Marcel Benoist Swiss Science Prize is awarded to Lars-Erik Cederman

​The r4d programme is very pleased to announce that Lars-Erik Cederman, project leader of the r4d project " Ethnic Power Relations and Conflict in Fragile States ", has been awarded this year’s Marcel Benoist Swiss Science Prize.

In recent years, Mr Cederman has explored the relationship between inequality and conflict; he and his research group have compiled a global data set on ethnic groups. The data collection covers their opportunities to share in government power in the period from 1946 to 2017. Inequalities between ethnic groups were measured using surveys of experts and satellite images, before being plotted on a digital map. The data collection is available to politicians, academics and members of the public (see: https://icr.ethz.ch/data/ ).

Mr Cederman's work combines theoretical innovation with empirical sophistication. In his early research, he used computer models to develop new theories of world politics. This allowed him to show how states and nations develop and dissolve. Mr Cederman's findings contribute to a better understanding of the root causes of conflict and assist in finding solutions.

On learning of the award, Mr Cederman commented: “I am greatly honoured to receive the Marcel Benoist prize. I see the prize as recognition for my group’s research and for the entire field of conflict and peace research.”

The Marcel Benoist Swiss Science Prize is the most prestigious science prize awarded in Switzerland. Since 1920, the Foundation has awarded the prize in recognition of outstanding research which is of importance to human life. In the course of its nearly one-hundred-year history, ten prize winners have subsequently been awarded the Nobel Prize.

The award ceremony will take place in Bern on 15 November.

Marcel Benoist Foundation Press Release , 3.9.2018

Swiss Radio and Television (SRF) News , 3.9.2018 (in German)

ETH Zurich News , 3.9.2018

SNSF News , 3.9.2018