Political Science (Leiden)
De MSc in Political Science heeft tot doel studenten een grondig en uitgebreid inzicht in de politicologische theorieën en vraagstukken te doen verwerven, met een focus op het thema ‘Conflict en Samenwerking’.
Conflict and Cooperation
Conflict and cooperation, however opposed these concepts may seem, are the most important ingredients of politics. This holds true whether you look at the political order from a national or an international perspective. The Institute of Political Science of Leiden University is proud to present a master’s in Political Science with the theme of Conflict and Cooperation (start September 2013). This master’s programme offers students modules and seminars with an (inter)national Conflict and Cooperation focus.
Read more about the programme and its theme here.
Why Political Science in Leiden?
- We offer a programme that presents the opportunity to create your own profile.
- This master’s has a unique curriculum in the sense that it gives you the possibility to advance your academic and professional skills.
- Every seminar or module of the master’s programme is approached from a disciplinary focus, including the methods employed in political science.
- As one of the largest institutes in Europe, Leiden’s Institute of Political Science encompasses a wide range of research interests.
- The academic staff teaching at the Institute of Political Science is international and skilled in many different areas of political science.
- The city of Leiden is a very popular student city, with a vibrant student life.
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Master details
- Graad Master of Science in Political Science
- Onderwijsvorm Voltijd
- Duur 1 jaar
- Start September. Na september 2013 wordt ook een instroommoment in februari aangeboden.
- Taal Engels
- Vestigingsplaats Leiden
- Croho/isatcode 60203
Dr. Danie Stockmann
“What is the chance that China will rise peacefully? And how likely is it that China will emerge as a major power internationally? These questions will be at the core of my course “China in World Politics” as part of our master’s programme.”
“In the foreign press China is often portrayed as a rising super-power. Europeans and Americans alike are concerned about a possible military conflict that may come along with China’s rise. China, on the other hand, stresses its intention to cooperate with other nations peacefully and responsibly. What is the chance that China will rise peacefully? And how likely is it that China will emerge as a major power internationally? These questions will be at the core of my course “China in World Politics” as part of our master’s programme.
In my research I am interested in China’s political transition and the impact of domestic developments, particularly regarding public opinion and media, on foreign politics. I have recently published a book entitled “Media Commercialization and Authoritarian Rule in China” (Cambridge University Press, 2013) which deals with the introduction of market forces into media and its impact on regime stability in China. In one-party regimes such as China, market-based media promote regime stability rather than destabilizing authoritarianism or bringing about democracy.
The themes conflict and cooperation lie at the heart of this argument. Recent anti-foreign protests in China illustrate these dynamics. As evident during the Senkaku / Diaoyu island disputes in the East China Sea, anti-foreign protests have been primarily directed against Japan,
but also the United States. In such periods of crisis, audience demands for criticism in the news overlap with a tough stance taken by the Chinese government regarding the foreign dispute. The absence of state restrictions and allowing media to freely follow market demands can produce highly negative reporting towards foreign countries, thus signaling to potential protesters that the government will not clamp down on protests. Yet at the same time, the government needs to avoid an escalation of protests, and after an initial period of openness it usually restricts strong criticism in the news, leading to tension between public officials and media staff. The capacity to deal with such conflicts and to use cooperative forces in Chinese society to its advantage remains key to the continuing rule of the Chinese Communist Party.”