How can refugee participation be organised?

Refugees should have a say in decisions that directly affect them - an idea that is gaining increasing acceptance worldwide. A project led by Professor Nadine Arnold examines how this global call for co-determination is being taken up in Switzerland and translated into practice. An international team of researchers is investigating how understandings of participation are evolving, how organisations are responding to demands for co-determination, and how the concerns of refugees are being heard. The study compares two types of organisation in Switzerland: traditional refugee services, such as government agencies and aid organisations, and organisations run by refugees themselves. The project aims to deepen understanding of new participatory forms of organisation and to show how effective refugee participation can be achieved.

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What knowledge counts? Conflicts between town and country

Relations between town and country are often marked by mutual resentment, frequently rooted in a sense of being treated unfairly or overlooked by the other side. For example, people in rural areas may feel that their experience-based knowledge is not taken as seriously as the expert knowledge produced in cities. A project led by Professor Joachim Blatter (University of Lucerne) and Professor Lukas Haffert (University of Bremen) explores this still under-researched dimension of knowledge within the tensions between urban and rural contexts. The researchers are comparing Switzerland and eastern Germany, analysing how people refer to expertise, everyday experience and “common sense”. The aim is to assess the extent of knowledge-based resentment and to better understand its influence on attitudes and political behaviour. The findings are intended to support more nuanced public communication and more effective policy measures.

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Childhood cancer: study on fathers’ well-being

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, parents face considerable strain and must reorganise their roles. To date, research has focused primarily on mothers’ well-being, with fathers receiving comparatively little attention. A project led by Professor Gisela Michel (University of Lucerne) and PD Dr André von Bueren (University of Geneva) seeks to understand how fathers experience their child’s diagnosis and treatment, and what support they need. In collaboration with Swiss paediatric oncology clinics, fathers of children currently undergoing treatment, as well as those whose children have completed treatment, are being studied. Participants will complete questionnaires and take part in in-depth interviews to share their experiences. Based on the findings, recommendations will be developed to improve support services for fathers. This is the first project in Switzerland to focus specifically on the needs of fathers of children with cancer, with the aim of creating more tailored support.

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Stroke: new therapy for attention disorders

A common consequence of stroke is “visual neglect”, an attention disorder in which affected individuals fail to perceive one side of their surroundings. This condition can significantly complicate everyday life and hinder rehabilitation. The research project led by Professor Thomas Nyffeler aims to improve attention to the neglected side through brain stimulation. Specifically, the study investigates whether targeted magnetic stimulation can activate a particular brain region to achieve this effect. In the long term, the findings could contribute to the development of new, targeted therapies for people with visual neglect following a stroke, helping them to regain greater independence in daily life.

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Causes and consequences of health-related impairments

Health-related impairments pose a growing challenge for the healthcare system. In Switzerland, almost half the population lives with at least one chronic condition, and for around one in five people, this results in impairments that can affect their ability to work, participate in social life, or maintain financial stability. Research to date has focused largely on older adults, overlooking many individuals with functional limitations. A project led by Professors Diana Pacheco and Adrian Martinez therefore examines health-related disability as a dynamic process across the life course and within a broader societal context. The project investigates how chronic impairments develop, how they affect employment and income, and how they can be measured in more comprehensive and nuanced ways. Its aim is to identify economic and social risk factors and to develop new tools for fairer and more effective health and social policy.

Further information (German only)

In total, the researchers secured approximately CHF 3.79 million in funding. SNSF project grants cover staff salaries, research costs, and funding for scientific collaboration, networking and communication. Project leaders’ salaries are provided by the university.

Overview of all currently ongoing  research projects