University of Groningen

Groningen, Netherlands

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www.rug.nl

Available Courses
  • Knowledge of the most important concepts from criminology;
  • Knowledge of the main criminological theories;
  • Knowledge of policy implications of criminological research;
  • Understanding of the surplus value of criminology compared to a mono-disciplinary legal approach.

This course offers a first acquaintance with criminology, criminological concepts and the main criminological theories. After participating in the course, the student is familiar with crime as a criminological phenomenon; the criminalogical theories; the way criminologists do research; aware of the nature and size of crime and how this is measured; victimology and the role of the media.

Students will be able to explain and identify different theoretical approaches to the study of ritual. They will learn how to apply some aspects of the theoretical frameworks with reference to a case study they select. In writing a report on their investigations the students will learn to systematically describe and structure their findings and also will gain first experience in analyzing the data using some of the theories discussed before.
The first part of the course will focus on different theoretical approaches to the study of ritual. Students will intensively engage with some of the main theoretical perspectives they present and discuss in class.
The second part will consist in the preparation and execution of a small case study. With regard to a particular case the students select (based on an empirical inquiry, media or literature research), they will be asked to develop research questions they will investigate then with reference to their chosen case.
The third part will deal with the results of and reflection on this case study. The students are asked to write and present a short report in which they are asked to describe their research in a structured way, reflect on the process as well as on the findings and shall attempt a preliminary analysis by referring to some of the theories discussed earlier.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to explain the religious, cultural and secular deinitions and functions of a sacred space according to modern theoretical approaches (the “spatial turn”), demonstrate the ability to apply theoretical concepts of space and place to a specific case study, demonstrate an understanding of space and as a methodological category, be able to apply spatial theory to research on religion (in past and present), demonstrate competence in engaging in debates concerning the interaction of secular and sacred in the public sphere, understand and competently analyse and critique contemporary scholarly approaches to spatial in religions across cultures and time periods.
This course addresses the spatial dimensions of religions and the religious aspect of places. A series of lectures explore the role of space and place in religious traditions and communities, analyse religious activity (especially rituals) in spatial contexts.
Sacred sites will be analysed with reference to case studies from the past and the present across religions. Each week will focus one or more these types of sacred space, and also introduce privotal theorists in the development of the “spatial turn” in the humanities.

Participants of this course will acquire an understanding of the specific geographical, environmental and settlement issues of the Netherlands, and the ways in which Dutch (spatial planning) policies have dealt with these issues, as well as the challenges that these policies face given the expected impact of changing circumstances in the near future.
N.B. this course is a selection of the 10 ECTS course “Spatial Problems and Spatial Policies: The Dutch Experience. The longer course is also open to IISMA grantees, but requires a background in Planning.

You will be able to contextualize (global) migration against current socio-economic and political developments.
Migration is a powerful mechanism in the social and economic dynamics both of migrants themselves and of the places that are involved in migration. At the regional level, for example, we observe that human capital is an increasingly important determinant of economic development. At the individual level, migration may be a means to improve your socio-economic position, for example when searching for a new job, or perhaps when running from harsh political circumstances. Migration thus plays a key role in the lives of people as well as for the regions people live and work. Understanding the process of migration is therefore key in understanding the socio-economic development of people and places.
This course is dedicated to the mutual relationship between migration and the economic and social development of people and places. It offers theories to understand why people migrate and the outcomes of migration. At the same time, theories that highlight the role of human capital and migration in regional development are explored. In addition, the course aims at providing the latest research and trends about migration flows within and between countries as well as the changing economic and social framework in which migration takes place.

  1.  Describe the central role the business firm has played in modern economic development
  2. Provide answers to questions as how the nature of business firms has developed over time and how that is related to broader economic, social and technological changes taking place simultaneously
  3. Provide answers to questions, such as why do firms differ between countries, and what is the role of the state, and the international market in explaining these differences?
  4. Critically discuss these explanations and formulate clear and focused arguments in a written essay

Why are some countries rich and others poor? The course Global Business History studies this question by focusing on the historic evolution of the business firm, a key factor in economic development. A study on the determinants of successful entrepreneurship in the past may help to understand why we observe the things we see today, such as the cross-country income differences mentioned above. Often, a roadmap of the development of the firm in years, decennia and perhaps even centuries before provides insight in today’s state of affairs. In the words of Winston Churchill, the further backward one looks, the further forward one can see. Therefore, this course explores the history of the business firm in an international perspective. We do so by studying the evolution of the business firm in time and space as well as the evolution and variation of the conditions under which business has operated in different parts of the world.

  1.  Analyze the current position of a business in relation to its strategy and structure
  2. Translate strategic ends into necessary actions to achieve these ends 
  3. Evaluate to what extent a given business plan is effective in achieving its goals
  4. Make and present an outline of a business plan

Managing International Business Organizations (MIBO) is one of the last courses in the BSc International Business degree program. The aim of the course is to integrate all the different elements of the degree program in a holistic way. In addition, the course bridges the gap between theory and practice, by focusing on the application of relevant analytical tools, concepts, and theories learnt during the degree program to find solutions to real life problems faced by multinational companies.

At the end of this course, students will have basic knowledge about the diverse forms of contemporary spirituality in Europe and North America; will be able to trace the historical lines of these spiritualities into the nineteenth century; will be able to identify relevant theoretical issues in the study of contemporary spiritualities, secularity, and religious diversity more generally; will have developed the skill of orally presenting academic argumentation. “I’m spiritual, but not religious” — that is what many people today respond when they are asked about their religious ideas and values. If we look closer at what this spirituality entails, we often find convictions about a higher meaning of life, about the place of the human being in the cosmos, about the sacredness of the world, about hidden powers in nature, and about modern physics and biology as not conflicting with spiritual experience. In this course, we will reconstruct the genealogy of these ideas and practices, which have emerged from a philosophical, religious, scientific, and allegedly “secular” setup during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. We will trace the impact of these discourses on new spiritual practices from the 1950s through today. Such practices include nature-based spiritualities, Paganism, astrology, shamanism, and related currents that have sometimes — and misleadingly — been called “New Age.”

1. Define, interpret and contextualize key concepts from the field of cultural geography and related disciplines, regarding glocalization, community development, and everyday geographies
2. Discuss the meaning of various cultural geographical concepts in relation to both wider societal developments and everyday life and practices
3. Reflect on their positionality regarding topical issues in the field of cultural geography, and regarding input from fellow students during seminars
4. Conduct a group research project on a concrete geographical issue
5. Problematize a concrete geographical issue, using concepts and literature from the field of cultural geography
6. Make effective use of the media database NexisUni
7. Present and do justice to the variety of views on a concrete geographical issue
8. Take responsibility for and agree upon the planning and project management of a group assignment.

In this course, students will be introduced to important concepts in the field of cultural geography and related fields such as human geography, sociology and anthropology. The relation between people, places and cultures will be discussed extensively. Literature and lectures will be centered around the following themes: the interaction between the global and the local – glocalization; community (development) in a globalizing world; everyday geographies and exclusion; applying concepts in geographical research. Lectures, guest lectures and independent study of literature are applied to introduce various concepts related to the themes. Acquired knowledge is tested in an intermediate digital exam. Next to this, students are encouraged to participate in book sessions, guided by lecturer(s). The sessions will focus on a non-fiction book that the students are reading, and discussions are aimed at connecting academic literature and concepts to elements from the book. Students can select one of three books, enabling them to read and develop knowledge based on their own interests. Content from the book sessions can be used in answers to several exam questions. Throughout the course, students will work on a group assignment. In this assignment they will conduct research on a concrete geographical issue. Within a wider theme group, students will select a ‘contested case’, and do justice to the multiplicity of views on the issue. They will present their findings in an autonomous presentation (max. 6 minutes), i.e. running independently without a presenter. Assessment consists of the following products and activities: the digital exam, composed of short essay questions (50%), and the assignment (50%) – specifically the autonomous presentation and the justification report.

Students who participate in this class should obtain knowledge of: basic history of Christianity since the Reformation understanding of the Christian response to modernity history of secularization and religious pluralization since the 1960s Students should develop: Skills in interpreting texts and other primary sources. Skills in presenting the results of such an interpretation both orally and in writing. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the historical developments that have led to the current religious diversity of European society. The first half of the course will use historical methods to investigate Christianity from the Reformation through to the 1960s. The second half will use sociological methods to examine the pluralization and secularization of the religious landscape in Europe since the 1960s. In the research essay and the last meeting of the course, we will apply our understanding of religious pluralism to different case studies. In this course, attention will be paid to relations between religious and secular beliefs and movements, the evolving role and status of Christian churches, the growth and settlement of non-Christian religious communities, and the spread and diversification of alternative movements and spiritualities, and to theories with regard to all these developments. As part of this course, students will work alone or in groups to study and present their findings on a specific religious movement, such as they might encounter in contemporary European society.

1. Understand and explain how digital technologies can be used in globally oriented firms to achieve a competitive advantage
2. Understand how digital technologies accelerate the internationalization process of firms 3. Understand and explain how firms can digitally transform resources into capabilities in different international markets
4. Determine and propose different options on how international firms can capture value from digital technologies
5. Apply economic theories to analyze the process of digital transformation of firms
6. Learn how to collect, analyze and write on business intelligence and perform competitive analyses
7. Effectively communicate research results in a group Detailed study of digital transformation with the focus on international business.

Students will be trained on how to identify and resolve specific problems related to international firms operating in a global organization context and going through the process of digital transformation. There are no single, right answers. Students are trained to learn how to analyze and resolve business problems in regards how firms can deal with the digital transformation. The students will gain specific skills and experience using the hands on assignment that augments the lectures. Other topics that will be covered in the course are today’s technology trends that influence the business world and the way professionals work; cultural, structural and political aspects of digital transformation; managing and implementing digital projects.

This is an evening course that will be taught throughout the semester.
– To foster an understanding of the Netherlands’ current place in Europe and in the world
– To explore The Netherlands in a wide variety of topics (e.g. history, literature, media, visual arts, music, politics)
– To gain insight into specific aspects of Dutch culture and society

What makes something ‘typically Dutch,’ and are these characteristics truly exceptional? This course covers a wide range of facets of Dutch culture and society. It explores connections between the local (the Northern Netherlands), the national (the Netherlands), and the international (Europe, the world). Additionally, selected aspects of Dutch history will be examined in relation to contemporary developments in the Netherlands and its place in the world.

Unique themes, traditions, social norms and values, historical events, and influential figures that play a formative role in the Dutch identity, culture, language, and history will be explored through weekly guest lectures. This multidimensional approach provides students with a thorough and nuanced understanding of the dynamic and diverse nature of Dutch society.

The 9 topics covered vary annually and will be announced in the study guide before the start of the academic year. Some of the topics include:
– Languages in the Netherlands;
– The Dutch landscape and water management;
– The impact of earthquakes in Groningen

Additionally, a recurring theme in the lectures this year will be the colonial and postcolonial history and culture of the Netherlands, featuring lectures about the role of music in the Dutch colonial enterprise, Dutch (post)colonial policy and slavery, and legacy of controversial cultural heritage such as Sinterklaas and Black Pete.
Logistical constraints permitting, an excursion will take place during the semester.

 1. identify ethical issues in international business
2. explain and apply main theories, arguments, and concepts from ethics, corporate social responsibility and moral psychology to international business
3. discuss and debate moral issues in international business
4. understand one’s moral responsibilities in international business
5. develop ways to resolve moral dilemmas that emerge in international business
6. distinguish moral issues concerning particular western and non-western countries
7. report on moral decision making in international business

  1. Express the main theoretical topics of basic investment theory and the international monetary framework in a lucid and cogent manner and explain at a basic level the geographic dimension of international economic activity.
  2. Investigate and evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various theories at a basic level.
  3. Explain the abstract principles at the heart of the theories to a “knowledgeable” audience, and describe their consequences for the application of the theories.
  4. Reflect analytically on the theoretical issues dealt with during the course and their relevance for the operation of a multinationally operating firm.

The international economy confronts a firm with many uncertainties: currency values, trade barriers, curbs on international investment, and the degree of macroeconomic stability in countries where production is carried out and/or goods are traded, are but a few of the factors which influence a firm’s daily operations and long-term (strategic) planning. In order to allow a firm to succeed internationally, its managers must not only understand how these factors impact the firm’s competitive environment, but also how they are likely to evolve in the future and why. This course introduces students to the economic theories which help the manager understand the market forces driving the global economy, as well as the consequences of the international economy for how governments are likely to implement economic policies. These insights provide an essential input to the management decision-making process. This course deals with the monetary and financial dimensions of globalization, and the changing geography of economic activity. It follows up on the first year course ‘International Business Environment’ that focuses on trade theory.

  1. Clarify the financial goal of management and the nature of financing decisions.
  2. Analyse the financial situation of a firm.
  3. Compute the values of financial securities.
  4. Discover how return and risk can be measured.
  5. Apply techniques to evaluate investment projects.
  6. Distinguish the importance of capital structure and dividend payout decisions.
  7. Interpret the effects of short-term investment decisions.
  8. Explain the content of international financial risk management.
  9. Analyse risk management techniques and interpret the outcomes of different methodologies.

As an introductory finance course, the purpose is to demonstrate the role of financial management within the corporation. The emphasis of this course is to develop a clear understanding of the fundamental concepts and basic tools of finance. At the end of this module, the students will be able to understand and employ the conceptual foundations for making efficient corporate financial decisions. During the course the following topics will be covered:

  • Introduction of Finance Activities;
  • Evaluation of Financial Performance;
  • Time Value of Money & Valuation of Financial Securities;
  • Risk and Return;
  • Capital Budgeting;
  • Financial Structure and Dividend Policy;
  • Working Capital Management;
  • Derivatives and Risk Management.