Understanding the past is key in understanding the present. In the master specialisation Global History and International Relations, you approach modern history from multiple angles, examining social, economic, political and cultural themes in the past – and connecting them with contemporary developments.
International relations: a historical, cultural, and political concern
Nation-states generate various perspectives on the course of history, influencing the way they enter the world’s political stage. In the master specialisation Global History and International Relations at Erasmus University Rotterdam you will investigate how and why people, regions, nations, or empires behave like they do. By studying the development of different global histories you learn to understand how history is often a cultural, religious, social or political narrative created to legitimize nation states, conflicts, cultural identities or world domination. At the end of your master you will be able to answer the following questions:
- How did the United States influence Dutch popular culture and technology in the 20th century?
- What do diplomatic papers and human rights reports tell us about World War II and the Soviet Union stimulating nationalistic passions in Yugoslavia?
- How can we trace the roots of the Arab spring back to social, economic and geopolitical developments during the Cold War?
- Why do rising economies like China and India currently challenge military, political and economic power in the world?
Five reasons to study Global History and International Relations at the EUR
- learn while being in the field, go to archives and museums to find journals or protest pamphlets that will help you to build your cases;
- study in an international environment! According to the Times Higher Education, the Erasmus University is one of the 125 most international universities worldwide;
- you will benefit from the engaging tutorials and a dedicated team of lecturers;
- a master in Global History and International Relations allows you to work in many types of working environments. Whether you want to become a journalist, ambition a career in politics, or as a scientist, this master will prepare you thoroughly;
- studying Global History and International Relations in Rotterdam means living in a city with an interesting past and a dynamic present.
Methods: to the archives!
You will go to archives, museums and libraries, looking for journals, letters or novels and protest pamphlets to build your cases. Based on such sources, you will learn how the public sphere has changed. Furthermore, you will learn how you can use interesting sources such as paper archives, digital databases, oral history and political documents for your own research.