People - 20.12.2024 - 14:00
“The University of St.Gallen opened up many opportunities for me”
He was influenced by Franciscan monks and by his mother, who raised five children alone. And he never submitted his habilitation because, in his opinion, it was not good enough: Christoph Frei, who has been teaching political science and international relations at HSG since 2005, is an exotic figure in the academic world – and very popular: “He is adored by students,” wrote the student magazine prisma in 2015. This is underlined by the multiple awards he has received at HSG for his excellent teaching. Frei is also regularly interviewed by national media and his events fill the ranks at public HSG lectures. Now Christoph Frei is to become an emeritus professor due to age – an interview.
Christoph Frei, you are to become an emeritus at a time when the world is in the throes of crises. How do you see the future?
In the 1990s, there was a belief in the ‘end of history’, a universal trend towards Western liberal democracies. Today, this is hardly discussed anymore; these are troubled times. National self-centredness is also back on the agenda. Donald Trump is not an isolated case. What is more, unresolved conflicts are catching up with us, as the example of the Middle East shows. But I don't want to sound dramatic. History is open.
You grew up in eastern Switzerland and lived abroad for a long time. What has shaped you in your life?
Probably most of all my mother. My father died when I was two years old, and my mother raised five children on her own. She was incredibly strong and treated everyone with respect. From the age of 12 to 19, I attended a monastery school in Appenzell, where I was taught by Franciscan monks. We read a lot, discussed philosophy and history, and I took private lessons in Greek. I still benefit from this broad, solid education today. Then it was on to St.Gallen. The study of International Affairs was (and still is) interdisciplinary, combining politics, law and economics. This perspective onto the world has also shaped my work.
What happened after you graduated from HSG?
I did my doctorate under the supervision of Alois Riklin. For research purposes, I spent time abroad, initially in the US. Between 1990 and 1995, I returned to the University of St.Gallen, was invited to give my first lectures and found joy in the lively exchange in the lecture hall. For the habilitation project, a history of French democracy, I went abroad again.
Where did you go?
To Paris. From 1995 to 2202, I immersed myself in the archives. At the EHESS (École des hautes études en sciences sociales), I met the historian François Furet. He explained French history with incredible clarity. I never submitted the habilitation as it seemed unfinished to me, and thus did not meet my own excessive demands. I still hope to finish this project, even though nobody is waiting for it. After Paris and a three-year interlude in Budapest, I was offered the position of academic director of the International Affairs programmes at HSG. At the time, this was an unexpected stroke of luck: although I didn't have a habilitation, I was able to teach and develop the programmes.
What do you enjoy about being in the lecture hall and interacting with students?
While working with students, I learned that even in a hierarchical relationship, you have to maintain an exchange at eye level in order to create the optimal learning atmosphere. After all, I do want students to ask questions and disagree. This kind of interaction is still enriching today.
Full house in the Audimax: more than 600 guests attended Christoph Frei's farewell lecture.
“Christoph Frei has always been committed to our students,” said President Manuel Amman. He has helped to shape the University of St.Gallen and has “given more than he has taken”.
“Eloquent and cosmopolitan” – these were the words used by Dirk Lehmkuhl, Dean of the School of Economics and Political Science (SEPS-HSG), to describe Frei's character and work.
Christoph Frei took the audience on a journey in time. He compared then and now, using the ideas of Sir Karl Popper (1902-1994) in his work “The Open Society and its Enemies”.
He talked about autonomy and restrictions on freedom, about civic engagement and the thinning out of social interaction, about the ability to learn and self-criticism.
“We certainly don't lack knowledge and research. We are giants of knowledge,” said Frei. The challenge is to implement possible solutions.
“History is open, even in the smallest details. It is the duty of every individual to help shape it,” said Frei, who received a standing ovation.
St.Gallen citizens, professors, alumni, staff and students – surrounding Christoph Frei.
It was a warm farewell to an esteemed professor and colleague.
How do you feel about leaving the University of St.Gallen?
Tons of gratitude – to the students who have given me a lot over these 20 years, but gratitude also vis-à-vis the university as it offered new opportunities. I will never forget events and moderations with personalities such as Kofi Annan, Niall Ferguson, Timothy Garton Ash or Peter Sloterdijk – and fireside chats with federal councillors.
What are your plans for the near future?
From January onwards, I will more or less disappear from the scene for eight months, visiting countries and friends. In the autumn semester of 2025, I will return to teaching on a small scale. In the St.Gallen Collegium, a platform for interdisciplinary exchange, I will try to support the research fellows in group processes. This is another reason why leaving now does not really hurt. I will be able to continue to live my passion.
Images: Hannes Thalmann