General information meeting on the Thesis Seminar Fall: see tab Information and Deadlines
Theme
101: The Global South in Global Governance (dr. E. Nartok - v.d. Kist)
This thesis seminar focuses on the role of the Global South in shaping and challenging global governance structures. It examines critical issues such as inequality, climate justice, development policies, colonial legacies, international institutions, and South-South and North-South cooperation. Students will explore the historical and contemporary contributions of the Global South to global governance, analysing its influence on policy, power dynamics, and global decision-making processes. Specific cases might include: G77, BRICS, AIIB, ASEAN, ISA and AU. Through a combination of disciplinary and interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks, this seminar provides students with the analytical tools and guidance to develop a master's thesis addressing these complex and evolving topics. This seminar accommodates a wide range of research methods, primarily qualitative but also quantitative.
102: International Governance (dr. M. DiGiuseppe)
This thesis seminar will help students with an interested in topics related to international governance and international organizations craft their theses. The thesis seminar is open to all substantive areas (political economy, security, etc.). However, this thesis seminar will focus largely on positivist methods with a focus on causal arguments and causal inference.
Registration
See 'Information and Deadlines'
Examination
The thesis seminar is composed of a research proposal (first 8 weeks) and a thesis (remaining of the course). The research proposal ensures that the student is on the right track to carry out the research and write the thesis. It must be approved by both readers (see below), but is not awarded a grade. The grade of the thesis corresponds to 100% of the grade of the thesis seminar.
Research Proposal
The research proposal includes a problem statement, theoretical foundation, conceptualization as well as a sound explanation of the methods and techniques for data collection and analysis.The proposal must be approved by the supervisor and a second reader. The second reader will be designated by the Director of Studies. Please note that teachers are not obliged to provide thesis supervision if the proposal is not approved. The research proposal is not graded, it receives only a pass/revise/fail evaluation.
Master Thesis
The MSc thesis needs to comply with high standards of academic research. The formal requirements of the Master thesis are stated on the page ‘Thesis seminar information and deadlines’. The thesis evaluation form with the evaluation criteria will be published on Brightspace.
Students that drop or fail the course have to retake the complete thesis seminar (in the 2nd semester of the next academic year). Students should contact the Exam Committee if they are unable to complete the master thesis by the deadline due to circumstances beyond their control.
Timetable
See 'MyTimetable'