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Series: Research That Makes a Difference
DemocraSci – Understanding Politics Through Data
In collaboration with the Swiss Data Science Center, ETH Zurich, and EPFL, the Department of Political Science (IPZ) at the University of Zurich has developed the digital knowledge graph DemocraSci. The project makes visible how politics in Switzerland takes shape and how it has evolved over time.
What was done:
The research team collected, cleaned, and linked over 200'000 pages of historical parliamentary records and current online data. This resulted in a knowledge graph - a digital map showing how laws, legislative motions, debates, and individuals in Parliament have been interconnected since 1891.
The result:
For the first time, the DemocraSci Knowledge Graph connects all stages of the legislative process - from the initial idea to the final vote - and makes them traceable over a period of more than 130 years.
The resulting benefits:
Researchers, media professionals, and the general public can use this information to understand how policy is formed, how it evolves, and who shapes it. This makes parliamentary work more transparent and easier to understand.
