Research — How and why are immigrants excluded?

I use experiments and quantitative analysis to study exclusion in migration (discrimination, attitudes, public debates, and conversely inclusion, trust, belonging). This covers exclusion of immigrants and their descendants in the labour market and hiring, health and healthcare, housing, and politics.

Part of this research takes place in the context of the NCCR on the move (2018–2022, 2022–2026), or is funded by the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS, 2015–2018) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF, 2011–2013, 2022–2025, 2023–2026, 2027–2030). We use mostly quantitative and experimental methods. Full listing of publications.

Exclusion in the labour market and hiring — To understand discrimination and exclusion of immigrants and their descendants in the labour market and hiring, we combine theories from sociology, economics, and political science, and mostly use field experiments and other quantitative methods. This includes a meta-analysis of field experiments on ethnic discrimination in hiring.

Exclusion in health and healthcare — Inequalities in health and access to healthcare can be a sign of exclusion. We investigate self-reported access barriers, language hurdles, and experiences of discrimination of immigrants and their descendants. This work includes questions of public health, cumulative disadvantages, and structural barriers in the healthcare system.

Exclusion in housing — The work on housing pays particular attention to mechanisms of discrimination and exclusion, including norms and spatial variation. Field experiments and other quantitative methods lie at the heart of this work.

Exclusion in politics — Exclusion can be reflected in political reactions and narratives in public debates, policies, or representation in political office. Covering different aspects of the politicization of migration, we examine how, when, and why potential conflicts over migration and immigrant integration become politicized. This includes varied quantitative methods such as text-as-data or systematic media analyses in several countries.

Other Research

Co-coordinator of the research network Migration and Minorities of the Swiss Sociological Association

Co-president of the Swiss Association of Migration and Mobility Studies (SAMMS).

Coordinator of the Swiss-African Migration Network (SAM): https://www.unine.ch/sfm/en/recherche/sam/. SAM Survey, N=1,750 respondents in each country, May 2021. Codebook on OSF.

SWISSUbase list of research projects I am or was involved in (non-exhaustive): https://www.swissubase.ch/en/catalogue/persons/14459/4455/overview. I work on many applied projects on migration, integration, refugees, discrimination, health, social and political participation, etc.

Current Research Group

Valeriia Hett — PhD researcher (trust, jointly with Gianni D'Amato)

Alessandra Polidori — postdoc (health, jointly with Gianni D'Amato)

Lisa Stalder — postdoc (health, jointly with Gianni D'Amato)

Irina Radu — PhD researcher (health, with Gianni D'Amato)

Maarja Vollmer — PhD researcher (politicization, jointly with Gianni D'Amato)

Carol Pierre — PhD researcher (politicization, with Gianni D'Amato)

Research Group, 2011–present

Camilla Bilò — research assistant (migration)

Anna Marino — PhD researcher (politicization, with Matteo Gianni)

Sabina Hadzipasic — research assistant (health, migration)

Siwar Khelifa — postdoc (labour market, refugees, with Bruno Lanz)

Sacha Mandelbaum — research assistant (health, migration)

Silvia Domeniconi Pfister — PhD researcher (migration)

Julien Beaud — research assistant (labour market, refugees)

Niyousha Hosseini — research assistant (labour market, refugees)

Natalia Malancu — postdoc (refugees, well-being)

Sargam Goundar — visiting researcher (politicization)

Anouk Albien — Marie Curie secondment (migration)

Fodé Samb — research officer (politicization)

Andreas Genoni — visiting research fellow (migration)

Chloé Salathé — research intern (labour market, well-being, refugees)

Eva Van Belle — postdoc (discrimination)

Oriana Polero Cardoso — research assistant (politicization, discrimination)

Luca Bernasconi — research intern (discrimination, attitudes)

Veronica Preotu — postdoc (politicization; attitudes to immigrants, with Tobias Müller)

Anaïs Zodeougan — research assistant (discrimination)

Margaux Quadroni — research assistant (politicization)

Manon Reith — research assistant (politicization)

Marilyn Ducommun — research assistant (politicization)

Lora Zanasco — research assistant (politicization)

Cheryl Kwok — research assistant (politicization)

Julie Mancini — research assistant (discrimination), research intern (politicization)

Olivia Gasser — research assistant (discrimination)

Claire El Attar — research assistant (discrimination)

Maud Rouvinez — research assistant (discrimination)

Sjoerdje van Heerden — postdoc (attitudes to immigrants)

Carla Xena — postdoc (attitudes to immigrants, with Sergi Pardos-Prado)

Brian Murahwa — research assistant (political representation)

Clem Aeppli — research intern (politicization, measurement)

Bukiwe Tambulu — research assistant (politicization)

Sethelile Ntlhakana — research assistant (politicization)

Jane Thato Dewah — research assistant (political representation)

Marco Pecoraro — postdoc (attitudes to immigrants); senior researcher (labour market, well-being, with Bruno Lanz)

Camilla Alberti — research intern (immigration policies)

Updated 9 October 2026