Welcome!

I am a sociologist interested in the causes and consequences of human cooperation (and the lack thereof). My involvement in this topic has taken me places intellectually and geographically.

Equipped with a comprehensive toolset of research methods, I have ventured into studying social norm dynamics, the workings of reputation mechanisms, communication in strategic interactions, intergroup relations, the interplay of moral norms and institutions, etc. Although I am primarily interested in fundamental insights into the problem of social order, my research offers relevant perspectives on processes of digital transformation and the design of institutions for open societies.

As much as I am passionate about the topic of human cooperation, I like to cooperate with others. My growing up in Switzerland with a migration background has fueled my interest in questions of cooperation, integration, communication and social norms. I thus studied sociology (with economics and computer science) at the University of Bern. In 2010 I completed my PhD at ETH Zürich (with distinction) and took up a postdoc position at Nuffield College and the Department of Sociology in Oxford.

In 2014, I was appointed assistant professor at the Department of Sociology at Utrecht University and promoted to associate professor in 2021. In Utrecht, I was fortunate to work in a most cooperative academic environment with exceptionally talented and engaged colleagues. In 2025, I was appointed full professor at the University of Bern, where I hold the position of Professor of Sociology, with a Focus on Sustainable Society, at the Institute of Sociology. I live with my family in Bern.

Are you up for a venture into the nature of human cooperation? Get in touch!