Marie Michael Library

Ethnic structure, inequality and governance in the public sector in Switzerland

Linder, Wolf; Steffen, Isabelle

Modern Switzerland was created by different ethnic groups speaking different languages and following different religions. The processes of nation building, industrialization, urbanization and modernization were accompanied by societal conflicts. The paper describes the ethnic structures and cleavages in Switzerland and their development. It also examines the Swiss political system and its institutional elements of political integration.