Social Change

The documentation and evaluation of change within a society is a core element of social science research. The description of social change entails the consideration of different domains of our life, such as work, family, income, mobility, political participation or gender roles, to name just a few examples. FORS contributes to the documentation of social change by collecting and sharing data that is comparable over the long term and can thus be used for the analysis of social change in Switzerland, by conducting research regarding long-term developments and by disseminating research results on social change to the public outside of academia.

FORS Publication Series on the monitoring of Social Change

FORS edited the Swiss Social Report in 2012 and 2016. From its first edition in 2000 to its final edition in 2016, the Swiss Social Report monitored the current situation and long-term trends in various domains of life in Switzerland. Additionally, FORS is a co-founder of the Social Change in Switzerland series, which has been regularly publishing short papers on various aspects of social change since 2016. These papers summarise research results and make them available to people outside the academic world.

Recent publications from FORS concerning Social Change

In addition to these two publication series, FORS collaborators consider social change in their own research and FORS offers them and researchers from outside of FORS the possibility to publish their results in the FORS Working Paper Series.

Scientific publications of FORS collaborators
L’évolution du stress en Suisse – la première vague de la pandémie, une pause pour les personnes stressées / Die Entwicklung von Stress in der Schweiz – die erste Welle der Pandemie verschafft gestressten Menschen eine Pause Klaas Hannah S., Kuhn Ursina, Refle Jan-Erik, Voorpostel Marieke, Ryser Valérie-Anne, Dasoki Nora, Tillmann Robin, 2021/07/05. Social change in Switzerland, 26. [DOI][serval:BIB_6BCB2EF1EFD7]

Jeunesse (non)mobile ? Les facteurs influençant la mobilité temporaire des jeunes adultes suisses. Haldimann Lucas, Heers Marieke, Rérat Patrick, 2021/05/01. Géo-Regards 13 pp. 103-130. Peer-reviewed. [URN][serval:BIB_F2F14B3D17DE]

Welfare solidarities in the age of mass migration: evidence from European Social Survey 2016. Gugushvili Dimitri, Ravazzini Laura, Ochsner Michael, Lukac Martin, Lelkes Orsolya, Fink Marcel, Grand Peter, van Oorschot Wim, 2021/04. Acta Politica, 56 (2) pp. 351-375. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][WoS][serval:BIB_4358485C1358]

Between stuckness and stillness: Why do young adults not undertake temporary mobility? Haldimann Lucas, Heers Marieke, Rérat Patrick, 2021/03/07. Population, Space and Place. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_A3A78709CE2D]

Einstellungen zur Geschlechtergleichstellung in der Schweiz, 2000-2017. Bornatici Christina, Gauthier Jacques-Antoine, Le Goff Jean-Marie, 2021/02/08. Social Change in Switzerland 25 pp. 1-13. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_5043EBCFDE25]

Les attitudes envers l’égalité des genres en Suisse, 2000-2017. Bornatici Christina, Gauthier Jacques-Antoine, Le Goff Jean-Marie, 2021/02/08. Social Change in Switzerland 25 pp. 1-13. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_2DD7DE9044C1]

No Stratified Effect of Unemployment on Incomes: How the Market, State, and Household Compensate for Income Loss in the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Nallo Alessandro Di, Oesch Daniel, 2021. European Sociological Review. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_E79ECD14A897]

Augmented wealth in Switzerland: the influence of pension wealth on wealth inequality. Kuhn Ursina, 2020/12. Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, 156 (1). [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_B562878B7716]

Changing Attitudes Towards Gender Equality in Switzerland (2000-2017): Period, Cohort and Life-Course Effects. Bornatici Christina, Gauthier Jacques-Antoine, Le Goff Jean-Marie, 2020/11/26. Swiss Journal of Sociology, 46 (3) pp. 559-585. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_2D56DA79E023]

Who is most affected by the Corona crisis? An analysis of changes in stress and well-being in Switzerland. Kuhn Ursina, Klaas Hannah S., Antal Erika, Dasoki Nora, Lebert Florence, Lipps Oliver, Monsch Gian-Andrea, Refle Jan-Erik, Ryser Valérie-Anne, Tillmann Robin et al., 2020/11/21. European Societies pp. 1-15. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_CC8960BB56F5]

Early retirement as a privilege for the rich? A comparative analysis of Germany and Switzerland. Kuhn Ursina, Grabka Markus M., Suter Christian, 2020/11. Advances in Life Course Research p. 100392. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_B708DE1702BF]

Debt and Subjective Well-Being: Does the Type of Debt Matter? Coste Tristan, Henchoz Caroline, Wernli Boris, 2020/11/01. Swiss Journal of Sociology, 46 (3) pp. 445-465. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_A13A2FE8DDA9]

The Impact of COVID-19 Measures on Well-Being of Older Long-Term Care Facility Residents in the Netherlands.  Van der Roest Henriëtte G., Prins Marleen, van der Velden Claudia, Steinmetz Stephanie, Stolte Elske, van Tilburg Theo G., de Vries Danny H., 2020/11. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 21 (11) pp. 1569-1570. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][WoS][Pmid][serval:BIB_8289C5C74B2A]

Large loss in studying time during the closure of schools in Switzerland in 2020. Grätz Michael, Lipps Oliver, 2020/10/30. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 71 p. 100554. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][Pmid][serval:BIB_8A0CE856F827]

Le contexte, les partenaires et le processus : les contraintes éthiques dans les recherches collaboratives. Larouche Jean-Marc, Genard Jean-Louis, Roca i Escoda Marta, Diaz Pablo, 2020/10/13. SociologieS. Peer-reviewed. [URN][serval:BIB_71E05AA0DA69]

Work-Family Arrangement and Conflict: Do Individual Gender Role Attitudes and National Gender Culture Matter? Bornatici Christina, Heers Marieke, 2020/10/09. Social Inclusion, 8 (4) pp. 46-60. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_5AEF6A2E0831]

The effect of unemployment on couples separating. Panel evidence for Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. di Nallo Alessandro, Lipps Oliver, Oesch Daniel, Voorpostel Marieke, 2020/08/27. DIAL Working Papers 14 pp. 1-41. [URN][serval:BIB_BE1E3E5258D2]

Loneliness and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study Among Dutch Older Adults. van Tilburg Theo G, Steinmetz Stephanie, Stolte Elske, van der Roest Henriëtte, de Vries Daniel H, 2020/08/05. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. [URN][DOI][Pmid][serval:BIB_7859FF1085AD]

Views on a “Good Death”: End-of-Life Preferences and Their Association With Socio-Demographic Characteristics in a Representative Sample of Older Adults in Switzerland Borrat-Besson Carmen, Vilpert Sarah, Borasio Gian Domenico, Maurer Jürgen, 2020/07/29. OMEGA – Journal of Death and Dying p. 003022282094507. [URN][DOI][Pmid][serval:BIB_4124A0A7998E]

Social, cultural and experiential patterning of attitudes and behaviour towards assisted suicide in Switzerland: evidence from a national population-based study. Vilpert S., Bolliger E., Borrat-Besson C., Borasio G.D., Maurer J., 2020/06/15. Swiss medical weekly, 150 pp. w20275. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][Pmid][serval:BIB_C5A0875E9954]

Associations of end-of-life preferences and trust in institutions with public support for assisted suicide evidence from nationally representative survey data of older adults in Switzerland Vilpert Sarah, Borrat-Besson Carmen, Borasio Gian Domenico, Maurer Jürgen, 2020/04/23. PLOS ONE, 15 (4) pp. e0232109. Peer-reviewed. [URN][DOI][WoS][Pmid][serval:BIB_73A2EDABF995]

Trapped in Precariousness? Risks and Opportunities of Female Immigrants and Natives Transitioning from Part-Time Jobs in Spain Muñoz-Comet Jacobo, Steinmetz Stephanie, 2020/04/08. Work, Employment and Society p. 095001702090297. [DOI][WoS][serval:BIB_A4F8282876B9]

Enforcing Your Own Human Rights? The Role of Social Norms in Compliance with Human Rights Treaties. Benneker Violet, Gërxhani Klarita, Steinmetz Stephanie, 2020/03/20. Social Inclusion, 8 (1) pp. 184-193. [DOI][serval:BIB_D3313383A11F]

No stratified effect of unemployment on incomes. How the market, state and household compensate for income loss in the UK and Switzerland. Di Nallo Alessandro, Oesch Daniel, 2020. DIAL Working Paper Series. [URN][serval:BIB_526C02DC651A]

Understanding the reconstruction of personal networks through residential trajectories. Ganjour Olga, Viry Gil, Gauthier Jacques-Antoine, Widmer Eric D., Drevon Guillaume, Kaufmann Vincent, 2020. Migration Letters, 5 pp. 621-638. Peer-reviewed. [serval:BIB_C199CAD26884]

The social-origin gap in university graduation by gender and immigrant status: a cohort analysis for Switzerland. Combet Benita, Oesch Daniel, 2020. Longitudinal and Life Course Studies. [URN][DOI][serval:BIB_CEBE7E9F998E]

Being born to a single mother in France: trajectories of father’s involvement over the first year of life. Pailhé Ariane, Panico Lidia, Heers Marieke, 2020. Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, 11 (1) pp. 123-149. Peer-reviewed. [DOI][serval:BIB_1A1F6A96870A]

The social origin gap in university completion among youth with comparable school abilities in Switzerland. Combet Benita, Oesch Daniel, 2020. TREE Working Paper Series. [URN][serval:BIB_03C32120A6E7]

Diversité des trajectoires individuelles sur le long terme : apport des analyses longitudinales en général et de l’analyse de séquence en particulier. Gauthier Jacques-Antoine, 2020. Informations sociales, 1 (201) pp. 14-24. Peer-reviewed. [serval:BIB_1FD1AFB11B33]

 

For all scientific publications by FORS collaborators see here.

Papers from the FORS Working Paper Series
2021-3
Entropy measures of social mobility: The example of the intergenerational transmission of education
Georg P. Mueller

2021-2
Measurement of Sexism, Gender Identity, and Perceived Gender Discrimination: A Brief Overview and Suggestions for Short Scales
Jérôme Blondé, Lavinia Gianettoni, Dinah Gross and Edith Guilley

2021-1
Negative Voting Revisited: The 2020 US Presidential Election
Diego Garzia and Frederico Ferreira da Silva

2020-3
Sequentially mixing modes in an election survey
Oliver Lipps and Nicolas Pekari

2020-2
Introducing web in a refreshment sample of the Swiss Household Panel: Main findings from a pilot study
Marieke Voorpostel, Ursina Kuhn, Robin Tillmann, Gian-Andrea Monsch, Erika Antal, Valérie-Anne Ryser, Florence Lebert, Hannah S. Klaas and Nora Dasoki

 

2020-1
First results of the Swiss Household Panel – Covid-19 Study
Jan-Erik Refle, Marieke Voorpostel, Florence Lebert, Ursina Kuhn, Hannah S. Klaas, Valérie-Anne Ryser, Nora Dasoki, Gian-Andrea Monsch, Erika Antal and Robin Tillmann

2017-1
The impact of assortative mating on income inequality in Switzerland
Ursina Kuhn and Laura Ravazzini

2016-3
A methodological journey towards integrating a gender perspective into the measurement of violence against women and intimate partner violence
Julien Chevillard, Lavinia Gianettoni, and Véronique Jaquier

2016-2
Who are my people? Strengths and limitations of ego-centered network analysis: A case illustration from the Family tiMes survey
Gaëlle Aeby

2016-1
Does it take a village to raise a child? The buffering effect of relationships with relatives for parental life satisfaction
Małgorzata Mikucka and Ester Rizzi

A different version of this paper has meanwhile been published as :
Małgorzata, M. & Rizzi, E. (2016). Does it take a village to raise a child? The buffering effect of relationships with relatives for parental life satisfaction. Demographic Research 34, 943-994.

2015-5
Psychometric properties of extra-short Big Five personality measures in multi-topic surveys: Documenting personality traits in the SHP and MOSAiCH
Valérie-Anne Ryser

2015-3
The happiness-parenthood link in a context of limited state support: The case of Switzerland
Ester Rizzi and Malgorzata Mikucka

2014-3
Robustness of items within and across surveys
Caroline Vandenplas and Oliver Lipps

2013-6
Boundaries against immigrants and their subjectively felt discrimination
Kerstin Duemmler

2013-05
A foreigner who doesn’t steal my job : The role of unemployment risk and values in attitudes towards foreigners
Marco Pecoraro and Didier Ruedin

A different version of this paper has meanwhile been published as :
Pecoraro, M., & Ruedin, D. (2015). A foreigner who does not steal my job: The role of unemployment risk and values in attitudes toward equal opportunities. International Migration Review, 50(3), 628-666.

2012-03
Travail atypique et accès au troisième pilier en Suisse
Jenny Assi

2012-02
Parcours de formation : Analyse des trajectoires de formation des personnes résident en Suisse
Alexandre Pollien and Lorenzo Bonoli

2011-03
National minorities and their representation in Swiss surveys (II) : Which practices make a difference ? 
Francesco Laganà, Guy Elcheroth, Sandra Penic, Brian Kleiner, and Nicole Fasel

A different version of this paper has meanwhile been published as :
Laganà, F., Elcheroth, G., Penic, S., Kleiner, B., & Fasel, N. (2013). National minorities and their representation in social surveys : which practices make a difference ? Quality & Quantity, 47(3), 1287-1314.

2011-02
National minorities and their representation in Swiss surveys (I) : Providing evidence and analysing causes for their under-representation
Oliver Lipps, Francesco Laganà, Alexandre Pollien, and Lavinia Gianettoni

A different version of this paper has meanwhile been published as :
Lipps, O., Laganà, F., Pollien, A., & Gianettoni, L. (2013). Under-representation of foreign minorities in cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys in Switzerland. In Joan Font & Mónica Méndez (eds.) : Surveying Ethnic Minorities and Immigrant Populations : Methodological Challenges and Research Strategies : Amsterdam University Press : 241-267.

2010-04
The determinants of fixed-term contracts in contemporary Switzerland
Spartaco Greppi, Mario Lucchini, Jenny Assi, and Christian Marazzi

2010-03
Dialect-driven adaptation : Experiences from Switzerland
Isabelle Renschler, Brian Kleiner, and Martina Bichsel

A different version of this paper has meanwhile been published as :
Renschler, I., & Kleiner, B. (2013). Considering Dialect in Survey Research. Bulletin of Sociological Methodology/Bulletin de Méthodologie Sociologique, 118(1), 51-59.

2010-01
Income imputation in the Swiss Household Panel 1999-2007
Oliver Lipps

Contributions to blogs, newspapers and other non-scientific media
Le grand débat : Faut-il introduire en Suisse le PACS pour tous? Valérie-Anne Ryser, 15.11.22, Emission FORUM, RTS.

Comment le statut social des individus influence leur choix d’un partenaire? Ursina Kuhn, Laura Ravazzini, 30.05.2019, Tribu, RTS.

Als die Topverdiener davonzogen. Ursina Kuhn, 22/04/2019. Republik.

Wie ungleich die Einkommen verteilt sind. Ursina Kuhn, 25/03.2019. Republik.

Gegensätze ziehen sich nicht an – die Rolle von Bildung und Einkommen bei der Paarbildung in der Schweiz. Laura Ravazzini, Ursina Kuhn und Christian Suter, 03/2019.  Social Change in Switzerland, N° 17.

Die Entwicklung der Einkommensungleichheit in der Schweiz. Ursina Kuhn, Christian Suter, 10/2015. Social Change in Switzerland, N°2.

Data on Social Change at FORS

For researchers who want to analyse Social Change, FORSBASE offers a wide range of datasets from the past and the present. We especially recommend the following datasets for analysis of change over time:

Political Participation:
VoxIt:  Standardized post-vote surveys from 1977 until today.

Education/Employment:

Discover a variety of Swiss datasets in education that can be obtained via SWISSUbase and reused for secondary analyses: https://forscenter.ch/data-services/showcase/

Security:

Sicherheit: Survey on attitudes towards security and defense in Switzerland from 1995 until today.

Various topics

CH-X: Swiss federal surveys of adolescents from 2002 until today.

What else? (talk to Emilie => what link for CH-X)

From the surveys managed by FORS, the following offer various data on attitudes and living conditions over time: