History (Research): Politics, Culture and National Identities, 1789 to the Present

In the Research Master programme in Political Culture and National Identities at Leiden University you will be at the forefront of a new approach to understand how politics and identities in Europe are conceived.

You will be part of a programme that takes a broad, comparative approach to the study of the political and national identities of a number of European countries spanning the period 1800 to 2010. The programme takes an international perspective by looking at the relations between different European countries instead of the more usual nationalistic historiography.

You will examine the evolution of the political culture and national identities of countries such as the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany or Russia – and how these countries influenced each other through 'cultural transfer': the adoption of examples from other countries and the inspiration they engender.

Your understanding of how national identities and political views have evolved will enable you to make a valuable contribution to the debates that continue to dominate both public and academic forums, including discussions about the EU, democracy and populism.