Conference at Centro Stefano Franscini (CSF), Monte Verita, Ascona, April 30 to May 3, 2025 on
Social Norms
Comparison, Conflict and Change

Organized by Jörg Rössel, University of Zurich, and Andreas Diekmann, University of Leipzig & ETH Zurich

Call for papers

Numerous processes of change in social norms can be observed in contemporary societies: the rules on how we organize intimate relationships, raise children, how and what we eat, how we dress and shape our bodies, how long and how we work, how we deal with the integration of people with a migration background, to name just a few examples, are the subject of public discussion and social conflict. The conference will focus on the systematic explanation of norm changes, comparative differences in norms, their social consequences and the application of theories of social norms.
To this end, we would like to see interdisciplinary contributions that deal specifically with norm change and the conditions under which new social norms arise, but also contributions that specifically examine the change or comparative variation in norms in the various fields of the social sciences (family and gender research, migration research, nutrition research, labor market research, educational research). The social phenomena under consideration should be viewed from a comparative perspective or with a focus on norm change, using various types of data, from surveys and qualitative case studies to text analyses and different types of experimental designs. The conference will bring together early career and senior researchers from various countries and disciplines to share new research findings. Presentations may focus on both basic research, such as the development of new theoretical perspectives and the testing of theories, and policy-relevant applications of norms research.

Key topics are:

(1) New perspectives, hypotheses, and empirical findings concerning the emergence and change of social norms.
(2) Addressing the question on how to measure social norms in longitudinal and comparative perspective. Contributions from different methodological perspectives are welcome.
(3) The state of knowledge on conditions that contribute to the change of social norms or to cultural differences in social norms.
(4) The contribution of social norms to ensure social cooperation in different social fields.
(5) The analysis and explanation of conflict over norms in different social fields.  
(6) Applications of norm research in the area of e.g. energy transition, labor market, development policies, health behavior, law making, gender relations, artificial intelligence and other fields.
(7) Other norm-related topics.

Keynote lectures by:

Diego Gambetta (University of Oxford)
Cristina Bicchieri (University of Pennsylvania)
Jürgen Gerhards (Freie Universität Berlin)

Submission of abstracts from 1 December 2024 to 10 January 2025 using the forms below:

Registration

Registration fee (including excursion) 150 CHF
Board and lodging (3 nights Monte Verita, breakfast/lunch/dinner) 675 CHF
More information for booking will be announced after the selection of abstracts.