You will develop an understanding of the interconnectedness between the world economy, international law, justice, war and how peace might become more prevalent.

This is an Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project of Leiden Law School with University of Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina.

It is widely known that conflict parties engage in ceasefires for a variety of reasons, but how do these reasons relate to the military and political aspirations of conflict party leaders?

Find out how to apply for the specialization Peace, Justice and Development at Leiden University by following our step-by step guide.

Jus post bellum, the body of laws and norms governing the transition from armed conflict to peace, has emerged as a crucial issue for international law scholars, governments, and all concerned with building a just and sustainable peace. The Jus Post Bellum Project, funded by the NWO and hosted by the…

This one-year, English-taught Master's programme offers insights on general developments as well as the specific challenges in the field of the governance of crisis and security, with in-depth knowledge of sub-fields of crisis and security management.

The protection of civilians (POC) in armed conflict has become a core strategic objective for the United Nations system and for UN peace operations in particular. The UN, however, is not the sole actor engaged in POC.

The 2012 crisis in Mali, where the state collapsed and terrorist groups took over the north, came as a surprise to many. Mali had been considered a poster-child for democracy and was judged as considerably more stable than its neighbors by leading quantitative indices of state fragility. This article…

New insights for policy promoting peace and security in Europe and the world.

The programme provides you for a succesful career. As a graduate, you will be qualified for positions within organisations such as international courts.

In this article, Vanessa Newby, assistant professor at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, discusses credibility in peace operations. This article argues that credibility in peace operations must be built for both deterrence and cooperation purposes.

Tom Buitelaar is an Assistant Professor in the War, Peace & Justice program of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs. This paper suggests a number of important avenues for states, the UN, and the ICC to improve the likelihood that the ICC receives assistance from UN peace operations.

Still have questions about the Public International Law - specialisation Peace, Justice and Development programme? Contact us via the details on this page.

Professor of International Relations Daniel Thomas is clear: anyone taking peace in Europe for granted is shutting their eyes to reality.

Are UN sanctions regimes in need of further formalization in terms of substantive design, procedural architecture and with a view to regulating and governing the interplay with other regimes?

Our Master Public International Law (L.L.M.) you will gain understanding of the legislation that governs international relations in a complex global society

Joris Larik is Associate Professor of Comparative, EU and International Law at Leiden University. Since July 2025, he is the Director of Education of Leiden University College The Hague. In addition, he teaches at the Europa Institute of Leiden Law School and the College of Europe. Dr. Larik is an expert…

In this policy paper, Joachim Koops and Christian Patz are discussing Germany’s comprehensive assessment of Protection of Civilians readiness at the national level.

blabal

The programme provides you with the knowledge and skills to navigate the areas of public international law that affect peace, justice and development.

Martijn Kitzen is professor in Military Studies with expertise in irregular warfare and special operations. He combines academic research with operational experience in NATO, UN, and multinational missions across conflict zones like Afghanistan and the Sahel.

Tom Buitelaar is an Assistant Professor in the War, Peace & Justice program of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs at Leiden University.

Frans Osinga is professor in War Studies at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs.

We'll give you 10 reasons why you should study the specialization Peace, Justice and Development of the master Public International Law at Leiden University

Welcome to Leiden University's Global Transformations and Governance Challenges (GTGC) programme! GTGC explores how innovative policies and governance arrangements can address global challenges in democratic, effective, fair, peaceful and sustainable ways.

Since the late 1990s Leiden University has been located in two cities: Leiden and The Hague. Leiden is where the University was founded and still forms its heart, with six of the seven faculties being housed there. The faculty of Governance and Global Affairs is located in The Hague and most of the…

Clara Cotroneo is a Lecturer and Researcher at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs. She is also member of the research group on War, Peace and Justice, within which she is completing her doctoral studies.

Emeritus professor of international law, Nico Schrijver, spoke on NPO Radio 1’s program Spraakmakers about the law of warfare and humanitarian law. He characterized the recent Israeli action that took place in Qatar as ‘brazen, because the attack affected not only Qatar and Hamas, but also the United…

This book underscores the interplay between religion and politics (local and global) in the production, escalation, management, mitigation, and resolution of conflict.

Within the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, research is organised in seven main research groups:

Read more about the partner organizations of the Summerschool Global History in the 2020s.

Our team is committed to the study of knowledge in its broadest sense, encompassing both ideas and practices in all its historical variety. We look at what people regarded as knowledge, how they created, collected, circulated and used it, also why it mattered to them, and how all this was embedded in…

Women in International Security -Netherlands (WIIS-NL) is an affiliate of WIIS Global. WIIS-NL Members include: professionals, civil servants, academics, NGOs, employees of international bodies and organizations, embassy staff, politicians, students, and interested members of the general public. The…

Explore the MSc in International Politics at Leiden University: a one‑year programme focused on international conflict, crisis management, diplomacy and global cooperation.

Every year, the Global Transformations and Governance Challenges programme organises a conference that brings together academics and policy makers.

This article illustrates how the term 'dual use' has become associated with a broader dichotomy between ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’ purposes.

State fragility and conflict continue to be among the most enduring development challenges of the 21st century. The consequences of fragility and conflict on individuals, States and the international community are profound. At the individual level, an estimated 2 billion people or a quarter of the world's…

In this article, Tom Buitelaar proposes a systematic framework for analyzing the impact of individual characteristics of peacekeeping leaders on the behaviour of field-level personnel in UN peacekeeping operations.

Research at Leiden University College focuses on Global Challenges: Sustainability, Prosperity, Diversity and Peace and Justice.