenn.bsky.social @anketresch.bsky.social @17simonmarti.bsky.social @forsresearch.bsky.social

Die Bevölkerung kauft der SVP das grüne Mäntelchen nicht ab

Die SVP versucht, ihre 10-Millionen-Initiative als «grün» zu bewerben. Die SP ist für verdichtetes Bauen, aber nur in der Theorie. Das Ringen um die Migration legt Widersprüche bei Links und Rechts sc...

nzz.ch

My former job @mpifg.bsky.social now comes with a tenure track. I'm obviously biased, but this is a great opportunity for comparative/international political economists and an important milestone for the MPIfG (see Philipp's thread). Happy to answer questions about what the job was like for me!

Philipp Golka@pgolka.bsky.social · 4mo ago

We are hiring a tenure track (!) senior researcher in political economy! This is obviously a great job (permanent without teaching obligation) and I hope you all apply. However, I would like to take a moment to share just how significant this is in the German academic context ⬇️

We are hiring a tenure track (!) senior researcher in political economy! This is obviously a great job (permanent without teaching obligation) and I hope you all apply. However, I would like to take a moment to share just how significant this is in the German academic context ⬇️

Max-Planck-Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung (MPIfG)@mpifg.bsky.social · 4mo ago

📢 Call: Tenure Track Position The MPIfG Political Economy Research Area led by Lucio Baccaro is seeking a Senior Researcher. Open to candidates with at least two years’ postdoc experience. Please share widely! 🗓️ Apply by April 20, 2026 s.gwdg.de/WPMPp1

FOUR GRAPHS ABOUT 🇩🇰'S GENERAL ELECTION My read of the election in four graphs. First: big urban-rural divide. The two big mainstream parties, Social Democrats and Liberals, are now mainly rural/suburban, with niche parties dominating in cities. (1/4) #polisky

Does being high-skilled protect you from ethnic bias when applying for a UK visa? In a new pre-registered experiment to be published in International Migration Review, I find that high occupational status doesn't shield immigrants from ethnic prejudice — it may activate it.

Today is my first national election since moving to Denmark! A few off-the-cuff personal observations about the campaign and Danish political culture from an American/British perspective. 🧵

Jobs, jobs, jobs! Please spread the word

Steffen Mau@steffenmau.bsky.social · 5mo ago

We are hiring! The Department of Inequality, Transformation and Conflict is looking for Postdoc & Doc Researchers (m/f/d). Find out more & apply via www.ips.mpg.de #MaxPlanck #Postdoc #PhD #Sociology #SocialScience #PoliticalScience #Inequality #Conflict www.ips.mpg.de/13135/stelle...

Avec @linerenn.bsky.social, nous avons analysé le profile et les préoccupations des partisans et opposants à l’initiative «Pas de Suisse à 10 millions!»🧐 Lisez notre article dans Le Temps😊 @forsresearch.bsky.social @sspunil.bsky.social @unil.bsky.social

La mobilisation sera déterminante pour le vote sur l’initiative «Pas de Suisse à 10 millions!» - Le Temps

OPINION. Deux visions opposées de la Suisse se dessinent sur l’initiative «Pas de Suisse à 10 millions!». Les intentions de vote divergent nettement entre les personnes qui participent seulement rarem...

letemps.ch

Opinions plus tranchées, citoyen-nes plus engagé-es : le paradoxe de la polarisation politique en Suisse – Ursina Kuhn, Lionel Marquis, Nicolas Vos Avoir des positions idéologiques tranchées renforce les critiques envers les institutions. www.defacto.expert/2026/03/17/o...

Great 2-3 year postdoc opportunity in the Social Policy unit here at @sofi.su.se, Stockholm University SOFI is an incredible research and work environment, could not recommend it more Deadline for applications (including your own research plan): 13th April 2026

Postdoctoral Fellow in Sociology

The Swedish Institute for Social research (SOFI) is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Stockholm University. The institute is an internationally leading research institute in the field of socia

su.varbi.com

📢 GREC lecture series in spring semester 2026 🗓️ 5th March: @selmasarenkapa.bsky.social 16th April: Natasha Wunsch 21th May: @giorgiomalet.bsky.social @sspunil.bsky.social @unil.bsky.social @forsresearch.bsky.social

Spannend, wie in Österreich Sympathie für bestimmte soziale Gruppen mit Wahlverhalten korreliert: - Reiche: V/N⬆️, S/G⬇️ - Niedrigverdiener: V/F⬇️, S/G⬆️ - Selbständige: V⬆️, S/G⬇️ - Arbeitslose: V/F⬇️, S/G⬆️ - Frauen: F⬇️, G⬆️ - Pensionisten: G/N⬇️ - LGBTQ: kein sign. Zushang - Zugewanderte: S/G/N⬆️, V/F⬇️

Lena Maria Huber@lenamariahuber.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Very happy to see our new article “Reference groups and electoral behavior” (coauthored with Rune Stubager, Christoffer Hentzer Dausgaard & Michael Lewis-Beck) published! Using ANES, DNES and AUTNES data, we show that liking or disliking social groups shapes vote choice.

This is really fascinating data: "To summarize the key results, Switzerland’s private wealth is growing faster than incomes, and it is highly concentrated among the very wealthy and the elderly. Wealth is transferred across generations increasingly late in heirs’ lives."

Marius Brülhart@mariusbrulhart.bsky.social · 5mo ago

📣Out today📣: Report on #wealth and #inheritance in #Switzerland, based on close to 17 million tax records 190 pages of facts & figures, put together with @fuster.bsky.social, @izmartinez86.bsky.social & Falone Moseka, and supported by E4S (@heclausanne.bsky.social, EPFL, IMD) 👉 lnkd.in/dPuCknGm

New data release. Selects 2023 Panel Survey (Waves 1–5) The panel follows the same respondents from the 2023 election campaign to 2027, offering unique longitudinal insights into Swiss political attitudes & behaviour. 👉 Dataset: doi.org/10.48573/4h6... 👉 Selects: forscenter.ch/projects/sel...

On Feb 24, I give a talk at the University of Lausanne's Lives center. The title of my talk: Politics and Intergenerational Mobility api.unil.ch/newsunil/v1/...