News

«Swiss men are (not) transitioning to part-time work» – new article by Jan Müller and Youngjoo Cha

Why do so few Swiss men transition to part-time work even when they would prefer to reduce their working hours? A new study by Jan Müller (SUZ) and Youngjoo Cha (Indiana University) shows that occupational cultures play an important role.

New article on «Do elite cues affect public opinion?» by Valentina Petrović and Jörg Rössel

In a new article Valentina Petrović and Jörg Rössel examine whether the Swiss Federal Council’s decision to terminate negotiations on the institutional framework agreement with the European Union influenced public attitudes toward European integration using survey data collected around the announcement in May 2021.

New article on «How Social Class Structures Buycotting in Japan and Switzerland» by Patrick Schenk, Makiko Hashinaga, and Jörg Rössel

This article by Patrick Schenk, Makiko Hashinaga, and Jörg Rössel examines ethical consumption as a social phenomenon and asks under what conditions it becomes associated with social class. Using survey data from Switzerland and Japan, the authors analyse how different forms of capital shape consumers’ tendency to buy ethically produced goods. The study introduces the concept of "classness" to capture the extent to which ethical consumption is structured by social class.

Scientifica 2026: H2R Ausstellung im UZH Lichthof am 29.-30. August

Am grössten Wissenschaftsfestival der Schweiz erleben Sie neun Tage lang Wissenschaft hautnah. An verschiedenen Standorten in und um Zürich präsentieren Forschende ihre aktuellen Projekte und Erkenntnisse an Ausstellungsständen und in Kurzvorlesungen. Am Wochenende des 29. bis 30. August ist das Universitäre Forschungsschwerpunktprogramm «Human Reproduction Reloaded | H2R» mit dem Stand «Kinder haben – Zukunft trifft Gegenwart» im UZH Lichthof vertreten.

💡«Kinder haben – Zukunft trifft Gegenwart»  
📆 Samstag, 29. - Sonntag, 30. August 2026
📍 UZH Lichthof

Update of the Swiss Job Market Monitor dataset: Now with working time, work devotion, and work–life balance extractions

We are excited to announce that the Swiss Job Market Monitor dataset has been updated to cover the period from 1950 to 2025. The dataset offers invaluable insights into job market trends in Switzerland over more than seven decades, making it a rich source for researchers and policymakers.

Maëlle Delouis-Jost and Alessandra Stampi-Bombelli at Visions in Methodology

From May 28 to 30, Maëlle Delouis-Jost and Alessandra Stampi-Bombelli attended the 14th Visions in Methodology (VIM) conference, held for the first time in Europe at the Hertie School in Berlin. VIM brings together scholars who identify as women and who work in political methodology. Maëlle won the poster prize for her work on conscription and belonging in unified Germany. Alessandra presented work on an experiment on naturalization barriers, done in collaboration with the City of Zurich. 

Malte Doehne im SAT.1 Frühstücksfernsehen zu veränderten Schöhnheitsidealen und Alleinstellungsmerkmalen

Im Frühstücksfernsehen des deutschen Senders SAT.1 ordnet Malte Doehne aus soziologischer Perspektive den Wandel von Körperidealen ein. Er erläutert, wie der Körper gezielt formbar geworden ist und dadurch als Statussymbol sowie als Möglichkeit der individuellen Abgrenzung dient. Zudem erklärt er, dass die hochoptimierten Algorithmen Sozialer Medien diese Entwicklung zusätzlich beschleunigen.

Janis Jäger at the 4th Annual Organizational Legitimacy Workshop

Under the motto Advancing Legitimacy Frontiers: New Perspectives and Challenges, 74 participants from 54 universities gathered in the South of France for the 4th international workshop on organizational legitimacy. Janis Jäger shares his experiences in Aix-en-Provence during his first PhD adventure!

Reminder: Premiere Podcast - 60 Jahre Soziologie in Zürich

Das Soziologische Institut (SUZ) feiert dieses Jahr sein 60-Jahr-Jubiläum. Zum Geburtstag schenkt euch das SUZ einen mehrteiligen Podcast zur Geschichte des Instituts und der Soziologie in Zürich. Am 8. September lädt das Alumni Chapter Soziologie zur Premiere ein!
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The Department of Sociology (SUZ) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the SUZ is presenting you a multi-part podcast on the history of the institute and sociology in Zurich. The Sociology Alumni Chapter invites you to the premiere on September 8! The main event is held in German.

Valentina Petrović and Jörg Rössel ask «Why does the public financially support the opera?»

The new article examines public support for high-brow culture using the 1994 referendum on funding for the Zurich Opera as a case study. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of fields, Valentina Petrović and Jörg Rössel analyse the prevalence of autonomous and heteronomous arguments in public discourse. The study is based on a quantitative content analysis of media articles published in the lead-up to the referendum. It sheds light on how cultural funding is justified and contested in public debates.