Short biography
Oliver Dlabac, PhD, joined the Centre for Democracy Studies Aarau (ZDA, University of Zurich) in October 2013. Until January 2022, he led the research group on local democracy and taught about decentralization and local democracy. He earned his PhD at the University of Berne with a thesis on the democratic options and democratic challenges faced by the cantons at the Swiss subnational level. For the years 2017-2020 he was granted an SNSF research grant for an international research project titled “The democratic foundations of the Just City”. In February 2021, he founded the startup company VILLE JUSTE Ltd, engaged in research and development in related fields.
Languages: German, Czech, Spanish (all three mother tongues), English, French, Italian
Academic positions
Since 2013: Senior research fellow, Centre for Democracy Studies, University of Zurich
2012-2013: Visiting postdoctoral fellow, University of British Columbia
Education
2013: PhD in political science, University of Berne
2008: Master in political science, first minor in economics, second minor in social psychology, University of Zurich
Community engagement
Since 2005: Main founder and board member of a non-profit association for enhancing educational opportunities in two deprived neighbourhoods of Zurich
Since 2022: Co-founder and board member of an association trusted with the operation of a city-sponsored community hub (pilot project) for a deprived neighbourhood of Zurich