Human Geography - Conflicts, Territories and Identities Radboud University

Overview

How can violent conflicts be analysed and addressed? This is a recurring question, particularly given the ongoing violence in countries like DR Congo and Afghanistan, and the outbursts of civil war in Iraq and Ukraine more recently. In this Master's you will study national and international conflict, and the territorial boundaries and borders in the minds of the people involved. You will also become familiar with the theory and practice of those organisations, such as NGOs and the UN, who intervene in violent conflict and its aftermath, as well as the efforts by local actors to transform and resolve conflict.

Future career opportunities

Our alumni find jobs such as:

• Policy advisor in local and national governments.
• Researcher in public or private think tanks or research institutes.
• Expert or advisory position with local and international organisations (UN, NGOs, humanitarian actors) dealing with conflicts or engaging in volatile geopolitical spaces of contestation.

• Our mission is also to nurture students as engaged citizens who can drive social change through activism and critical thinking.

Research

As indicated before, conflict and in/security are phenomena that can be approached from a multiplicity of angles, which can highlight their different scalar dimensions and impacts. In this specialisation you are encouraged to carry out research that engages with (violent) conflicts that take place in countries like Ukraine, DR Congo, Ireland, Gaza or Cyprus, as well as instances of in/security and violence in the Netherlands and Europe. 

Related questions to this are:

• How do international and global dynamics influence local conflicts and vice versa?
• How do conflictual and violent phenomena contribute to heighten inequalities?

Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the NVAO (the Dutch-Flemish accreditation organisation).