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Master
Vergelijk
Identity and Integration (European Studies)

Study programme

In the Master’s in Identity and Integration you will gain the in-depth theoretical knowledge on European history and culture necessary to study tensions and conflicts in Europe, and to understand contemporary debates about European integration and identity. You will explore intersections of culture and politics by focusing mainly on four topics: nationalism and national identities, transnational manifestations of European culture, the changing idea of Europe and European identity, and the employment of culture in community-building policies and practices in the EU.

Develop your academic skills 

You will further develop your writing, presentation and research skills, and you will train your organisational skills in the preparation and execution of a study trip to a European Capital of Culture. As part of an international classroom, you will be trained in intercultural and interlingual skills. With these skills, and the knowledge and approach you learn during the programme, you will build a unique expertise in European culture and history that is highly relevant to many parts of Europe’s work environment, whether in the field of culture, politics, media or business. 

Dr. Krisztina Lajosi-Moore
Our programme explores contemporary intersections between culture and polity, media and identity, and race and state. Given the recent resurgence of nationalism worldwide and the increasing popularity of radical right- and left-wing parties, it is vitally important to understand the tensions between the global and the local that find expression in issues such as nationalism, populism, identity politics, and social media. Dr. Krisztina Lajosi-Moore

Programme structure

In the first two blocks of semester 1 students take three mandatory courses of the MA programme, as well as two electives. The mandatory skills seminar runs from early October to the end of April, and results in a study trip to one of the European Cultural Capitals. In the second semester, students take two more electives and write their thesis.

COURSES SEM 1 SEM 2 SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 EC
  • Imagining the Nation: Cultures of Nationalism
    6

    This course offers an analytic and critical framework for understanding the importance of nationhood and dynamics of national identities in the political debates that have shaped Europe and the world in the past two centuries.

  • Imagining Europe: Ideologies and Power
    6

    This course discusses the diversity of European thought, of competing ideas about European identity, of schemes for European unity, as well as the ways in which such ideas were communicated across Europe.

  • Skills Seminar: European Capitals of Culture
    6

    This course studies the EU ECOC programme. Students gain knowledge about EU’s cultural policies and train their more practical skills by organising and programming a symposium with expert speakers and a study trip to the European Cultural Capital.

  • Restricted-choice electives: Identity and Integration
    12

    The electives complement the core courses of Identity and Integration. They add to the interdisciplinary approach to studying European culture and history and allow students to pursue specific interests in terms of themes, periods, regions and methods. It is required to take at least two 'resticted-choice electives' which are bound to the Identity and Identity programme (equal to a total of 12 ECTS). The other two electives can be 'free electives', chosen from the offer of courses of the European studies Deparment or the Faculty of Humanities at large.

  • Free-choice electives
    12
  • Master's Thesis European Studies
    18

    You complete the Identity and Integration programme by executing your own in-depth research project. We will help you find a suitable thesis supervisor. Upon completion, you will have gained profound understanding of the complexity of a theme of your own choice and you will have mastered the necessary skills to conduct independent research in this field.

Compulsory course
Elective
UvA Course Catalogue: Identity and Integration
Dr Marleen Rensen
Our students particularly appreciate the study trip to one of the European Cultural Capitals like Matera, Rijeka and Novi Sad. This provides the unique opportunity to meet policy makers, artists and city administrators, and to study how culture in European cities intersects with issues of identity, social cohesion, sustainability and the economy. Dr Marleen Rensen
  • Internship

    We enable students to do an internship during the MA programme. They can do an internship as part of their programme for max. 6 ECT if the internship comprises an academic component which fits within the framework of the programme. Students can also choose to do a non-academic internship as additional to your programme, which will not be credited. In both cases, the student is responsible for organizing the internship and should do so in consultation with the programme coordinator.

  • Excursion

    In the second semester of the academic year, the students will make a trip to one of Europe’s cultural capitals. In preparation they will organize a symposium with experts from outside the academic world to discuss the policies and practices of EU’s cultural capitals programme. In recent years, we have visited among others the cities of Aarhus, San Sebastián and Valletta. 

    Valetta Study Trip (2018)
  • Tutoring

    All students will be appointed a tutor who will support them in academic matters and help them fulfill their potential. The tutor will plan plenary and individual meetings to discuss study experiences, progress, thesis ideas or career plans. Throughout the year, students can also contact their tutor for questions regarding the curricular aspects of the Master’s program. 

Dr. Alex Drace-Francis
I work on modern European history and culture with special attention to issues of identity and othering, as reflected in practices like travelling, food, writing and intercultural communication. Dr. Alex Drace-Francis
Frequently Asked Questions
  • How does this Master’s programme differ from European Studies programmes at other universities?

    European studies at the UvA stands out for two reasons. First of all, this Master takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying Europe. In comparison to many other programmes in European studies which mainly focus on EU-politics, we try to render justice to Europe’s complexity – its multi-layered governance, its cultural diversity etc. – by combining perspectives from politics, economics, law, history, culture, anthropology and geography. Secondly, as European studies at the UvA is embedded in the humanities, we explore how history and culture in particular contribute to the understanding of Europe and its (dis)contents.

  • Can I take language courses?

    Yes, it is possible to take language courses offered by the language departments of the UvA. However, you will not get academic credits for these courses.

  • I hesitate between two tracks (e.g. East European Studies and Identity & Integration): can I do a mixture of both?

    You need to register for one of the tracks, which both have their own core programmes. It is nevertheless possible to study at the cross-roads of two tracks, because many electives are open for students from all three Master tracks. This means that you can practically tailor your programme to your own interests.

  • Can I do this Master’s part time and take two years to accomplish the programme?

    The programme is designed as a one-year programme and is not meant for part time studying. Nevertheless, it is possible to extend the programme over a two-year period. You can best contact the track coordinator in order to discuss and organize your study schedule.