Country Report

The top five most populous urban agglomerations in Switzerland are: Zurich, Geneve, Basel, Bern, and Lausanne.

According to the latest 2020 census data, Zurich has 421,878 people; Geneve has 203, 856 people; Basel has 173, 863 people; Bern has 134, 794; and Lausanne has 140, 202 people.

The percentage of Switzerland’s population living in urban areas is 74%, and in rural areas it is 26%.

The average population density in rural areas, and in urban areas are 219 people per sq kilometer; 162 people per sq kilo urban; 57 people per sq kilo rural.

According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), Switzerland changes seasonally four times a year. Geographically speaking, the country has three main mountain ranges which contribute greatly to its diversity in ecosystems: the Alps, the Central Plateau, and the Jura. Due to the varying altitudes and temperatures of the mountainous regions, the nation is abundant in microclimates and has in turn enacted several laws to increase protection for its biodiversity. While these mountains take up a majority of the country - the Alps cover around 66% of the entire country - they have very low population density. The majority of people live in more flat areas like that in the Central Plateau. Though, it may not explain the largest city in Switzerland, the populous cites in this country can be contributed to the historical significance and strategic river crossings as seen in Fribourg and Bern. For such areas like Davos, the largest city in terms of area in Switzerland, the region is surrounded by mountains and is at an altitude of 1,560 meters.

Section 2: Demography

The Crude Mortality Rate in Switzerland is 8 per 1,000 people per 2019 statistics. Switzerland’s neighbors to the North and South (Germany and Italy) having a slightly higher rate, both at 11 per 1,000 people.

The Crude Fertility Rate in Switzerland is 1.5 per woman as of 2019. Swizterland’s neighbor to th north, Germany, has a Crude Fertility Rate of 1.5 per woman, while its neighbor to the South, Italy, has a rate of 1.3 per woman.

Switzerland’s life expectancy for females is 86 years. The life expectancy for males is 82 years.

The country’s infact mortality rate is 4 per 1000 births.

The most apparent trends are that life expectancy has greatly increased and infant mortality has greatly decreased.

The median years of age in Switzerland is 43.1 years.

52% percent of population is of ‘working age’ (either 18-64 or 20-64).

Switzerland Age Pyramid

According to the age structure above, there is a larger population of age groups 35-59, which is indicative of Switzerland’s older population. This may be attributed to large number of immigrants who have moved to the country in recent years, attracted in part to the nation’s positive economic prospects and its high standard of living. There does not appear to be any large “jumps” in the age structure of Switzerland’s population. However, only 52% of the population can be considered working age, which means only half of the population is able to economically contribute.

Section 3: Cultural-Linguistic Information

The top three languages spoken in Switzerland are Swiss German, French, and Italian. A fourth, less common language spoken in Switzerland is Romanash.

Geographic Distribution of Major Language Speakers

Section 4: Economic Information

Switzerland has three primary industries, some that branch into specific sectors: service, industrial, and agricultural sectors. Service mostly consists of business, finance, and hospitality(tourism). Industry comprises chemical/pharmaceutical production and mechanical engineering/metal sectors. Agriculture, or farming, rounds out the three primary sectors but is in decline.

Service (73.7%) Industrial (25.6%) Agriculture (0.7%)

Switzerland imports more food than it produces. This has been a historical trend that has only increased in the past 30 years, per Swiss Federal Statistics.

The 2020 Median adult income measurement in Switzerland is $21,490 (USD).

The median adult income measures the midpoint of a country’s income distribution. Half of the population receives income above and below this point.

The rate of unemployment among 15-24 year olds in Swizterland is 8%.

The chart below indicates products exported from Switzerland to the United States (U.S.). The top export to the U.S. include pearls, precious stones, metals, and coins with a value exceeding $30 billion USD. Currently, Germany is Switzerland’s largest trading partner, and the nation relies heavily on foreign imports.

Chart of top Switzerland global exports

Section 5: Education

Average Years of Schooling Among Adults Aged 25+ The chart above was sourced from the World bank, with the x-axis indicating the year the data was collected and the y-axis represents the school years individuals over 25+ years old attended. According to Trading Economics, the average years of schooling was 13.96 years in 2016.

Section 6: Six Trends in Switzerland

Incarceration
Discrimination
Ways climate change is impacting Switzerland
Trends in Poverty
Changing Family Structure
Evolving Gender Roles
Population growth
Renewable energy consumption (% of total)

1. Incarceration

Switzerland is a country with one of the lowest incarceration rates in the world. Per 2020 statistics posted by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 6,897 adults are incarcerated with additional 466 juveniles in detention. The total number of The number of incarcerated people in Switzerland has steadily increased in the past twenty years. Yet in the past couple of years, the incarceration rate has stayed relatively the same. In 2020, the FSO had reported an 11% decrease in overall convictions, which could correlate to the total incarcerated population.

Swiss Population Rate 2000-2020

A growing concern among those advocating for better prison conditions is the need for better healthcare in prisons, and the issue is also prevalent in Switzerland. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) reports that Switzerland has 26 healthcare facilities across all the prisons. WHO also notes that access to these facilities are not universal across all the prisons, meaning healthcare resources are not proportional.

Few studies have analyzed accessed healthcare and the demand for it among incarcerated people. Issues related to incarceration that have been explored in the research, however, have centered on two growing trends: an aging incarcerated population and increasing costs of prison health care. These two trends are also interlinked. More elderly incarcerated persons are spending their end-of-life period in prison (Moschetti et.al, 2019). Moschetti et. al’s study found that incarcerated individuals with certain diseases (those associated with chronic infection, musculoskeletal or the skin) are likely predictors of high medical costs. The older age of incarcerated persons in Switzerland also means the higher risk for health concerns, which requires access to more health care (Wagmo et. al, 2016). Wagmo et. al also noted, however, how long-term geriatric and palliative care produces conflicting rationales with regard to the dichotomy between punishment and rehabilitation. This debate about healthcare in prisons impacts all incarcerated peoples, but the by far the most impacted are the elderly population.

2. Discrimination

The FSO collects information related to discrimination and its impact on the residents of Swizterland. Discrimination takes shape in a number of ways, whether in public or the workplace. In recent years, the FSO has began to collect information related to discrimination as it pertains to one’s ethnic background and nationality. In a 2020 FSO study, which surveyed permanent residents aged 15 to 88 that say they have been a victim of discrimination in Switzerland in the past five years. 56% of respondents indicated they were discriminated against due to their nationality while 14% indicated cases of discrimination they faced were due to their ethnic orgin.

These statistics are of particular interest given that 1 in every 4 people in Switzerland are foreign born. This is quite representative of the increasing migration rate. Many scholars like Cretton (2018), Boulila (2019) and Michel (2015) have noted the overwhelming inability for the Swiss to acknowledge difference. These scholars have also examined how a predominately white nation like Switzerland touts itself as “raceless” but in fact, perpetuates the constructs of race and racism and overall difference.

Switzerland has a deep colonial legacy, although often dismissed by the Swiss, as evidenced through the country’s role in the trans-atlantic slave trade through its investments in the ships that transported Africans throughout the European colonies ( Illien, 2020). This effectively made Swizerland one of the richest nations in the world.

Per a recent article in The Guardian (Illien, 2020), Switzerland is beginning to re-examine its colonial past largely due to the international wave of protests in support of Black lives and the Black Lives Matter movement. This also due to the growing movement within Switzerland by groups like BIPOC.WOC, are working to address institutional racism and discrimination by working with policymakers to correct this wrong.

3. Ways Climate Change is impacting Switzerland

It is unfortunate that climate change is affecting the planet so drastically, not least of all in Switzerland. In this country are extremely visible reminders of the power of global warming and the way this trend impacts people and their environment. In the Swiss Alps there is a constant reminder of the change being wrought as half of the Swiss glaciers have already begun melting away. Since 1850 glaciers have lost 60% of their volume. The average temperature in Switzerland has increased by around 2 degrees Celsius over the past 150 years, due to it being a landlocked country that does not benefit from the ocean’s natural cooling effect.

Plants in the Swiss countryside which are one of the richest diversity hotspots with over 13,000 species have begun flowering earlier and the populace of the country is beginning to suffer from more intense heatwaves. Fresh water loss has already been noted in Alpine lakes and even though some water has been replaced it has only been at the expense of the glaciers that are experiencing historic loss. This habitat destruction in turn affects the biodiversity like the 15,000 animal species particular to the country and ecosystem that is unique to Switzerland and in turn intensifies extreme weather events.

Switzerland has already begun taking measures over the past two decades to raise awareness of how climate change is impacting the country and planet. The current emissions rate was measured at 37,480 kt, which measures carbon emissions per ton. The good news is that it has been on the decline since 2010 and with only a small tick up for a couple of years has been trending downward each progressing year. It is however important to note that the decline has not been fast enough to meet their original emissions target. The government has already noted that if greenhouse emissions are massively reduced, then further local environmental warming can be kept to below 2 degrees Celsius.

4. Trends in Poverty

Switzerland has historically been considered to be one of the world’s wealthiest countries and is currently ranked the 5th , although this does not mean it is immune to poverty. Poverty has been rising in the country and in 2019 the proportion of people who live below the poverty line rose to 8.7% of the population of the country. This means that over 735,000 Swiss citizens could be classified as poor within the context of Switzerland’s wealth. The global pandemic only served to exacerbate this divide, as in May of 2020 there were images shown by major international media that showed over 1500 people in Geneva in line waiting to receive food assistance. In breaking down the data before the pandemic, there was already rising economic insecurity occurring earlier in 2018, when close to 8% of the population was classified as living in poverty.

There are a number of causes that contribute to Switzerland’s rising poverty level. When comparing product prices with the European average, many products are more expensive in Switzerland. There are high import duties that are placed upon imported products, like meat and other food goods. Property values remain out of reach for many Swiss, as only 40% are property owners and 60% rent. This is a much different proportion for similar European countries, as 50% of French and 70% of Italians are property owners. Health care, transportation, taxes and higher average salaries all contribute to necessitating a higher standard of living than other European countries. The median salary of Switzerland is much higher than many other countries in Europe, and is ranked 4th in countries with the highest median income at 21,490(PPP, Current Int$, March 2021).

1 in 13 residents of Switzerland live in poverty and if the trend continues, this number will be much higher. The elderly, single-parent and immigrant households are much more vulnerable to poverty than other populations within the country. As an example, Swiss over the age of 60 are almost three times more likely to live in poverty than other other demographics. The country is currently looking at means of addressing and creating solutions for the issue, including incorporating a Universal Basic Income, giving every Swiss family a guaranteed weekly income.

5. Changing Family Structures

According to a longitudinal study titled Family Trajectories and Life Satisfaction: the Swiss Case, from 2001 to 2014 there has been a shift in family dynamics and structures. There are five events that could have potentially increased the transformation of familial structures and those include: marriage, the transition from cohabitation to marriage, and when couples decide they are ready to have children. Family structures all over Switzerland have constantly been shifting and evolving as time passes. Another reason for the change in family structure that was highlighted by Jennifer Fitzgerald, was the interpersonal persuasion occurring in families who live together. Multigenerational homes have become somewhat of a trend to stabilize families but it also has influenced the declination of such. And as children are growing up in Switzerland during a progressive time, young adults are slowly beginning to convince their parents about more topics.

From a social science perspective, family dynamics and structures will be an ongoing process of transition and transformation. There may not be a direct treatment that can easily assist these quick changes, but there are possible efforts to enhance the experiences. Family counseling may be one of the best ways to approach the shift in family structure since individual families are all unique but at the end of it all, there are more times these families have similarities. Another effort in treating this type of transition is through the shifting of perspective in parents. This change may be a softer set of skills but due to the evolution of mindsets and open-mindedness, family structure won’t always fit in one category but instead they will ultimately never stop changing.

The figure depicts life table estimates of the percentage of early 1990s birth cohorts likely to have at least one maternal cohabitation by exact age 16. These estimated percentages are further divided into three categories: those born to cohabiting parents, those born to single mothers who then transition into parental cohabitation by age one, and those whose first experience of maternal cohabitation occurs between the ages of one and sixteen, which we refer to as step-cohabitations. These factors of cohabitation have greatly impacted the family structures changing in Switzerland.

6. Gender Roles

In this figure seen above, from 1970 to 2016, there has been a drastic increase in women attaining higher-qualified occupations.

Like the changing of family structures, gender roles are also shifting in Switzerland. Stereotypes and gendered occupations are evolving every year. The Alpine nation has maintained a traditional family paradigm in which the dad works and the mother stays at home to raise the children. Swiss women were not pushed into the labor force to fill the labor gaps produced by males going to war because they did not participate in the twentieth-century global wars (Nguyen, 2018). However, as shown by many studies, women are working in higher positions especially in the industries that used to be overpowered by men in Switzerland and all over Europe. This trend may be less of an issue now but seeking the causes and consequences are quite relevant to the ever-changing perspectives and theories in gender studies especially in Switzerland. As stated earlier, gendered occupation began to shift due to labor structures during wars and it has been majorly diversified. One of the major topics when considering gender roles in families is how women are affected when they decide to have children. In the previous decades, once women gave birth or had children they would be their child’s main caregiver. But after the 70s, Swiss women took over a third of the workforce and currently 46% of the labor force. Also in the present time, males are readjusting with their positions due to the availability of paternity leave. The possibility of a one-month paid paternity leave did not significantly alter men’s employment habits or family work division, but it did allow fathers to increase their sense of competence regarding care obligations and the ownership of their new “father identity” (Olah, 2018). These causes have significantly impacted the continuous growth in perspectives of gender roles in Switzerland.

7.Population Growth

Switzerland’s Population Growth (millions) Switzerland’s Growth Rate

The charts above are sourced from the United Nations data base. Today, 8.7 million people live in Switzerland. As shown by the growth rate graph, Switzerland has had a steady population increase over the past 50 years, with its current population growth at .7%. Those who identify as female make up 4.36 million residents, while those who identify as male represent 4.30 million of the total population. Besides a dip in rate in which the population was decreasing around 1990, the country has had a positive growth rate between 0-1.9%. However, according the the U.N.s projections, this rate is likely to decrease and remain closer to 0 in the next 80 years and reach a plateau. The total population chart reflects a gradual increase in numbers over the past 50 years, and shows a slight but narrow increase into 2100.

Switzerland has more relaxed migration laws for people inside the European Union, so a large portion of its total population is actually foreign born; 1 in 4 people are not born within its borders. Switzerland does not have high fertility rates, and so much of its growth is due to people moving across borders to the country. Some attribute the low birthing rate to the increasing number of partners or families’ decision to have less children or none all together. This may be due in part to Switzerland’s popular ways of life. Its economic prospects are attractive, and the standards of living are high. As a result, Switzerland has one of the highest life expectancies globally, so it currently has an increasing population of the 40-50 year age group. According to the World Happiness Index, it is the 5th happiest country in the world, showing its support for its residents and their livelihoods which also encourages people to migrate. Its urban centers house 85% of the total population.

Renewable Energy

Over the past two decades, Switzerland has greatly increased its use of renewable energy sources, as shown by the chart above. The country’s government has made bold goals in terms of renewable energy use, largely in response to global climate change. Similar to much of the world, Switzerland recognizes it is in an economically and socially advantageous place to take advantage of renewable energy initiatives and reduce their carbon footprint in the world’s overall yearly emission rate. The nation plans to have net zero emissions by 2050, and in step with this they have stated to reduce their overall energy consumption while also focusing on the utilization of hydropower resources; solar, wind, and biomass power are also areas in which they wish to expand. Additionally, the government is continuing its efforts to phase out nuclear energy (35% of total power use), especially after encountering encouragement from voters and anti-nuclear protests over the past decade. This is not to say that there has been stark opposition to this movement by other groups in the country. Many in the electrical engineering and mechanical infrastructure fields wonder how such progressive action items will realistically be implemented in order to achieve the goal by 2050. A recent vote in 2017 approved a governmental law that would provide billions of dollars in aid to the renewable energy sector (Reuters 2017).

However, some leaders in Switzerland do not think that change is going fast enough, and argue that too much of their electricity is imported rather than generated in-house. There are worries of possible power shortages coupled with impending climate disasters while the nation shifts slowly to a more green agenda. In their efforts to speed up the pace of this change, many say there should be an obligation to generate “home-grown” or locally produced clean energy solutions. It seems that some of the consequences of this change to renewable energy are in the hopes that negative impacts to the climate will be lessened, while also weighing the actual cost of this push in terms of comfortability for the population.

Annotated bibliography

Renewable Energy Consumption (% of total)

The World Bank.(2021) Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption). https://data.worldbank.org The World Bank group is a global collaboration between five institutions with the goals of reducing poverty and supporting developing countries; the organization houses a large collection of multipurpose data on all countries throughout the world. The accessed page gives an assessment of the change over time in renewable energy consumption out of total final energy consumption in Switzerland from 1990 -2018. The page provides multiple graphs to demonstrate the nation’s increase in renewable energy use, especially in the past two decades; the most useful for this project is the line graph. The World Bank also provides CSV and EXCEL files to download for raw data. At the bottom of the resource page, there is a list of all countries and economies against which to compare Switzerland’s renewable percentage consumption. The most recent data for the listed countries varies from 2015-2018.

International Energy Agency (IEA). (2015) Switzerland - Countries & Regions. https://www.iea.org/countries/switzerland. IEA (International Energy Agency) is an independent, intergovernmental organization that gathers data on energy consumption by country and works collaboratively with federal agencies to attain sustainable energy solutions. The site page discusses how Switzerland’s effort to phase out nuclear energy after a recent governmental vote has shifted their priorities and reoriented their approach to renewable energy. There are graphs which break down energy consumption trends and changes over time into oil, hydro, natural gas, biofuels and waste, and nuclear. According IEA’s data, Switzerland has the “lowest carbon-intensity” among its fellow countries and is focused primarily in hydropower. Data sets are available to download.

Federal Staticians Office, Switzerland. (2021) Energy – Facts and Figures. https://www.eda.admin.ch/ This site is the official federal statistics database of Switzerland, published by the nation’s Federal Statistical Office. This page gives a detailed and illustrative breakdown of Switzerland’s energy consumption, and where it sources its energy (e.g. it imports its crude oil from Africa and Mexico). It also discusses internal conflict surrounding renewable energy development, especially as it pertains to nuclear energy; the site describes vehement protest against a proposed power plant in Kaisergaust. Information is given on the energy policies of Switzerland and milestones set out by the government for a renewable energy revolution by 2050, in line with many other countries around the world in order to fight the negative impacts of climate change.

Tages, Anzeiger (2021). Swiss minister bemoans lack of investment in renewables. Swiss Info Channel.https://www.swissinfo.ch This article highlighted some of the tension within Switzerland leadership towards the rate of change in implementing renewable energy into the country’s future. Some Switzerland leaders do not think that progress is being made fast enough due to the current climate crises underway.

Miller, J., Shields, M. (2017) Swiss voters embrace shift to renewable energy. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/swiss-energy-idINKBN18H0HJ?edition-redirect=in This resource detailed how Switzerland’s citizens have pushed for increased renewable energy use over the past decade. Additionally, it provided more information on the country’s move away from nuclear energy and towards hydropower as its main source of energy. It discussed a new law which would grant subsidies to renewable energy initiatives in the billions of dollars.

Population Growth

The World Bank Group. (2021) Population, Total - Switzerland. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=CH The World Bank group is a global collaboration between five institutions with the goals of reducing poverty and supporting developing countries; the organization houses a large collection of multipurpose data on all countries throughout the world. This resource page provided more information on the population density of Switzerland, and provided data sets that contain values from 1960-2020. The number of values counted were residents of the country, “regardless of legal status or citizenship.” The total population of Switzerland has increased to 8.6 million people as of 2020. According to the site details, population growth can provide insight into changing pressures on natural resources and social infrastructures.

Diem et al. (2021) Switzerland. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Switzerland Britannica is an online encyclopedia and information resource. In this Britannica article, the demographic details of Switzerland’s growing population are discussed in relation to historic events and compared to worldwide trends. More specifically, the authors illustrate that Switzerland’s population has more than doubled since the early 1900s, with birth rates correlating with high economic growth and age distributions shifting towards more density in older age groups into the 21st century. Swiss citizens have one of the highest average life expectancies in the world; the authors attribute this to high standards of living, a high quality health care system, and high general well being. The country has a lower than average birth rate.

Office, F. S. (2021) Population. Federal Statistical Office, Switzerland. https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/population.html This site is the official federal statistics database of Switzerland, published by the nation’s Federal Statistical Office. This page gives various population demographics, patterns, and projections. It breaks up the population into graphs and charts for comparison between its groups, and provides detailed information on households. The article also discusses regional distribution by cantons and the different causes for population fluctuations, which include immigration, emigration, birth rate and death rate. Data sets are provided at the bottom of the page for downloading CSV and EXCEL forms for input into R studio.

O’neil, A. (2021) Switzerland: Population growth from 2010 to 2020. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/261313/population-growth-in-switzerland/ This resource provides more information on reasoning behind Switzerland’s population growth over the past 80 years, and projected possibilities as calculated by the U.N.’s database. The author describes how Switzerland’s encouraging economy and relatively relaxed migration policies have attracted foreigners to move to their country and stay; fertility rates remain relatively low. According to the site, 1 in every 4 people in Switzerland are foreign born. It also provides information on life expectancy and standard of living.

World Population Review.(2021) Switzerland Population 2021 (Live). https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/switzerland-population This site gives more detailed information on justifications for Switzerland’s projected population stagnation and decreasing population growth. There are various charts and graphs, similar to that of the the U.N.’s database that show this trend. Additionally, the site describes the relationships of urban centers and rural populations to the current population outlook, as well as the demographics of the nation

Incarceration

Wagmo, T., Meyer, A., Hadtke, V., Bretschneider, W., Page, J., Sommer, J., Stuckelberger, A., Aebi, M., Elger, B. (2016). Aging prisoners in switzerland: An analysis of their health care utilization. Journal of Aging and Heath, 28(3), 481-502.

This article highlights a study on the use of health care in prisons by aging incarcerated persons as opposed to their younger counterparts. Several studies have noted the increasing age in the prison population in Switzerland. Yet, few studies, as noted in the article, have accessed health care and the demand for it among prisoners. The older age of incarcerated persons in Switzerland also means the higher risk for health concerns. What’s more, the data from the study revealed that roughly 15% of the sample (318 males, half the sample was 50 years and older, the other half were 49 years and younger) had utilized hospital services. Moreover, the study also uncovered several variables attributed to the study including low health literacy, understanding what health services were available for the incarcerated, and how health related behaviors impact whether they utilize hospitals.

Marti, A., Hostettler, U., Richter, M. (2017). End of life in high-security prisons in switzerland: overlapping and blurring of “care” and “custody” as institutional logics. Journal of Correctional Health Care. 23(1), 32-42.

With an aging population, more elderly incarcerated persons are spending their end-of-life period in prison which has become an increasing problem in Swiss prisons. This article details the challenges faced with regard to end-of-life care using ethnographic research. The study highlighted the complexities of the prison acting as a place of punishment and rehabilitation and how that influences the ways in which prison employees approach their work. Additionally, the article highlighted how long-term geriatric and palliative care produces conflicting rationales with regard to the dichotomy between punishment and rehabilitation.

Moschetti, K., Zabrodina, V., Wangmo, T., Holly, A., Wasserfallen, J. (2018). The determinants of individual health care expenditures in prison: Evidence from switzerland. BMC Health Services Research, 160 (18), 1-13.

The increase in the cost of healthcare in prisons has become a growing concern considering the rising older incarcerated population, especially in countries like Switzerland. This article examines the type of treatment sought out by incarcerated persons and the costs associated with said treatments. The authors contend the purpose is to understand medical spending for the incarcerated as a means for governments, like the Swiss, to adequately administer health care systems given the insufficient financial resources. The study found that incarcerated individuals with certain diseases (those associated with chronic infection, musculoskeletal or the skin) are likely predictors of high medical costs.

World Health Organization. (2021). https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-determinants/prisons-and-health/activities/country-work/country-snapshots-interviews-with-national-counterparts/switzerland

The World Health Organization, who works in tagent with the United Nations, is a body that directs international public health.

Discrimination

Cretton, V. 2018) Performing whiteness: racism, skin colour, and identity in Western Switzerland. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 41 (5), 842-859.

Cretton examines a predominately white nation (Switzerland) and how it touts itself as “raceless” but in fact, perpetuates the constructs of race and racism. The study uncovered how white Swiss align their whiteness with their national identity (as Swiss residents). Non-white Swiss (who denounce the race factor) embrace and personify whiteness as a means of blending into society. This very act of embracing the white national identity (whether by white or non-white Swiss) as Cretton notes, aids in the reproduction of racism.

Boulila, S. (2019) Race and racial denial in switzerland. Ethnic and Racial Studies. 42 (9), 1401-1418.

This article explores the impact of ‘anti-racialist’ anti-racism on public discourse about racism in Switzerland. Race and the denial of racism is of particular interest given the “colonial complicity” (although the Swiss people fail to recognize the role of the country in this history). The author contends that the Swiss government that one particular commitment to this anti-racialist framework has yet to be assessed. Understanding racial denial is recognized as a means to process the concept of race and its false biological origins. Furthermore, the author argues that Swiss anti-racialism aids in legitimizing the notion that race does not exist in Switzerland.

Illien, N. (2020, November 19). Banking and slavery: Switzerland examines its colonial conscience. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/19/banking-slavery-switzerland-examines-its-colonial-conscience

The Guardian is a British media organization that produces online news content. This article by Noelle Illien discusses the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on anti-racist activism in Switzerland. The author contends that Swiss people, and by extension its government leaders, are beginning to reassess how Swiss history has reinforced continued discrimination and racism that has undergirded its relationship to its non-white citizens. Furthermore, the article illustrates the work by local activists to change the cultural landscape of the coutnry to a more tolerant society instead of feeding into the notion of colorblindness.

Michel, N. (2015). Sheepology: The Postcolonial Politics of Raceless Racism in Switzerland, Postcolonial Studies, 18:4, 410-426.

Michel provides an analysis of Switzerland’s role in postcolonial politics of racism in relationship to broader European colonial legacy. Specifically, the article delves into the Swiss notion of “racelessness.” The study utilized a 2007 sheep poster that fueled controversy surrounding Swiss attitudes towards Other populations which set the foundation for what Michel called “sheepology.” Essentially, the sheep poster controversy

Changing Family Structures

Wernli B., Zella S. (2018) Family Trajectories and Life Satisfaction: The Swiss Case. In: Tillmann R., Voorpostel M., Farago P. (eds) Social Dynamics in Swiss Society. Life Course Research and Social Policies, vol 9. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89557-4_5

The purpose of this article is to describe the impact of five family events (formation of the union, transition from cohabitation to marriage, birth of children, dissolution of the union, and departure of children from the family nest) on life satisfaction was studied using data from the Swiss Household Panel’s last 14 waves (2001–2014). They adjusted for demographics (age), economics (family income, education level, satisfaction with financial status), health (impediment, satisfaction with health), and social interaction characteristics in separate analyses for women and men (participation in clubs or other groups, satisfaction of free time, leisure activities and personal relationships).

Bzostek, S. H., & Berger, L. M. (2017). Family Structure Experiences and Child Socioemotional Development During the First Nine Years of Life: Examining Heterogeneity by Family Structure at Birth. Demography, 54(2), 513–540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-017-0563-5

In this journal article, the authors evaluate relationships of family structure states and transitions with children’s socioemotional development during the first nine years of life using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and hierarchical linear models. Because there are various types of families, they examine the different structures and households which is detrimental to the trend of changing family structures. Fitzgerald, J. (2011). Family Dynamics and Swiss Parties on the Rise: Exploring Party Support in a Changing Electoral Context. The Journal of Politics, 73(3), 783–796. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022381611000454

Fitzgerald analyzed the influence of mothers, dads, and children on support for the radical right and green parties using Swiss household panel data. Parents persuade their children to support these burgeoning political groups, spouses persuade one another, and, most notably, young people persuade their parents. Finally, when family members’ interest in politics is great, when family members live together, and during election years, influence by such factors can be reinforced. This will be useful in defining Swiss family structures and the connection to their government.

Gender Roles

Oláh L.S., Kotowska I.E., Richter R. (2018) The New Roles of Men and Women and Implications for Families and Societies. In: Doblhammer G., Gumà J. (eds) A Demographic Perspective on Gender, Family and Health in Europe. Springer, Cham.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72356-3_4

Though this article may not just focus on Switzerland, it is still crucial because it focuses on Europe as the sample population. The primary study findings on emerging gender roles and their implications for families and societies are presented in this keynote chapter. It begins by tracing the evolution of European family formations over the last fifty years, with a focus on increasingly diversified family biographies and shifts in women’s and men’s roles.

Stringhini S, Spencer B, Marques-Vidal P, Waeber G, Vollenweider P, Paccaud F, et al. (2012) Age and Gender Differences in the Social Patterning of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Switzerland: The CoLaus Study. PLoS ONE 7(11): e49443. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049443

In this journal, the researchers identified the social distribution of a wide variety of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in a Swiss population and saw if there were any differences in socioeconomic status based on age and gender.

Grunow, D., Begall, K., & Buchler, S. (2018). Gender Ideologies in Europe: A Multidimensional Framework. Journal of marriage and the family, 80(1), 42–60.https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12453

The authors investigate how gender beliefs cluster in different countries. The five ideological profiles were present in all countries, however their sizes varied significantly. Traditional ideas appear to have been supplanted by ideologies which integrate gender essentialist and egalitarian views, even in countries that may provide institutional support for gendered separate realms.

CO2 Emission Rate

The World Bank Group. 2021. CO2 emission rate - Switzerland. Data. Retrieved October 22, 2021, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=CH

The World Bank group is a global collaboration between five institutions with the goals of reducing poverty and supporting developing countries; the organization houses a large collection of multipurpose data on all countries throughout the world. This resource page provided more information on the population density of Switzerland, and provided data sets that contain values from 1960-2020.

Statista (2021, October 24). Staista Switzerland. https://www.statista.com/statistics/449824/co2-emissions-switzerland/

Statista is an online information resource. In this article, the demographic details of Switzerland’s growing population are discussed in relation to historic events and compared to worldwide trends.

Our World in Data. (2021). CO2 Emission Rate. Federal Statistical Office, Switzerland. https://ourworldindata.org/co2/country/switzerland

This site breaks down data from around the world, specifically emissions rates for countries. There is a good deal of information and comparisons throughout and Switzerland is on track for reducing its carbon emission rates.

Poverty Headcount Ratio

The World Bank Group. 2021. Poverty Headcount Ratio - Switzerland. Data. Retrieved October 22, 2021, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.DDAY?locations=CH

Macrotrends(2021, October 24). Switzerland. Macrotrends-poverty rate. https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/CHE/switzerland/poverty-rate

Macrotrends is an online information resource that breaks down the poverty rate of countries over time, specifically Switzerland 1982-2021 for Switzerland. There are examinations of global trends held against in-depth analysis of micro trends.

Trading Economics (2021). Poverty Headcount Ratio. Economics Office, Switzerland. https://tradingeconomics.com/switzerland/poverty-headcount-ratio-at-$1-25-a-day-ppp-percent-of-population-wb-data.html