War and Peace Studies Leiden University

Overview

About War and Peace Studies at Leiden University

Issues of War and Peace are as old as humanity itself. Although over the last century the scientific disciplines of war studies and peace studies have developed on different paths, the track War and Peace Studies will deliberately provide you with a unique integrated approach that compares, contrasts and combines both the war and peace studies perspectives. You will be taught by scholars and practitioners of war studies, strategic studies, peace studies, and peacebuilding strategic studies with the aim of training you to analyse both persistent challenges and new challenges of war and peace in a holistic manner.

You will study theories and practices related to the causes of different type of wars (inter-state wars, civil wars and ethnic conflict, insurgencies and hybrid wars) as well as conduct in war and consequences of war. You will also learn about the causes, nature and tools for the promotion of peace (such as mediation, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, civil society approaches and innovative approaches to positive peace). Finally, the track pays attention to contemporary and future challenges, such as the climate-security nexus, the role of new technologies (such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, big data, and the cyber and robotics revolutions) and gender, peace and security.