Peace and Conflict Studies

Overview

Content

What is Peace and Conflict Studies?

A wide variety of learning experiences await you. There will be lectures, group projects, practical exercises, film showings and meetings with practitioners in the field.

Everyday we see images of war and violence on our television screens and in the newspapers. Taken together, all the stories of bloodshed create the image of a divided world, with one part engulfed in endless wars and the other looking on helplessly. Peace and Conflict Studies at Malmö University gives you a more truthful understanding of what actually goes on in the combat zones of the planet, and how societies of the global peace zone are implicated in the violence that occurs in distant places.

What causes wars? How can societies move beyond conflict? How can we grasp and analyse the global and local conflict scenarios of our time? These are some of the questions Peace and Conflict Studies will answer. This programme is concerned with the causes and effects of organized violence, with the fate of ordinary people in war and peace and with their aspirations towards peace and justice.

What makes Peace and Conflict Studies unique?

It is important to see peace and conflict issues through the eyes of those who are directly involved in them. We emphasise grassroots perspectives on organized violence, as well as peace initiatives. We also develop and maintain international partnerships so students are able to study or do an internship abroad.

In a cosmopolitan city like Malmö, it is likely that you will meet people who have personal experiences of war and other forms of organized violence. This is true of Malmö University’s students as well, which opens up new vistas and makes enriching dialogues possible for all of us.

Read article " Model UN at the Department of Gobla Political Studies"

A Lecture's Blogg

Follow the blogg Crossglobe. One of the senior lectures are sharing serious intellectual conversations on issues such as values and interests related to gender, environment, family, political discourse, the bringing up of children, equal rights, the role of the media, war and conflicts, knowledge, power as expressed at home, in school, at work, in the world.

Interviews

Ho Yun Na, Bachelor’s student in Peace and Conflict Studies

Ho Yun Na from Korea is a first-year bachelor's student in peace and conflict studies. He had heard a lot about the education systems in the Nordic countries, and was keen to study in Sweden.

Why did you decide to come to Malmö?
– It had much to do with the educational system in South Korea, where I’m from. The students there get good results, but it’s extremely competitive and I didn’t like that atmosphere. There is no diversity, everything is standardised and I felt that there was no room to think differently. I had heard of the welfare and education systems in the northern European countries, specifically Sweden, and the thought of a more flexible system where diversity is valued appealed to me.

I wanted to go to high school in Sweden, but I ended up being home schooled for my high school years. Once I was going to apply for university I looked into Sweden again, and although I was disappointed by the high tuition fees, I decided to apply.

This was the only university that offered a Peace and Conflict Studies programme taught in English. Malmö University is very good for international students as it offers so many programmes in the areas of global politics and human rights, taught in English.

What do you think of the university and Malmö so far?
– It’s a bit different from what I expected, but I still think it will be a very important experience. The cold weather is diffult adjusting to, and I’ve had trouble finding books for my courses. The best part is the diversity of students at Malmö University. I’ve met people with a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. The university has also been good at asking for feedback, and seems to value the opinion of international students. As for Malmö, I like the design of the city; the buildings aren’t as standardised as in Korea. And the public transportation system is great!

What do you want to do once you’ve completed your degree?
– I’m pretty sure I want to get a master’s degree, but I’m not sure where yet. I have thought about the University for Peace in Costa Rica. They have programmes focused on conflict resolution, which I am very interested in.

Career

What career will I be prepared for?

We use feedback from former students, who have moved on to successful careers, to design our programme and courses. You will acquire important skills and knowledge, preparing you for an academic career or for employment in the fields of foreign policy, international relations, global affairs, refugee and asylum issues, the analysis, prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace building and reconciliation. Both the public and the private sector, as well as many non-governmental organizations look for skilled and knowledgeable staff able to analyse opportunities and threats, process information on risk scenarios and tap into and contextualize local knowledge systems. 

Contact

Further information

Ingrid Alexandersson, student services assistant
Phone: 040-66 57331
E-mail: ingrid.alexandersson@mah.se

Kristian Steiner, programme responsible
Phone: 040-66 57267
E-mail: kristian.steiner@mah.se