Conflicts, Territories and Identities

Understanding the interplay between (inter)national conflicts and the identities and borders in the minds of people. More particularly, we will zoom in on the wider global geopolitics related to conflicts, the sources and backgrounds of conflicts, the development on the ground, bordering and othering processes related to it, and the attempts to resolve the conflicts.

Many of today’s violent conflicts are fought over issues such as (religiously claimed) identity, territorial borders or natural resources (e.g. water, food, drugs, diamonds or oil). War between states has become rare; most of the violent conflicts are between groups and take place within a state or on an international scale ignoring national borders. In addition, ‘terrorist’ organisations with goals that exceed national agendas have claimed more attention than before. The international community – governments, non-governmental organisations and international organisations like the UN – has a significant interest in the resolution of violent conflicts.

How can violent conflicts be analysed and how can they be resolved or transformed into a more peaceful mode? In the Master’s specialisation in Conflicts, Territories and Identities, you’ll engage with the study of conflict, and the territorial boundaries and borders in the minds of people involved. You’ll also become familiar with the theory and practice of those organisations – such as NGOs, the EU and the UN – who intervene in violent conflicts and its aftermath, as well as the efforts by local actors to transform and resolve conflicts. International geopolitics, peace building, identity formation and mobilisation, the strategic use of media by the parties involved, , negotiation, violence, power and local state formation will be key topics.

The Master’s specialisation in Conflicts, Territories and Identities is taught the Nijmegen School of Management. It has a course load of 60 EC* (one-year). All the courses are 6 EC and the Master’s thesis is 24 EC. The structure is as follows:

Semester 1

• Geopolitics of Borders (6 EC)
• Conflicting Theories (6 EC)
• Political and Geographical Conflict Resolution (6 EC)
• Excursion (6 EC)
• Preparing the Master’s Thesis (6 EC)

Semester 2

• Elective course(s) (6 EC)
• Master's thesis and Research Internship (24 EC)

Elective courses

You’re free to choose courses that add up to at least 6 EC and meet your interests as long as they, in some way, can be linked to this specialisation and are taught at Master’s level. You can choose courses within Human Geography that are compulsory for other specialisations or from other related Master’s programmes, for example:

• Cross Border Governance (Geography)
• Multiculturalism, Diversity and Space (Geography)
• Conflict, Aid & Development (CICAM)
• Protection of Human Rights in International Law (European Law)

1. A completed Bachelor's degree from a geography-related discipline
   In order to get admission to this Master's you will need a completed Bachelor’s degree from a geography-related discipline, such as Urban/Spatial Planning, Environmental Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, History, Philosophy, Religion Studies, European Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Language Studies, Architecture, (Urban) Design Studies, Leisure and Tourism, Conflict Studies and Management Sciences. Your prior education needs to be approved by the Examination Board.
2. Proficiency in English
   In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers of English* without a Dutch Bachelor's degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:
   • A TOEFL minimum overall score of 90, with subscores no lower than 18
   • An IELTS of minimum overall score of 6.5, with subscores no lower than 6.0
   • Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher

There are various scholarships available for studying at Radboud University. Some of the opportunities are described below. A full list, including detailed information, can be found on our scholarships and grants page at our website. 

Radboud Scholarship Programme

Open to a select number of excellent international students. Instead of the institutional tuition fees, non-EEA students pay the legal tuition fees (€2,006 in 2017/2018). Visa and residence permit costs, liability insurance and health insurance are also covered.

Orange Tulip Scholarship

Open to students from Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, South-Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. Instead of the institutional tuition fees, non-EEA students pay the legal tuition fees (€2,006 in 2017/2018). Visa and residence permit costs, liability insurance and health insurance are also covered.

Fulbright-Radboud Scholarships

Open to excellent American students. The grant will be paid in 12 monthly instalments of 1,050 euros. International travel and the cost of the residence permit will be covered, and an extra allowance of €1150 will be paid on arrival.

Sino-Dutch Bilateral Exchange Scholarship

Open to excellent students from China. Consists of a contribution of € 16,113 towards the total costs of one year of study or research in the Netherlands.

DIKTI-Neso Scholarships

Aimed at lecturers at higher education institutions in Indonesia who wish to pursue a PhD or Master's at a university in the Netherlands. A DIKTI scholarship includes allowances for living expenses, insurance, travel costs, tuition fees and more.

Indonesian Education Scholarship (LPDP)

Open to excellent Indonesian students under the age of 35. Involves a full scholarship.

Holland Scholarship Programme

Open to excellent students from Canada, America, India and Turkey. Scholarship consists of 5,000 euros payed at the start of study.

Dutch Student Finance

EU/EEA students and Swiss students under 30 years of age are eligible if they are working at least 56 hours per month in the Netherlands, or have been living in the Netherlands for five years or more. Dutch student finance consists of four components: a basic grant, a supplementary grant (depending on the parental income), a student travel product, and a loan.