Democracy and Representation Leiden University

Overview

In this Democracy and Representation programme from Leiden University, you will explore the causes of the vulnerability of parties and examine the empirical indicators of their perceived decline. Does money rather than ideology determine which party or candidate wins elections? Do parties in parliaments reflect the diversity of today’s societies sufficiently? Do members have any influence on their parties? What is the role of the media in election campaigns? Perhaps most importantly, you will address the impact of the current state of parties and parliaments on democratic accountability and political legitimacy.

You will study in one of the most highly ranked departments of its kind in Europe. Your lecturers are scholars from many countries with expertise in various areas of political science, including comparative politics, political psychology, and political theory.

Career prospects

This specialisation prepares you to combine the insights and rigour of social science with the practical skills needed to make a difference in the world of foreign policy formation, implementation, and evaluation.

You acquire the advanced substantive and theoretical knowledge, as well as practical skills, necessary for a successful career in a vast range of professions. With a master’s diploma you can also opt for a more advanced PhD-level training in Political Science.