Master in Governance of Migration and Diversity

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Why do people migrate? How do migrants integrate into receiving countries, or sometimes fail to do so? This master's degree (MSc) focuses on sociological theories and research about migration.

The study programme in a nutshell

During the education, you will gain knowledge that enables you to understand issues related to migration and diversity from a broad perspective. The courses are offered by leading scholars from three universities and five academic disciplines: Sociology, Public Administration, History, Urban Studies and Development Studies.

What does this study entail?

In the master track Governance of Migration and Diversity - part of the Master Sociology at Erasmus University Rotterdam - you will learn to understand and manage complex societal developments, with a special focus on the contemporary issues of migration and diversity.

This master track is part of the interdisciplinary GMD Master programme, linking the University of Leiden, Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam (including the Institute for Social Sciences in The Hague).

What is this master track about?

Managing international migration flows can be a challenge. So how can we do this in the best possible way? How can interaction with migrants be stimulated in the countries in which migrants arrive in order to avert discrimination and encourage cohesion? What are the consequences of “super-diversity” for contemporary cities and how can local authorities cope with these consequences?

In our globalised and complex network society, these urgent questions need to be answered. In order to do so, experts who demonstrate analytical skills, connective leadership, entrepreneurial attitudes and a strong ethical compass to achieve innovative solutions for societal problems are needed. This Master’s specialisation in Sociology at Erasmus University Rotterdam focuses on the research, analysis and governance of societal issues.

Migration and diversity are key factors in some of the most fundamental transformations of society today. These transformations do not merely involve migrants, they have an impact on society at large. Migration and diversity have become highly politicised issues that play an important role in contemporary politics in many countries. These issues influence many different aspects of society, such as education, housing, labour and international relations.

This specialisation studies migration and diversity from an interdisciplinary perspective, addressing the different aspects of this societal transformation. The programme provides students with a strong theoretical basis. It focuses on sociological theories and research about the drivers of migration.

In addition, the integration of immigrants in receiving countries is examined from a sociological point of view. This includes the structural analysis of, for instance, labour market positions of migrants or problems related to discrimination. Furthermore, the cultural and religious aspects of integration are analysed, for instance, the role of Islam or the position of Muslims in Europe. During the programme, policies related to migration and the incorporation of migrants are studied. You will learn to critically assess how policies have been developed in cities and countries across the world and how migration and diversity are discussed in broader political debates and the media.

Joint programme

The master track Governance of Migration and Diversity brings together different disciplines: history, sociology, politics, international development and urban design as a foundation for a better understanding of the governance of migration and diversity.

The programme is a collaboration between Erasmus University Rotterdam (including the Institute for Social Studies in The Hague), Leiden University and Delft University of Technology. The cooperation between these universities provides a unique combination of varied expertise within one single master's programme. Students can apply to one of the four tracks:

• HistoryOpens external (Leiden University);
• Public Administration (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
• Sociology (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and;
• International Relations & DevelopmentOpens external (ISS, The Hague).

The Sociology track focuses specifically on sociological theories and empirical research about the drivers of international migration, how people migrate from one country to another (their migratory journeys and the obstacles they face with during their journeys) and how migrants are incorporated (or not) after arriving in the receiving society. We focus both on the challenges and the positive consequences of migration for receiving societies. We also research migration and immigrant integration policies, including possible perverse consequences of these policies.