Welcome!

Hi, I'm a political scientist at the University of Geneva (SNF Ambizione Fellow) and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Universitair docent) as well as an associated researcher of the nccr on the move. In 2019, I have obtained my PhD in Political Science from the University of Bern (Switzerland).

My main research interest is in understanding the political consequences of international migration and European integration, covering comparative politics as well as international governance. 

I seek to contribute to a better understanding of politics in liberal democracies in times of contested globalisation as well as the prospects and limits of regional integration and international cooperation to address challenges and constraints from international interdependence.

On this site, you can find information about my current research projects, publications and other activities.

Do not hesitate to get in contact.

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New Policy Brief published (28.Aug. 2025): Establishing responsibility-sharing in European migration governance remains a key policy challenge. In a new policy brief with Maud Bachelet for the 'nccr on the move' we outline the underlying policy problem and summarise key research insights on how we could overcome the European divide on immigration and advance solidarity between member states. The Policy brief is available in English, French, and German.

Publikation in 'terra cognita' (26.Aug. 2025): Für das Publikationsorgan der Eidgenössischen Migrationskommission durfte ich einen Beitrag verfassen welcher auf die Erschwerung von Zirkulärmigration als unbeabsichtigte und kontraproduktive Folge restriktiver Einwanderungsregeln aufmerksam machen. Die Ausgabe enthält eine Reihe weiterer lesenswerter Beiträge aus der Forschungsküche des nccr on the move.

Media dialogue on EU Migration Pact (20.Aug. 2025): I'm going to deliver a talk about European asylum governance and the New Pact on Migration and Asylum in a workshop for journalists and organised by the 'nccr on the move' and Caritas.  Free participation upon registration. More details here. Recording to rewatch (in German).

New publications on business migration (13.Aug. 20225): Twin articles on labour migration just came out. The first article conceptualises business migration at the nexus of trade law, international labour markets and migration research and demonstrating its nature and relevance in the case of Switzerland. The second article demonstrates how the admission of business migration helps Switzerland navigating the liberal paradox between the economic labour need and political anti-immigration pressure.

IMISCOE conference in Paris (1.-4.July 2025): I have the pleasure to participate in the largest conference on migration studies on the continent to present new research into the functioning of the European Dublin system, public fairness preferences in asylum governance and partisan effect on labour migration policies . Conference website

New publication on integration norms (18 June 2025): In a new article (with Stefan-Manser Egli) we test the idea of a migration bias in social norms: Are social expectations on integration higher for immigrants than for society at large? Our survey experiment in Switzerland confirms this expectation and provides novel insights into how the public makes sense of immigrant integration. Link

Talk at TU Dresden (3/4 June 2025): I will be delivering a talk about the political divide on immigration in Germany at the workshop 'Left and Right Political Radicalisms: Issue Positions of Parties and Voters in the Face of Global Crises' organised by the Mercator Forum Migration and Democracy and the Hannah Arendt Institute for Totalitarianism Studies at TU Dresden (Germany).

Citizenship conference at EUI (8./9. May 2025): I will be participating at the MPC GLOBALCIT Conference on Contested boundaries: migration and citizenship regimes in comparative perspective taking place at the European University Institute (IT) to present on-going research into how to overcome the political divide on immigration in Europe.

Guest lecture (9.April 2025): I'm delivering a guest lecture entitled 'Connecting Countries and Dividing People: What Solution to Refugee Protection in the European Union' at the John Stuart Mill College at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL).

Keynote lecture (27.March 2025): I'm looking forward to host a keynote lecture by Eiko Thielemann (LSE) at the University of Geneva entitled ‘Solidarity Dilemmas in Refugee Policy-Making', 17.30 at Uni Mail. 

New book chapter published (25.Feb. 2025): As part of an edited volume by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on temporary migration programmes, I contributed a co-authored chapter on business mobility as a privileged form of temporary labour migration. Link

Policy report published (24.Feb. 2025): In collaboration with PrivatePublicConsulting I have prepared an expert report on the spatial allocation mechanism for asylum-seekers in Switzerland on the request of the Parliamentary Control of the Administration. The report is now publicly available (in German). Media reporting by SRF 

New article in print (4.Feb. 2025): My article that investigated whether restricting immigrant rights reduces public opposition towards immigration, has now just appeared in print. Using a survey experiment in the United States and Switzerland, the research shows that this is not necessarily the case, and that citizens are more permissive primarily if they believe that immigrants will contribute to the economy and integrate into society. Link

Swiss Political Science Congress (9/10.Jan. 2025): I'm looking forward to participate at the Annual Congress of the Swiss Political Science Association (SPSA) taking place at the University of Geneva where I will present research into responsibility-sharing in European migration governance. Conference program

New Yearbook contribution (6.Jan. 2025): We have written a book chapter providing an overview on the use of preferential trade agreements for migration governance for the Austrian Yearbook of migration research. Link

Issue-Launch Forced Migration Review (12.Dec. 2024): The 74th issue of the Forced Migration Review published by the University of Oxford is launched, covering 25 contributions on 'Financing displacement response' - including one on UN refugee funding that I contributed to. Registration for the launch event.

Blog post on UNRWA funding (2.Dec. 2024): In the context of the current discussion in the Swiss parliament to end funding of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, we (with Maud Bachelet and Frowin Rausis) provide an overview on the political context and what is at stake in terms of the financial implications and the agency's legitimacy. Blog post in English/French/German.

Call for workshop contributions (27.Nov. 2024): I'm co-organising a research workshop together with Maud Bachelet on the politics of responsibility-sharing in international migration governance. The event will take place on the 27/28 March 2025 at the University of Geneva. Interested? Then find all details and abstract submission form under this link.

New article on UN refugee funding (27.Nov. 2024): Together with my colleagues Frowin Rausis and Maud Bachelet I contributed an article to the latest issue of the 'Forced Migration Review' assessing the contemporary challenges for UN refugee agencies, where we highlight the importance of the vulnerable funding structure and the looming legitimacy crisis. Link

Call for papers (20.Nov. 2024): Are you working on European migration governance and interested in the interplay of domestic and European politics? Then submit your work to the panel that I'm organising with Maud Bachelet at the ECPR General Conference taking place in August 2025 in Thessaloniki (Greece). Link

Talk on political divide on immigration (21.Oct. 2024): I'm going to deliver a talk at the University of Geneva where I will present ongoing research into how the public perceives the political divide on immigration and the systematic biases that characterises these perceptions.

New article on responsibility-sharing in refugee protection (15.Oct. 2024) : In a new article that just appeared in 'Perspectives on Politics', we (with Diego Caballero-Velez) conceptualise refugee protection as an international public good and discuss the benefits that states derive from refugee protection. We conclude that we should understand this good as a product of political contestation based on competing norms and interests rather than the product of states' rational cost-benefit calculation. Link

Research seminar on European migration control (15.Oct. 2024): I'm talking at the University of Bern as a guest in the 'Circumference of Violence' seminar series about a political science perspective on migration control and thereby presenting some new data on policies and public attitudes in the European Union.

New article on immigration preferences (30.Sept. 2024): In a new research article, I investigate the question whether restricting immigrant rights reduces public opposition towards immigration. Using a survey experiment in the United States and Switzerland, I show that this is not necessarily the case, and that citizens are more permissive primarily if they believe that immigrants will contribute to the economy and integrate into society. Link

Public lecture on the transformation of welfare states (20.Sept. 2024): Come to the talk by Prof. Jonas Pontusson (University of Geneva) on why welfare states become less redistributive, taking place as public lecture at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Room HG-2A33) on 20th September 15.30-17.00, followed by drinks.

New publication: A migration profile of Switzerland (18.Sept. 2024): For the Migration Policy Institute based in Washington (US), I co-authored (with Sandra Lavenex) a profile of Switzerland as a country of immigration. The contribution is part of their global information database and discusses both the nature and history of migration as well as the political context and policy developments. Link