For best experience please turn on javascript and use a modern browser!
You are using a browser that is no longer supported by Microsoft. Please upgrade your browser. The site may not present itself correctly if you continue browsing.

Political Science

Excellence, pluralism, societal engagement

Political Science at the UvA is one of the leading political science departments in Europe. It strives to be inclusive of all major theoretical, substantive and methodological colours in political science.

Political Science
Juan Guaidó, leader of the Venezuela's opposition, climbs over a fence outside the National Assembly in Caracas (photo: Hollandse Hoogte / The New York Times Syndication)

Political Science UvA encompasses innovative research and teaching programmes in comparative politics, international relations, European politics, political theory, political economy, and public policy, as well as cross-cutting themes including migration, conflict, democracy and its alternatives, gender and diversity, and transnational politics.

Our scholars disseminate research findings that respond to the most pressing and daunting political challenges of our time. We are committed to fulfilling what we consider to be our dual obligation to engage with society at large and with the specific stakeholders for whom our research is of particular importance, locally, nationally and internationally.

Research Assessment of the Political Science Department: Excellent!

The political science department at the University of Amsterdam was recently assessed on the quality of their research by an international committee and received a maximum score of 'excellent' on all three criteria: research quality, societal relevance, and viability!

Research

Political Science Research is organised into three Programme Groups, which are members of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR):

  1. The programme group Challenges to Democratic Representation addresses the conditions under which basic safeguards to democracy such as accountability, representation and legitimacy flourish or come under threat.
  2. The programme group Political Economy and Transnational Governance (PETGOV) explores the ongoing transformation of political and economic governance within and beyond nation-states. 
  3. The programme group Transnational Configurations, Conflict and Governance critically examines the politics of transnational processes in which a multitude of actors are involved.

PhD programme

For questions about a PhD programme, you can contact the research institute: aissr@uva.nl or go to the AISSR website.

Education

The University of Amsterdam offers Bachelor's and Master's programmes in Political Science.

Bachelor's programmes

Master's programmes

Research Master's programmes

Summer programmes

Our discpline also contributes to a number of intensive English taught summer and winter programmes on specific themes.

Contact

Roeterseilandcampus 
Nieuwe Achtergracht 166 
1018 WV Amsterdam
Phone: +31 20 5252169 
E-mail: sec-pol-fmg@uva.nl

Prof. dr. T.W.G. (Tom) van der Meer

Department chair

Roeterseilandcampus - building B/C/D (entrance B/C)

Room Location

Nieuwe Achtergracht 166
1018 WV Amsterdam

Scientific staff