A think tank for Swiss democracy research
The National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) leave a lasting mark. Thanks to the NCCR “Democracy – Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century", a Centre for Democracy Research has been established in Aarau. A first for Switzerland.
Switzerland is proud of being one of the oldest democracies in the world. Thanks to the NCCR "Democracy", it is now home to an institute exclusively dedicated to research into this form of government: the Centre for Democracy in Aarau (ZDA). Similar research institutes previously only existed abroad, primarily in the USA, and in Scandinavia.
The impetus for the creation of the ZDA came first and foremost from the town of Aarau in 2003. Aarau was declared the first capital of the Helvetic Republic in 1798 and its town hall served as the first seat of parliament of a united Switzerland. The citizens of Aarau had first wanted to establish a Zschokke Institute for Democracy Research, in memory of Heinrich Zschokke, a pioneer of democracy in the beginning of the 19th century, when the canton of Aargau was founded in 1803.
In 2003, a delegation from the town met with Hanspeter Kriesi, the head of the NCCR “Democracy”. "It was the reports by the Aarau media about the activities of the NCCR which provided the major incentive," explains the Zurich political scientist. He was immediately open to the Aarau request, regarding it as a possibility of securing democracy research in the long term, even after the NCCR ended. The efforts made by these partners resulted in an agreement between the town of Aarau, the University of Zurich, the canton of Aargau and the University of Applied Sciences North-western Switzerland. At the beginning of April 2009, the new research institute was inaugurated in the Blumenhalde Villa, the former residence of the early democrat, Heinrich Zschokke. It is very symbolic. "Today this Centre is where NCCR research is institutionalised," comments Hanspeter Kriesi. Since the town of Aarau contributes a considerable annual sum for operating costs, the Centre had to undergo the litmus test of democracy – a referendum. The citizens of Aarau voted in favour by a clear majority. Hanspeter Kriesi is both happy with the foundation of the ZDA and the circumstances leading up to it: "That this seat of democracy research was approved in a referendum is a fantastic sign."
The centre consists of three departments. The General Democracy Research department currently includes two NCCR “Democracy” projects, hosted by the University of Zurich. The Head of this department also holds a chair in a foundation for the town of Aarau based at the philosophy faculty of the University of Zurich. The second department is the Centre for Research on Direct Democracy (c2d) that was set up and maintained by Andreas Auer from the University of Geneva for a period of more than 15 years. Thanks to the support of Aargau canton, the c2d was able to relocate to the Centre for Democracy. Finally, the University of Applied Sciences North-western Switzerland has established a Department for Political Education and Historical Didactics at the ZDA. "The ZDA is situated to become the foremost seat of democracy research in Switzerland," states Marcel Guignard, the Mayor of Aarau. In the clause outlining the Purpose of the NCCR “Democracy”, the partnership contract specifies that the Centre should contribute to the "prestige of the town of Aarau and the canton of Aargau in the Swiss educational landscape". Both the canton and town are strongly committed to the centre and anticipate some transfer of research results, for example in the form of training courses for politicians at all levels on subjects like democracy, government and politics. "However, we cannot and do not wish to control what research is being conducted. We obviously adhere to the principle of freedom of research," remarks Marcel Guignard.
But does the interdependence of local structures not in fact present a problem to the independence and quality of research on democracy? Hanspeter Kriesi sees it more as an opportunity, "primarily with regard to the impact of research results. For example results can be directly put into practice." The Communication research project, a major part of the NCCR “Democracy”, has yet to find a base in Aarau. Hanspeter Kriesi hopes that new departments will soon be attracted to the city. The location of a fourth department focusing on E-Democracy is already being discussed. "The centre has reached critical mass and the partners have now committed themselves for at least 15 years. These conditions alone provide continuity towards a basis for boosting democracy research in Switzerland."