Laurent Goetschel

Laurent Goetschel is Professor of Political Science at the University of Basel, affiliated with the Department of Social Sciences within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. He also serves as Director of swisspeace, a leading Swiss peace research foundation. His work bridges academia and policy, focusing on peace and conflict studies, international relations, and Swiss foreign policy analysis.

• University: University of Basel
• School: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Department: Department of Social Sciences
• Position: Professor
• Email: laurent.goetschel@unibas.ch

Goetschel’s research focuses on the role of norms in international relations, the interaction between knowledge and politics in international cooperation, and peace and conflict dynamics. He supervises doctoral students primarily in peace and conflict studies, with current theses embedded in Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) projects on mediation, transitional justice, and fragile states. His recent publications explore Switzerland’s role in the Middle East, nuclear disarmament, and the policy relevance of peace research.

His recent scholarly output demonstrates a strong engagement with global peace governance, norm diffusion, and the practical application of academic knowledge in policymaking. Articles published in 2023–2025 highlight his expertise in peace knowledge production, Swiss foreign policy, and humanitarian disarmament.

• Member, Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE)
• Former personal advisor to Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey
• Leader of National Research Program 'Swiss Foreign Policy' (NFP42)
• Visiting Scholar at Harvard University and Columbia University

Goetschel mentors doctoral candidates including Mario Roman Behrens and Shrey Kapoor, and leads the active SNSF project 'From Pixels to Peace – The Role of Visual Communication in Conflict Transformation'. He is deeply integrated into interdisciplinary research networks, including the Graduate School of Social Sciences (G3S) and the International Graduate School North-South.