School of Economics and Political Science 

Our mission

As the School of Economics and Political Science (SEPS) we unite two important core subjects of the HSG and follow three main objectives: internationally recognized top-level research work, high-quality teaching, and a visible profile in economic policy and in international and European politics.

Prof. Charles Gottlieb: New Member of the Swiss Young Academy

We are please to announce, that Prof. Charles Gottlieb has been elected as a member of the Swiss Young Academy. The Swiss Young Academy gives young researchers the opportunity to carry out inter- and transdisciplinary projects. With their dedication and contributions, members pursue the early identification of challenges facing society, provide solutions for these challenges, and foster a dialogue between science and society.

Monika Bütler: Head of the Expert Group "Economy"

The federal government wants to exploit the potential available in the Swiss scientific community to an even greater extent by working with scientists to find the best approach to overcoming the pandemic. To this end, it has set up a science task force of researchers from higher education institutions throughout the country. Monika Bütler, Professor of Economics and Vice-President, Institutes & Executive Education, is head of the expert group "Economy". 

HMD Best Best Paper Award 2019: Prof. Ulrich Matter

The publishing house Springer awarded the HMD Best Paper Award 2019 to Prof. Ulrich Matter in the category "Big Data Analytics". The increasing use of social media as a communication tool between the public administration and citizens has lead to an increased number of detailed data sets on political actors and processes. His paper "Big Public Data aus dem Programmable Web: Chancen und Herausforderungen" offers a new access for researchers, gives practice-oriented insights into the application of big public data and is an excellent starting point for discussions around the topic smart city.

Is populism the third dimension? The quest for political alliances in post-crisis Spain

Hugo Marcos Marne, Ph.D., et al. latest article in "Electoral Studies":

"In this article, we defend the ideational approach to populism by arguing that populist discourses have consequences for government formation and the coalition choices of political parties. Using two attempts of government formation in Spain during 2016 as an example, we show that incorporating a populist dimension of competition alongside the two traditional relevant cleavages in Spain (left-right and center-periphery) can successfully explain agreements where approaches restricted to the two traditional dimensions fail. Essentially, populism forms a third, ideational dimension with its own content, one that can be considered alongside thick ideological dimensions in formal spatial analysis, shaping alliances among political parties."