15.01.2026SPSA - Annual Congress

Politics can be emotional. People are elated when their party wins an election and upset when their party loses. When elections are not possible, anger can drive people to the streets to protest an authoritarian regime, joy may ring out if a ruthless dictator is toppled, and resignation may set in if new leaders do not meet expectations. Regardless of topic — foreign policy, international trade, the welfare state, immigration or climate policy — political discussions often become heated. It does not matter whether the debate occurs around the family dinner table or on the floor of parliament. To make good policy, we might hope that policymakers are rational and level-headed, but at the same time emotional debate can be engaging and exciting. Emotions are omnipresent in politics and the role of emotions can be studied from normative and positive perspectives, using a wide variety of methodologies, across any number of contexts, across countries, by examining both political elites as well as citizens, and in every subfield of political science. Emotions politics will provide a guiding theme for the annual congress of the 2026 Swiss Political Science Association.

The keynote speaker will be Prof. Catherine De Vries from Bocconi University.

Thursday, 15 January 2026, 09:00-13:00
UZH Main Building, Room KOL-E-018, Rämisstr. 71, 8006 Zürich


In 2026, the annual nationwide SVWP/SPSA information event will take place in a hybrid format.

In live presentations, the universities will provide information about the different possibilities to study political science, IR and related programs at the Masters level in Switzerland. Prospective students will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the degree programmes in the Q&A session.

All prospective students are warmly invited. No prior registration is required. The link for a live stream will be made available on the SPSA congress website one week prior to the event.

You can find an overview of all Political Science Masters programs in Switzerland here.

Young Scholar Forum 2026: Using Computational Methods for Research

15.01.2025, 12.00 - 13.00, KO2-D-54

What can computational methods actually do for social science research, and what are their limits? From analyzing millions of social media posts to simulating complex political processes, computational approaches promise to tackle questions that were previously out of reach. Yet these methods also come with constraints that researchers need to understand before diving in. In the 2026 edition of the Young Scholar Forum, we will explore the real possibilities and boundaries of computational research with the guidance and expertise of Dr. Laurence Brandenberger and Dr. Sophia Schlosser from the University of Zurich.

During the event, we will first establish a shared understanding of what computational methods can and cannot accomplish: Which research questions become answerable with these tools? What new forms of evidence can we generate? Where do traditional methods still hold advantages? Once we have this foundation, we can discuss practical considerations: How do you identify opportunities to use computational approaches in your own work? What should you realistically expect when starting out? This event aims at providing a platform for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to develop a grounded perspective on computational methods and their role in contemporary social science research.

Organizers: Noel Löcse (University of Lausanne) and Sara Kallis (University of Zurich)

About the Young Scholar Forum (YSF)

The Young Scholar Forum of the Swiss Political Science Association is a platform where we address topics and issues that are of particular relevance to PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Over the past years, the Forum has focused on different issues, such as young scholars' career prospects both within and outside academia, but also mental health and the role of social media in political science research.

Room contingents with special conditions are available in the following hotels. When you click on the desired room option, an e-mail will appear with the corresponding keyword for the hotel.

Plattenhof Hotel

Single room for CHF 198.50 per room per night

Double room for CHF 223.50 per room per night

Hotel St. Josef

Grandlit room for CHF 193.50 per room per night

Business room for CHF 203.50 per room per night

Hotel Züri by Fassbind

Single and Double room (for single use) for CHF 153.50 per room per night

We can recommend other hotels, which you can enquire about directly (without room contingents):

Leonardo Boutique Hotel Rigihof

Sorell Hotel Rütli

Hotel Swiss Chocolate by Fassbind

If you have any questions, please contact:

• regarding the programme: spsa26@ipz.uzh.ch
• general enquiries: office@svpw-assp.ch

You can register with the following link: https://eshop.svpw-assp.ch

In addition to the conference participation fee, the following meals/events can be booked for an additional charge:

- Dinner on Thursday (limited to 350 guests) – CHF 65.-
- Lunch on Friday in the Lichthof (main building) – CHF 23.-