• This specialization is unique in that it combines approaches from history and the social sciences. In addition to developing an understanding of archival sources, students will acquire a basic knowledge of field research and the use of online sources such as diasporic social media. Students will also learn to work with digital databases in relation to economic and social history.
  • The History department of VU Amsterdam has a long tradition in teaching and researching global relations and international history. The focus areas include economic, colonial, and postcolonial relations between Western countries and the postcolonial world—including Africa and Southeast Asia. VU Amsterdam also has a large amount of expertise in the relations between Europe and the US in the wider context of the Atlantic world and the global impact of changes in Asia and China.
  • Furthermore, this specialization program focuses on how the circulation of people, goods, and ideas has shaped the world as we know it today. The link between history and contemporary political debates on migration, nationalism, and ethnicity is discussed throughout the specialization.