Comparative Politics in European and Global Perspective

As the processes of globalization and Europeanization deepen, politics and policy-making becomes less and less the exclusive domain of the national state. Indeed, politics increasingly takes place at different layers simultaneously. The so-called multi-level governance system of the European Union is a case in point.

 "The faculty of Social Sciences at the VU is the place of academic and career opportunities. As a Georgian student I have been granted the full VU scholarship to undertake Masters programme in Political Science. During class excursion to Brussels organized by Prof. dr. Ben Crum, we met with the EU officials which helped me during my MSc thesis writing and career search for the graduates. Looking back, living in Amsterdam has been a great experience."
Nino Kereselidze, Master’s student in Political Science 2008- 2009


The processes of transnationalization profoundly affect patterns of political representation and the role of political parties and public policy-making. Social phenomena such as the pressures facing national welfare states and the subsequent controversial welfare reforms; the rise of alternative social movements or popular extremism; the erosion of established mass parties across Europe; and the waning power of trade unions in some countries: all need to be better understood as they are shaped by processes taking place outside and across national state structures.

Comparative politics thus increasingly tries to analyze the characteristics and diversity of nation states within their global context, with a particular focus on those in a European context. This perspective lies at the heart of the Political Science Master’s programme: specialization in Comparative and European Politics. 

This programme has been approved by the NVAO, the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders. The legally recognized title Master of Science (MSc) in Political Science is awarded to those who complete it successfully.

Contact: info@fsw.vu.nl (Dutch students)
Contact: admission@fsw.vu.nl  (International students)
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Political Science is a full-time study and starts in September 2009.