Citizenship

• Swiss Participation to ACIT (Access to Citizenship)
  Chercheurs/euses: Gianni D’Amato, Nicole Wichmann, Noemi Carrel

   

  Institution mandante:  Federal Office for Migration (BFM)

   

  Début - fin: April 2012 – April 2013

   

  Publication: Noemi Carrel and Nicole Wichmann (2013): Naturalisation Procedures for Immigrants. Switzerland. EUDO Citizenship Observatory. (http://eudo-citizenship.eu/admin/?p=file&appl=countryProfiles&f=1-CITIMP-Switzerland.pdf). //Nicole Wichmann (2013): Reforming the Swiss Citizenship Act. Mission Impossible. SFM Discussion Paper 29. Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies, EUDO Citizenship Observatory. (http://eudo-citizenship.eu/admin/?p=file&appl=countryProfiles&f=policy%20brief_Switzerland_Nicole%20Wichmann.pdf)

   

  Abstract: Access to citizenship and its impact on immigrant integration” (ACIT) is a research project of the EUDO CITIZENSHIP observatory. The Consortium in charge involves five partner institutions: the European University Institute, the Migration Policy Group (Brussels), University College Dublin, University of Edinburgh and Maastricht University. The Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies (SFM) is the Swiss partner in the network. Main goals of ACIT are to explore the links between acquisition of nationality and the integration processes and to encourage effective measures for facilitating immigrants’ access to citizenship in the EU.

  In its 18-month programme, ACIT developed four sets of citizenship indicators on citizenship laws, their implementation, rates of citizenship acquisition and its impact on integration in all 27 EU Member States and accession candidates and EFTA countries (Croatia, Iceland, FYROM Macedonia, Norway, Turkey, and Switzerland).

  The implementation of citizenship laws is at the center of the ACIT project. The ACIT consortium seeks to reconstruct the procedural aspects of naturalisation in a way that allows for comparison across countries. Since Switzerland is a federal state and the implementation of citizenship laws occurs at the cantonal and communal level, cantonal case studies are included to illustrate how different citizenship laws are administered in different parts of Switzerland. Therefore two cantons (GE and SO) are researched in detail. The country report treats the general applicable rules, the situation in the canton of Geneva and Solothurn and the distribution of the competences between the communal, cantonal and national level.
  
  
• Swiss Participation to the EUDO Observatory
  Chercheurs/euses: Alberto Achermann, Christin Achermann, Gianni D’Amato, Martina Kamm, Barbara Von Rütte

   

  Début - fin: Jan 2009-Dec 2009

   

  Publication: Achermann, Alberto, Christin, Achermann, Gianni, D’Amato, Martina, Kamm & Barbara, Von Rütte, (2009). EUDO Citizenship Observatory:Country report: Switzerland. Badia Fiesolana: European University Institute. // Bauböck, Rainer, Eva Ersbøll, Kees, Groenendijk, Harald, Waldrauch, eds. (2006). Acquisition and Loss of Nationality. Policies and Trends in 15 European States. Amsterdam: AUP. // Bauböck, Rainer, Bernhard, Perchinig &Wiebke, Sievers, eds. (2007). Citizenship policies in the new Europe. Amsterdam Amsterdam Univ. Press.

   

  Abstract: Access to citizenship rights and status is among the most important conditions for the integration of foreigners in general and especially of third country nationals (TCNs). Aware of the crucial social and political repercussions of access to citizenship, a research network was established: the EUDO citizenship observatory (European Union Democracy Observatory). Its aim is to contribute to achieve two major policy goals: Member states of the European Union (EU) provide fair conditions for the acquisition of nationality through naturalization or birth on the territory. Through the common citizenship of the EU, the citizenship policies of member state (MS) and neighbouring countries (NC) such as Switzerland mutually affect each other and create common interests in best practices and policy coordination.

  The project has established a specialized comparative European observatory on citizenship laws and policies in the 27 MS of the EU and neighbouring countries, which are nested within a major new web platform at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (see: eudo-citizenship.eu/) as well as within the Europa Institute site at Edinburgh University. The Observatory provides a unique and comprehensive information resource on citizenship in Europe for governments, researchers, migrant organisations and NGOs. It identifies major trends and problems in citizenship policies as a basis for informed policies and community action.

  The Observatory provides hard evidence about the extent and significance of the Europeanization of citizenship policies over the last decadeor so, the existence of interactions between national citizenship regimes (e.g. on dual citizenship), and the increasingly visible policy learning and imitation between them (e.g. onnaturalization and citizenship tests).The Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies (SFM) at the University of Neuchâtel is the Swiss partner in the network, joining a consortium of five institutions, coordinated by the European University Institute (EUI): the University of Edinburgh, the University of Maastricht, Central European University Budapest and University College Dublin.

  The Swiss report on Citizenship combined different approaches, offering a political and historical insight in the development of Citizenship before and after the Federal Constitution of 1848 and how it changed and developed to our days. A strong emphasis is given to the legal interpretation of the current citizenship regime: specially the main modes of acquisition and loss of citizenship with several hints to legal sources. A final chapter is dedicated to current political debates and the emphasis on integration and language skills.

  In the conclusion, we argue that two divergent trends have characterized the current development of citizenship in Switzerland. On the one hand, we witness a paradigmatic change in law, leading to a liberalization of the current citizenship regime. On the other hand, Switzerland experiences also exponents of a strong federalist tradition. They prefer to leave the decision-making on questions of citizenship with the cantons and their municipalities and /or the local population.
  
  
• Fünfte Schweiz, Auswanderung und Auslandschweizergemeinschaft
  Chercheurs/euses: Denise Efionayi-Maeder, Silvia Schönenberger

   

  Institution mandante: Eidg. Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten - EDA, Abteilung Menschliche Sicherheit, Gurtengasse 5, 3003 Bern

   

  Début - fin: juin 2009 - déc. 2009

   

  Publication: Schönenberger, Silvia; Efionayi-Mäder, Denise. 2009. Die Fünfte Schweiz, Auswanderung und Auslandschweizergemeinschaft. SFM-Studien 56, Neuchâtel 2009. Online

   

  Abstract: In einem Postulat vom 7. Oktober 2004 forderte Ständerat Filippo Lombardi gemeinsam mit 26 Mitunterzeichnenden einen Gesamtbericht vom Bundesrat zur Bedeutung der Fünften Schweiz, in dem unter anderem wirtschaftliche Vorteile, welche der Schweiz aus der Präsenz von Staatsangehörigen in der gesamten Welt entsteht, näher untersucht würden. Im Rahmen der Bearbeitung des Postulats beauftragte die zuständige Politische Abteilung VI des Eidgenössischen Departements für auswärtige Angelegenheiten (EDA) das SFM, die Datenlage und den Stand der wissenschaftlichen Forschung diesbezüglich abzuklären und mögliche Forschungsrichtungen aufzuzeigen, die einen wissenschaftlich fundierten Beitrag an den Bundesratsbericht leisten können. Angesichts der Tatsache, dass die Fünfte Schweiz bisher kaum Gegenstand der Forschung war, und sich schon im Vorfeld abzeichnete, dass die statistischen Grundlagen beschränkt sind, wurde erst mal eine Vorstudie zur Situationsabklärung im Bereich Literatur und Statistik sowie die Machbarkeit von weitergehenden Studien und Überlegungen zur Umsetzung ins Auge gefasst.

   

  Für die Literaturrecherche wurden wissenschaftliche Literaturdatenbanken nach Artikeln und Büchern zum Thema Auswanderung aus der Schweiz, AuslandschweizerInnen und Fünfte Schweiz systematisch nach relevanten Schlagwörtern durchsucht. Nach der Dokumentenanalyse wurden in einem weiteren Schritt verschiedene statistische Datensätze nach deren Inhalte, Variablen, Grenzen und Möglichkeiten gesichtet und nach ihrer Verwendbarkeit für Folgestudien bewertet, wobei auch die zuständigen Fachleute befragt wurden. Um die Relevanz und Interessen an möglichen Stossrichtungen zukünftiger Studien zu eruieren, mögliche Vorgehensweisen und Machbarkeit zu diskutieren, wurden Fachleute aus der Verwaltung, Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft zu einem Fokusgespräch eingeladen. Schliesslich haben telefonische Interviews und regelmässige Gespräche mit dem Mandanten die Erarbeitung dieses Berichtes begleitet.
• Festivité du Bicentenaire 2014 du canton de Neuchâtel

  Festivité du Bicentenaire 2014 du canton de Neuchâtel, 200 ans de métissage : visage changeant du canton de Neuchâtel

  Chercheurs/euses: D’Amato, Tissot

  Institution mandante: République et Canton de Neuchâtel

  Fin: 2015

• MIPEX

  Chercheurs/euses: Efionayi, Fibbi, Ruedin

  Institution mandante: MIPEX

  Fin: 2015, 2019

• Immigration and integration policy in Switzerland, 1848 to 2014

  Chercheurs/euses: Ruedin, Didier, Camilla Alberti, and Gianni D’Amato

  Fin: 2019

  Publication: “Immigration and integration policy in Switzerland, 1848 to 2014”, Swiss Political Science Review 21(1): 5-22. doi:10.1111/spsr.12144

• Which federal and cantonal laws regulate migrants’ integration?

  Repository on Citizenship Law in Switzerland offers the first comprehensive, open-access and user-friendly repository of past and current legal documents on citizenship in Switzerland at the federal level and for all 26 cantons.

  The repository is organized around four main themes:

  Ordinary naturalization, that is the acquisition of Swiss citizenship status by means other than birth or the facilitated naturalization procedure (for e.g. spouses); (updated in 2019).

  Permanent residence, that is the acquisition of a permanent residence permit (i.e. a C-permit); (updated in 2017).

  Integration, including all programs, guidelines, measures and laws introduced with the aim of fostering migrants’ integration; (updated in 2019).

  Electoral rights, that is the right to vote and to stand as candidate in elections

• Marges de manœuvre cantonales en mutation : politique migratoire en Suisse

  Chercheurs/euses: PROBST, Johanna, D'AMATO, Gianni, DUNNING, Samantha, EFIONAYI-MÄDER, Denise, FEHLMANN, Joëlle, PERRET, Andreas, RUEDIN, Didier et SILLE, Irina.

  Fin: 2019

  Financement: nccr –on  the  move,  Staatssekretariat  für  Migration  (SEM),  Eidgenössische  Migrationskommission (EKM), Fachstelle für Rassismusbekämpfung (FRB), Kantone Aargau, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Zug und Zürich (in alphabetischer Reihenfolge)

  Publications:

  • Marges de manœuvre cantonales en mutation : politique migratoire en Suisse
  • Portraits cantonaux en ligne
  • Kantonale Spielräume im Wandel : Migrationspolitik in der Schweiz
  • Online Kantonsporträts