The Politics of Violence (2025/2026: period 1)

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Course aim

Learning outcomes: after completing the course, students will have:
  • knowledge and understanding of historical developments related to the course topic;
  • knowledge of a number of analytical tools to disaggregate and analyze episodes of collective political violence;
  • familiarity with the diverse ways in which historical knowledge of the course topic can be relevant to their own job market prospects;
  • a skills set enabling them to think, act and communicate at an academic level and in line with academic standards of conduct ('academic integrity').
Learning objectives and skills: after completing the course, students will be able to:
  • explore a broad historical or historiographical topic in depth;
  • critically evaluate different interpretations and formulate their own viewpoint;
  • collaborate with fellow students and present outcomes of group discussions;
  • connect historical, sociological and anthropological knowledge of the course topic to modern-day social and political issues­
  • work in accordance with academic standards.

Course content

This is the first course of Specialisation 7: Conflict, Violence, and Security (Track International Relations).

This course examines the history and sociology of political violence. In this course, we examine forms and developments of political violence, and offer an overview of the most important recent ideas and debates on the subject. The objective of the course is to develop advanced knowledge and understanding of various forms and aspects of political violence and to provide you with some tools to disaggregate and analyze phenomena such as (civil) wars, revolts, terrorism and revolutions.

Using a variety of case studies, the overarching goal of this course is threefold:
(1) To explore and study what collective political violence is. Violence is often described by academics as a ‘slippery’ and ‘elastic’ concept. Why is violence so slippery? And how can we get a better grip on its ‘slipperiness’?
(2) To explore and study if and how collective political violence changes over time. Is the world becoming a safer or more dangerous place? Studying violence in the long run lead to contrary outcomes: some scholars claim that violence is clearly on the rise, while others see a downward trend. How is that possible?
(3) To explore and study the sources of collective political violence. Violence is often not caused by one, but a multiplicity of factors. We will emphasize the need to distinguish between different types of causes (e.g. triggers of violence, structural causes) and the need to disaggregate the phenomenon of violence at different levels (micro, meso, macro).

Additional information

This is the first course of Specialisation 7: Conflict , Violence, and Security.

Instructional formats

Lecture
Explanation

Lecture takes place together with GE3V17041 Geweld als Politiek

Contribution

Students are expected to actively participate during meetings.

Preparation

Students are expected to attend the meetings well-prepared.

Seminar

Examination

Digital exam

Required | Weight 70% | Minimum grade 5.5 | ECTS 5.25

Group presentation

Required | Weight 30% | ECTS 2.25

Entry requirements and preknowledge

Entry Requirements

You must have at least 45 credits for the category 1 (Bachelor Introduction)

Preknowledge

Aanvulling voor TCS: waarvan TC2V16002 plus een van deze 3: GE1V21001, GE1V21003, GE2V19002

Languages

  • English

Course Iterations

Related studies

Themes

Exams

There is no timetable available of the exams

Required Materials

  • WNB

Recommended Materials

No information available on the recommended literature

Coördinator

dr. I. Vukusic i.vukusic@uu.nl

Lecturers

D.J. Snetselaar MA d.j.snetselaar@uu.nl
dr. I. Vukusic i.vukusic@uu.nl

Enrolment

This course is open for subsidiary students. Do check additional entry requirements apply.

Enrollment
From Monday 2 June 2025 up to and including Friday 20 June 2025

Go to OSIRIS-enrolments
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