Conflicts, Territories and Identities

The world has seen many violent conflicts within and between nation states. You will study (inter)national conflict, war and the physical and mental borders that come along with these.

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. 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 in Conflicts, Territories and Identities is a specialisation of the Master's programme in Human Geography in collaboration with the Centre for International Conflict Analysis & Management.