MSc in
Governance and development
T rack 1: L ocal institutions T rack 2: F rom violent conflict to
and poverty reduction peace and state reconstruction
The track ‘Local institutions and poverty
reduction’ focuses on the interaction between
transnational, national and local actors in
governance processes. The track ‘From violent conflict to peace and
state reconstruction’ focuses on the actors and
factors involved in the governance dimensions
of development within the contexts of conflict-
prone environments and states that are facing a
multitude of reconstruction challenges following
violent conflict.
The partial autonomy of local decision-making
le vels is an integral part of countries that are
characterised by weak or fragile national-level
state structures. It therefore requires careful
scrutiny in the conceptualisation and assessment
of development initiatives.
Programme content
The future of sustainable development is critically
related to the promotion of better governance
at the local, national, regional and international
levels. Both a cause and a consequence of
governance failures, violent conflict is incompatible
with sustainable development. Processes of state
formation, state failure and state reconstruction
play a central role in this nexus between
development, governance and conflict.
The programme analyses governance problems
and possible responses, with due consideration
of the specific historical pathways of individual
countries, as well as the interaction between
dynamics at the national/state level and the local/
society level. It also addresses the impact of global
developments.
Most of our students are engaged (or aspire
to become engaged) in development, whether
professionally or as researchers. The objective of
the Master programme is to provide these
students with multidisciplinary theoretical
10 · master programmes
and practical insights that will improve
their capacity to analyse governance challenges at
different levels, in addition to improving the way in
which they relate to processes of violent conflict
and development.
Graduates will understand and be able to analyse
the governance problems confronting developing
countries today, from the local to the global
level. Theoretical insights, policy strategies, best
practices and failures are explored in order to allow
graduates to apply this knowledge in their future
professional environments.
The Master programme in Governance and
Development offers two tracks, each with specific
objectives, courses and target audiences. The
first track explores issues of governance and
development against the background of violent
conflict and the challenge of post-conflict state
reconstruction. The second track addresses
governance and development challenges from
the perspective of local institutions and poverty
reduction.
Decentralisation has also become an important
part of the agenda for governance reform and
democratisation in many countries. For this
reason, it is hardly possible to discuss issues
of public-service provision and property rights
without due consideration for local-level
institutions and political dynamics.
Special attention is also paid to the local political
economy of poverty and development.
The track is intended for participants who are
professionally active or interested in research on
the interface between the transnational, national
and local level and/or between state and non-
state development actors.
Students should have work experience,
academic interest and/or aspire to a career
in the public action domain, whether within
government institutions (including public
research institutions), donor agencies (including
international NGOs, bilateral and multilateral
donors) or civil society (including research
institutes, universities).
The track offers theoretical and contextualised
insight into the political economy of governance
and development, focusing on the state as a
central actor in the development process of a
nation.
The track also explores critical dimensions, drivers
and dynamics of violent conflict, processes of
peace and conflict resolution and post-conflict
state reconstruction. It adopts a thematic
perspective, supplemented by in-depth case
studies drawn mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Students receive analytical and policy-oriented
tools for carrying out knowledge-based
interventions, particularly in environments
affected by conflict.
This track is intended for participants with a
variety of disciplinary backgrounds who are
professionally active or aspire to careers in
conflict-prone environments or post-conflict
situations or who are interested in policy-oriented
research on these topics.
Participants should have work experience or
academic interest in the public action domain,
whether within government institutions (including
public research institutions), donor agencies
(including international non-governmental
organisations, bilateral and multilateral donors) or
civil society (including advocacy groups, research
institutes and universities).
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