The online magazine of the University of Bern

Uni Bern Magazin: Thema Politics and administration

Democracy, public management, global trade

Politics and administration

What makes the Federal Council and Parliament tick, what distinguishes Swiss federalism, what goes on in European politics and what makes for an efficient administration? The University of Bern is very well networked in the Swiss political centre and sees itself as a university for the capital region.

Current

International Law

Rebuilding Ukraine with Russian Money

Can the frozen Russian assets serve as a lifeline for Ukraine's reconstruction? While some in the current debate advocate for seizing these funds as reparations, the legal road ahead is far from straightforward.

Politics

“The experiment could have had much worse an end”

During the crises of the last legislative period, politicians were under great pressure. Decisions by emergency law increased. What does this do to Swiss democracy? A conversation on the state of the nation with historian André Holenstein, constitutional lawyer Andreas Lienhard and political scientist Adrian Vatter.

Political Science

Tell me what you’re like, and I’ll tell you how you vote

The decisions we make have a lot to do with our personality. Deeply entrenched behavioral tendencies are not easy to shed – even when it comes to which party we prefer. Insights from political psychology.

Sociology and psychology

For nerds only? What keeps women away from STEM professions

Gender differences in preferences and abilities cannot sufficiently explain why female engineers and male primary school teachers remain so rare. A new approach therefore examines the extent to which assumptions about whether or not an occupation suits you can explain this persistent gender segregation.

Law

“There is a certain randomness about judgments and verdicts”

The scope for interpreting a law is often massive, explains Martino Mona. The Professor of Penal Law at the University of Bern is convinced that prejudices and personal attitudes also play an important role in court rulings.

Lecture with Federal Councillor

Viola Amherd answered the students' questions - sympathetic and statesmanlike at the same time.

People

Political science

Moving slowly towards an environmental law

What is politics doing to make the environment a better place? Political scientist Karin Ingold is examining which processes and mechanisms lead to a new law. She freely admits that it is often non-political influences that bring about changes in behavior or stricter legislation.

Law

Seminars with Johnny Cash

Martino Mona is Professor of Penal Law and the Philosophy of Law at the University of Bern. What he particularly appreciates about his field is that it is not only socially relevant, but also of intellectual and philosophical significance.
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