About
Prof. Dr. Adrian Vatter is a full Professor of Political Science (Swiss Politics) at the Institute of Political Science, University of Bern, since 2009. He previously held professorships at the University of Konstanz (2003–2007) and the University of Zurich (2008–2009). His research focuses on Swiss political institutions, federalism, direct democracy, consociational democracy, subnational governance, and comparative public policy.
- PhD and Habilitation in Political Science, University of Bern
- Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles (1993–1994)
- Research Fellow, ETH Zurich and University of Basel (1994–1998)
His scholarly output spans empirical democracy research, institutional analysis, and federalism studies, with publications in leading journals such as British Journal of Political Science, European Journal of Political Research, and Swiss Political Science Review. He has edited major works including The Handbook of Comparative Political Institutions (2024) and The Oxford Handbook of Swiss Politics (2024).
Recent articles highlight institutional impacts on policy processes, economic performance of long constitutions, and crisis resilience of consensus democracies during the COVID-19 pandemic. His work on bicameralism, electoral systems, and subnational democracy has shaped debates on Swiss political reform.
- Third Prize, Fritz Thyssen Foundation (2008)
- Second Prize, Fritz Thyssen Foundation (2003)
He supervises ongoing dissertations on topics like intercantonal family policy, cantonal legislative functions, and federal reform. His team includes postdocs, scientific collaborators, and student assistants.
