Politics and Society

After obtaining my educational degree in geography and two years of teaching in high school, I reached a crossroad and questioned myself: ‘Is this teacher-life really for me or is there something more on the horizon?’ – I decided to choose the last option. Since I am very interested in contemporary politics and voting behaviour in particular, the master-programme Politics and Society was already very much appealing to me. After completing the Sociology premaster-programme, I was ready to dive into the intriguing world of interplay between Politics and Society.

Now that the end of my student career is in sight, I can state that I fully endorse the educational choice I’ve made two years ago. The courses in the master programme were not merely interesting and insightful but also showed that questions arising from the relationship between politics and society are often more complex than you would initially think. For instance: ‘How can we explain that populism gained so much ground in the latest years?’ or: ‘How do political parties react to globalisation and immigration?’ These questions are, opposed to what some people think, not so easily answered and thus need thorough and extensive examination.

This complexity in combination with small-scaled education and an excellent, approachable, staff makes me think that this master fits a lot of critical-minded students interested in the subjects mentioned above. Besides that, I’ve experienced that during lectures and tutorials there is plenty of room to share your thoughts and critiques and discuss them with the lecturers and peers on the spot. This was, in my opinion, a very valuable characteristic of this programme.

I think that this master programme not only provided me with valuable academic experience but also made me more analytical, critical and open-minded. Things that probably will come in handy in my future professional career.

The master ‘Politics & Society’ is an intriguing programme for anyone interested in how people interact with politics. I have always been curious about why people vote for a particular party, or why some have more trust in politics than others. The master allows you to analyse such questions, and delve into the complex but fascinating interplay between contemporary politics and society.

Upon starting the master programme, I quickly realised that this field was much more complex and nuanced than I had initially thought. Throughout my time in the master programme, I learned about a wide range of current and important issues in contemporary political sociology, including the rise of populism, the effects of globalization and immigration on political parties, socio-economic influences and much more. The courses provided valuable insights into the behaviour of the masses and helped me to think more critically about the world around me. The small class sizes and approachable staff created a welcoming and engaging environment for discussion and debate, and I always felt that there was ample opportunity to share my thoughts and insights.

During the thesis, we got the chance to test the theories in the ‘real world’. I had the pleasure of encountering many interesting people while studying the political behaviour of second-generation migrants in the Netherlands. The interviews allowed me to appreciate how contexts and social bubbles contribute to one’s world views and interaction with politics to a greater degree. Outside of the master programme too, the theories and insights remain relevant and fascinating. Reading the newspaper has become more intriguing, and my views on political discussions have become more nuanced.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Politics and Society master programme to any critical-minded students interested in the complex interplay between politics and society. The programme provides valuable insights into understanding wider contexts and social patterns that influence attitudes and behaviour, and such an understanding can be applied into consideration different perspectives to analyse issues. Not only did this programme provide me with valuable academic experience, but it also helped me to become more analytical, critical, and open-minded - skills that will no doubt serve me well in my future professional career.

I have greatly enjoyed following the master’s programme Politics & Society. Positioned between sociology and political science, the programme offers different perspectives on the interaction between the political arena and society.  

Initially, we studied the political behaviour of societal groups and the contemporary sociological factors which influence it. Next, we shifted towards a more institutionally oriented view by analysing the interplay between society and politics, for instance by considering how different welfare systems influence the political preferences of different groups in society. For the last part of the programme, we focused on how political parties and governments can respond to changing circumstances, specifically globalisation and its implications for different societal groups.  

The diverse perspectives and broad scope of the programme help students in acquiring skills that are relevant for many professional directions. For me personally, the programme particularly inspired me to do research, which is why I am currently following a research master’s programme in sociology, also at the Erasmus University. Despite having no background in sociology, the master Politics & Society has served as excellent preparation for my next step.  

While following this programme, I particularly enjoyed how passionate and professional the staff was, which really boosted the value of both the lectures and the more interactive tutorial sessions, all of which took place in small groups. I had excellent and very involved supervision while writing my thesis, which really helped me unlock my potential and reach a level I otherwise never would have. I would recommend this programme for anyone who is interested in studying politics from different perspectives rather than the institutional focus of political sciences.