Alan Canonica

Alan Canonica is a Lecturer and Project Manager at the Lucerne School of Social Work (HSLU), leading the Competence Centre for Social Policy and Organization. He holds a PhD in History from the University of Basel (2018) and a Licentiate in History, Religious Studies, and Sociology. His academic career includes roles as a researcher at the University of Basel and the Canton of Zug Social Office before joining HSLU in 2021.

Education:

• 2018: PhD in History, University of Basel
• 2008: Licentiate in History, Religious Studies, Sociology

Research Interests:

Canonica focuses on social policy, labor market integration for persons with disabilities, social planning methodologies, and historical analyses of welfare systems. He employs interdisciplinary approaches, combining historical research with contemporary social science methods.

Key Projects:

• Development of a project plan for revising laws on social institutions in Canton Schwyz
• Needs analysis for disability services in multiple Swiss cantons (Solothurn, Schaffhausen, etc.)
• Studies on home-based care financing and workplace inclusion policies

Grants & Labs:

He leads the Competence Centre, coordinating interdisciplinary teams on social policy projects. His work often involves collaborations with cantonal governments and NGOs, focusing on evidence-based policy development.