Conflict Studies and Human Rights

What drives people to take up arms, and how do conflicts reshape societies? How are new technologies—like drones, surveillance systems, and artificial intelligence—redefining the nature of war? In what ways does the climate crisis intensify resource conflicts? How can we unpack institutional violence, such as police brutality in urban spaces? And how do societies recover and avoid confrontations through practices of everyday peace? 

Investigating conflict dynamics and societal challenges

Our MA in Conflict Studies and Human Rights challenges you to examine these types of urgent questions. Our main aim is to turn you into an independent and critical conflict analyst. Our international programme offers a hands-on and interdisciplinary approach to studying the causes, dynamics, and impacts of conflict and collective violence.

Theory, analysis, and qualitative research skills

We equip you with subject knowledge and skills that allow you to make conflict analyses at all possible levels: from small neighbourhood riots to internationalized war complexes. We draw on perspectives from anthropology, political science, history, human rights, sociology, and international relations. You’ll engage in interactive seminars, case study analysis, and empirical research, ranging from open-source investigation to ethnographic fieldwork. Our students explore topics as varied as genocide, climate-related security challenges, and urban violence. You will be supported by a teaching staff with firsthand fieldwork experience across the globe. This program will help you to develop the analytical, critical, and methodological skills needed to address real-world issues, preparing you for impactful careers in academia, NGOs, governmental or international organizations.

In this video, students and alumni share their experiences with the Conflict Studies and Human Rights' programme. 

Why this programme in Utrecht?

After graduation

Our alumni have gone on to make significant contributions worldwide, working with renowned international organisations, NGOs, think tanks, and universities. The comprehensive education and expertise acquired in our programme pave the way for impactful careers in the field of conflict studies.

I joined the CSHR programme wanting to become a conflict analyst and equip myself with the techniques and frameworks to understand the deeper layers behind the conflicts of our time.