Global Studies at Leipzig University in based on three pillars: Global History, International Studies and Area Studies.
Here you can find an overview about the content of the different modules in Leipzig. Please bear in mind, that students study in Leipzig either in the first or the second year of the joint programme.
Study Programme
06-008-GS-0710 Global History: Lecture, Tutorial and Seminar
- Approaches to world and global historiography
- Historical narratives to explain globalization processes
- Methodological reflexion of interrelations of political, social, economic and cultural history
- Historicizing holistic world views
- Methods of historical comparative analysis
- Analysis of cultural encounters and confrontations
Topics: global development paths, multiple modernities, great divergence since 16th century, historical migration regimes, world orders, critical junctures of globalization, imperialism and colonialism, territorialization regimes, portals of globalization, cycles of economic entanglement, history of international organizations, history of consumption in global perspective, history of technology and asymmetries of power
06-008-GS-0720 International Studies: Lecture, Tutorial and Seminar
- Multiperspectivity in debates about globalization processes
- Preconditions, strengths and weaknesses of sociological approaches
- Possible interrelations between sociological entry points and new political geography
- Author profiles and literature review
Topics: international relations, development economics, new urban sociology, global history, new political geography, special focus on globalization processes in Africa, rise of China, climate change
06-008-GS-0730 Methods for the Study of Globalization: Lecture, Tutorial and Case Study
- Introduction to methods of globalization research
- Combinations of methods from different disciplines
- Guidelines to academic methodological work
Lecture, tutorial and case study are compulsory. In the global history and international studies modules up to three seminars are offered from which students can choose.
06-008-GS-0810 Regions in Globalization Processes: Africa and the Near East I
- Theories and methods in cultural history
- Role of regions in international relations
- Analysis of (inter)societal conflicts
- Reconstruction and reflexion of scholarly debates in African and Oriental Studies
Topics: peace and security architecture, pan-African institutions, respacing Africa, borderland studies, new regionalism, historical economic entanglements, slavery, missionary work, colonialism, museums and tourism, land grabbing, de- and reterritorialisation, African art, cartographic encounters
06-008-GS-0820 Regions in Globalization Processes: The Americas I
- Political concepts and reflexion of globalization phenomena in North, Central and South America
- Economic integration, migration processes and foreign policy
- Transatlantic cultural comparison
Topics: comparative societies, culture and religion, political cultures, transatlantic context, indigeneity, post-colonialism, Brazil’s foreign and economic policy, oil policy, peak oil
06-008-GS-0830 Regions in Globalization Processes: Asia and the Middle East I
- Complexity, inconsistency and consequences of modernization theories in Asian societies in a global context
- Correlation of economic requirements and political institutions
- Introduction to problems of intercultural communication between western and eastern cultures
- Political, economic, societal and cultural response of China, India and Japan and the conflict zone of the middle east to globalization processes
Topics: (post)colonialism, state and social formation, transformation in the modern Middle East, security architecture in South Asia, SAARC, Asean, 1989 in India, religion, visual arts and traditional arts in Japan, women and Buddhism
06-008-GS-0840 Regions in Globalization Processes: Europe I
- Supra- and transnational integration processes of the region
- Political economy of European Integration
- Approaches to the history of Europeanization
- Remembrance culture and national identities
- Special focus on Central and European Countries
Topics: supranationality, intergovernmentalism, subsidiarity, transitional justice, ethnicity, modern Balkans, (post)pan-Slavism, Eurasia and Eurasianism
In the second and third term students have to select two seminars from two regional modules.
06-008-GS-0850 Global Studies Colloquium and Summer School
- Introduction to different occupational fields and dimensions of research in global studies by guest lecturers and PhD students
- Selection and reasoning of a master thesis topic
- Master thesis related literature review and report
- Planning of third term semester abroad and related field research
The colloquium and the summer school are compulsory for everybody in the second term.
GS 910 Regions in Globalization Processes: Africa and the Near East II
- Theories and methods in cultural history
- Role of regions in international relations
- Analysis of (inter)societal conflicts
- Reconstruction and reflexion of scholarly debates in African and Oriental Studies
Topics: peace and security architecture, pan-African institutions, respacing Africa, borderland studies, new regionalism, historical economic entanglements, slavery, missionary work, colonialism, museums and tourism, land grabbing, de- and reterritorialisation, African art, cartographic encounters
GS 920 Regions in Globalization Processes: The Americas II
- Political concepts and reflexion of globalization phenomena in North, Central and South America
- Economic integration, migration processes and foreign policy
- Transatlantic cultural comparison
Topics: comparative societies, culture and religion, political cultures, transatlantic context, indigeneity, post-colonialism, Brazil’s foreign and economic policy, oil policy, peak oil
GS 930 Regions in Globalization Processes: Asia and the Middle East II
- Complexity, inconsistency and consequences of modernization theories in Asian societies in a global context
- Correlation of economic requirements and political institutions
- Introduction to problems of intercultural communication between western and eastern cultures
- Political, economic, societal and cultural response of China, India and Japan and the conflict zone of the middle east to globalization processes
Topics: (post)colonialism, state and social formation, transformation in the modern Middle East, security architecture in South Asia, SAARC, Asean, 1989 in India, religion, visual arts and traditional arts in Japan, women and Buddhism
GS 940 Regions in Globalization Processes: Europe II
- Supra- and transnational integration processes of the region
- Political economy of European Integration
- Approaches to the history of Europeanization
- Remembrance culture and national identities
- Special focus on Central and European Countries
Topics: supranationality, intergovernmentalism, subsidiarity, transitional justice, ethnicity, modern Balkans, (post)pan-Slavism, Eurasia and Eurasianism
In the second and third term students have to select two seminars from two regional modules.
GS 950 Academic Writing and Research Skills
- Seminar on how to write a master thesis
- Seminar on content and formal requirements of a master thesis in global studies
- Research Internships
The master thesis seminars are compulsory for students in their third term. Limited places for research internship available, not compulsory.
GS 1010 World Orders under the Global Condition
- Development of new world orders as result of hegemonic ambitions and synchronization of political-social crises in different world regions.
- Knowledge from the regional modules is brought together and students generate historical analyses and development scenarios of future world orders
GS 1020 Cultural Transfers under the Global Condition
- Mechanisms of cultural interaction when world orders are in crises
- Identifying actors and their way of coping with the challenges of global change in a different cultural context
- Transnational ideologies (pan-Africanism, pan-Asianism), organizations as mediators and the role of the media in globalization processes
GS 1030 Global Studies Colloquium II
- Contextualization of master thesis topic on global studies research agenda
- Structuring of research process: research goal, methods design
- Discussing and managing challenges during the process of writing
- Presentation of draft chapters
Students have to chose one seminar in module GS 1010 and GS 1020. GS 950-1030 Part 2 is compulsory.
Masterarbeit in Global Studies
- First suggestion of topic presented at the summer school
- Presentation of Proposal (3 pages) during the M.A. Thesis colloquium in the winter term (3rd term)
- Exposé (10-15 pages) submitted by mid of January
- Final submission July 31st