...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.
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 🧵
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...
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.
❇️ 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 👇
10-Millionen-Schweiz: Warum die Politmuffel den Ausschlag geben könnten – www.defacto.expert/2026/04/02/1...
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
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!
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 ⬇️
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
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
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
We are looking forward to meeting you next week!
GREC lecture series Spring 2026
📢 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⬇️
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."
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/...
Un ouvrage passionnant sur l'histoire de la gauche dans les villes, du socialisme municipal aux nouvelles coalitions rouge-verte. Avec une fine analyse de l'évolution du profil socio-professionnel des élus #class #representation
Very happy to see this article published in @cogitatiopag.bsky.social 🥳! Using data from Selects (@forsresearch.bsky.social) and @smartvote.bsky.social, we compare political elites and voters on the question of closer (or looser) relations between CH and the EU
Love Data Week Switzerland (9–11 Feb)
We offer 3 short online sessions:
Generate file lists in minutes www.researchdatasupport.ch/event/genera...
Find & download data on SWISSUbase www.researchdatasupport.ch/event/search...
Use AI to draft a README (11 Feb) www.researchdatasupport.ch/index.php/ev...
