GUIDELINES ON WRITING THE MA THESIS IN EUROPEAN STUDIES
Study Manual
2019 – 2020
1. INTRODUCTION
2. GUIDELINES 2.1 Thesis Coordinator 2.2 General 2.3 Time Frame 2.4 Thesis Topics 2.5 Length 2.6 Language of Thesis 2.7 Thesis Supervisors 2.8 Thesis Proposal 2.9 Thesis Seminar 2.10 Thesis Application Form 2.11 Applying for the MA degree and deadlines 2.12 Handing in 2.13 Assessment 2.14 Examination Date 2.15 Graduation Date 2.16 Prize for Best Thesis
3. EDITORIAL GUIDELINES 3.1 Structure 3.2 Spacing and margins 3.3 Title page 3.4 Notes 3.5 Parentheses, underscore, italicize 3.6 Plagiarism 3.7 Citation 3.8 Documentation: Citation and Bibliography 3.9 Word of Caution
4. Thesis Time Frame
5. Thesis Supervisors and their Areas of Expertise
2 1. INTRODUCTION
The Master’s Thesis can be regarded as the most important part of your studies. It is a test of your ability to independently produce a text that meets scholarly standards. The quality of your thesis is an indication of your academic level.
When choosing a topic, you should keep in mind that your thesis marks the end of your studies and not a new beginning. You should therefore avoid embarking on a whole new discipline. Instead, choose a topic from one of the disciplines you have already studied. Also bear in mind that the thesis is your best opportunity, as a student of European Studies, to draw connections between the various subjects you have dealt with (language and culture, history, politics, law or economics).
It is best to choose a topic that aroused your interest or curiosity during your studies. This will make your thesis easier to write and improve its quality. An important exception is the use of very current topics; these tend to be unsuitable for theses because of a lack of source material. A popular misconception is that your thesis topic should reflect your future choice of profession. This is absolutely not the case. When you apply for a job, your thesis will serve as a measure of your academic level, not of your knowledge of a profession or industry.
3 2. GUIDELINES
2.1 Thesis Coordinator The coordinator manages the procedures, registers the thesis proposals, assigns the second supervisor and monitors submissions. If you have any questions about your thesis, the coordinator is you first port of call: Dr M.E. Spiering – [email protected]
2.2 General These guidelines are additional to the general MA Thesis Regulations of the Graduate School for Humanities, Universiteit van Amsterdam. See: http://student.uva.nl/humanities/shared/studentensites/fgw/fgw-gedeelde-content/en/az/examinations- board-gsh/thesis-regulations/thesis-regulations.html Please read the MA Thesis Regulations carefully.
2.3 Time Frame It takes almost a full year to conceptualise and write a Master’s Thesis. You will choose a thesis topic and supervisor in the first term and write your thesis in the second term. See the Thesis Time Frame at the end of this document.
2.4 Thesis Topics The MA thesis must discuss a transnational European topic, subject to approval by the main supervisor. This thesis topic must be related to the subjects dealt with in the Master’s Programme.
2.5 Length An MA thesis must be between 17,000 and 23,000 words long (not counting the preface, quotations, footnotes, bibliography and any appendices).
2.6 Language of the Thesis All MA European Studies programmes are taught in English. This means all your work, including your thesis, should be written in English. The preferred spelling is UK English, but the main thing is to be consistent. Non-native speakers in particular should not overestimate their language skills. It is always a good idea to have your thesis proof-read by a competent person.
2.7 Supervisors Supervisors must be a qualified examiners attached to the European Studies department. For a list of MA ES supervisors see section 5 of this manual. Feel free to contact any supervisor, even if you have not been taught by her/him yet. You can also contact your programme or thesis-seminar coordinator (see 2.9).
4 A second supervisor is appointed by the Thesis Coordinator after receipt of the Thesis Application Form. Second supervisors are not necessarily experts in the topic of your thesis. Their task is to assess your work in terms of general academic requirements such as structure, scope, language, referencing, etc.
2.8 Thesis Proposal Your supervisor and thesis seminar teacher will provide guidelines for the thesis proposal. Obviously it should at least contain a title, research question, list of chapters, synopsis. Don’t worry, you are not obliged to follow your proposal to the letter as you write your thesis. It in only normal that you make changes on the way. You do not have to hand in new proposals to reflect these changes.
2.9 Thesis Seminar Each MA European Studies programme has its own skills/thesis seminar in block 3 (January). You should be registered with the appropriate seminar automatically and assigned Blackboard access. Please check if this is the case. The aim of the seminar is to help you on your way to actually start writing your thesis. Normally you will be asked to submit a feasibility study and a state of research report, but each seminar has its own rules. Download the appropriate study manual from Blackboard and contact your programme coordinator should you have any queries:
Identity and Integration: Dr R. Rensen Governing Europe and European Policy Dr C. Vos East-European Studies: Dr C. Noack
2.10 Thesis Application Form After your thesis proposal and outline has been finally approved by your supervisor you must submit the Thesis Application Form before 1 March. The form is available at http://student.uva.nl/humanities/shared/studentensites/fgw/fgw-gedeelde-content/en/az/thesis- ma/european-studies/thesis-application-form.html The coordinator will then process the proposal for final approval and appoint a second supervisor. Only proposals which have been approved by a supervisor will be considered.
5 2.11 Applying for the MA Degree and Deadlines The application procedure for your MA diploma is explained under ‘Graduation’ or ‘Afstuderen’ on the A- Z student site: http://student.uva.nl/humanities/shared/studentensites/fgw/fgw-gedeelde- content/en/az/graduation/graduation.html#anker-thesis-submission Please note that you have to fill in and hand in certain forms well in time. You must plan your diploma application before 30 June, in consultation with your supervisor.
2.12 Handing in You must submit the final version of your thesis (in Pdf or Word) on or before 1 July on the MA European Studies Canvas site and to both your supervisors.
Theses that are handed in after this deadline will not be accepted. There is no supervision in July and August. The next submission date is 1 September. Handing in on or after this date means you have to enrol again at the university.
2.13 Assessment Your theses is assessed by both supervisors in accordance with the Thesis Assessment Form: http://student.uva.nl/humanities/shared/studentensites/fgw/fgw-gedeelde-content/en/az/examinations- board-gsh/thesis-regulations/thesis-regulations.html Take good note of the assessment criteria and contact you supervisor should you have any queries. Your thesis will normally be marked within 20 working days, but your supervisors might discuss an alternative arrangement with you.
2.14 Examination Date / Graduation This is the date you have requested (2.11) for your MA diploma to be issued. The dates are monthly and listed under ‘Graduation’ or ‘Afstuderen’ on the A-Z student site. Handing in 1 July, you will most likely opt for the end of July or August.
2.15 Graduation Ceremony The graduation ceremony is a collective festive occasion in September/October at which students receive their MA diplomas. Family and friends are very welcome to attend. The ceremony is highly recommended, but not compulsory. Students who decline to participate can collect the diploma in consultation with the Office of Programme Administration, PCH 0.12.
2.16 Prize for Best Thesis Since 1986, an annual cash prize has been awarded to the best MA thesis in European Studies. Only theses that have received a grade of 8 or higher and have been nominated by a European Studies lecturer will be considered. The winning thesis is selected by a jury of European Studies lecturers.
6 3. EDITORIAL GUIDELINES The following guidelines are merely brief pointers. There are many style sheets available, e.g. the Chicago Manual of Style or MLA. You and your supervisor must agree which system you will adhere to. No matter which one you choose, what is most important is to apply it consistently.
3.1 Structure Make your text readable and manageable by giving it a proper structure. Divide your text into chapters, and divide these chapters into sections. Your sections should be subdivided into paragraphs. Indent the beginning of each paragraph except the first one in a chapter or section. If you decide to include tables or figures: number them, give them captions and cite their source.
Before Chapter I, there must be a clear table of contents. It is recommended you draft this at an early stage; it will help you structure your writing.
Start your thesis with an introduction that clearly outlines your topic, your research question (i.e. which aspect of the topic you will focus on), your hypothesis (if any) and the research method you will use. In other words: What is my topic? What do I want to prove? And, how will I go about it? This introduction should not contain any personal reflections on your affinity with the topic or any acknowledgements of family or friends, etc. Any such remarks belong in a preface which may precede the introduction.
Always end your thesis with a conclusion, assessing what has been shown in the thesis and the extent to which you consider your hypothesis proven. Note that a conclusion may not contain any new facts or arguments! However, it must be more than a summary of your thesis.
3.2 Spacing and margins MA theses must be printed on A4 paper with wide margins ( 1”) on all four sides. Recommended spacing is 1.5. Double spacing is also acceptable. The paper must be printed on one side only.
3.3 Title page - your title page must be laid out as follows: TITLE MA Thesis in European Studies Graduate School for Humanities Universiteit van Amsterdam Author ... Student number … First examiner ... Second examiner ...
Month, year of completion
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3.4 Notes Use footnotes rather than endnotes, and only use notes to refer to bibliographical information pertaining to quotations, or (occasionally) to add a comment or explanation to the text. It should be possible to read and understand the body of the text without the aid of notes. Use explanatory notes only if incorporating the information in the text would disrupt the flow of the text or muddle the argument.
3.5 Parentheses, underscore and italics Use parentheses sparingly. It is often preferable to put the information you wish to add in a proper subordinate clause. Avoid underscoring and italicizing text except in the following cases: the titles of books, films, etc., the names of newspapers and other periodicals, words in a foreign language which are not commonly used.
3.6 Plagiarism Plagiarism is a serious form of fraud which supervisors are obliged to report to the Exam Committee. Heavy sanctions will apply. See Regulations Governing Fraud and Plagiarism for UvA Students http://student.uva.nl/humanities/shared/studentensites/uva-studentensite/en/az/plagiarism-and- fraud/plagiarism-and-fraud.html
3.7 Quotations Quotations must be relevant and reasonable in size. In other words, neither two words nor half a page. Quote only so much of the source as necessary, not more. An MA thesis should not be a collage of quotations, but an argument by the author.
A two or three-line quotation is integrated into the paragraph and enclosed in quotation marks. Longer quotations should be set off from the text as block quotations (indented and set off by an extra line of white). Block quotations are not enclosed by quotation marks.
Avoid plagiarism: do not pass off someone else’s ideas as your own. Instead, quote or paraphrase the author’s words and provide proper references. Take particular care to refer to the right page number(s). If you leave out any part of the text you are quoting, you must indicate this by three ellipsis dots between parentheses (...).
8 3.8 Documentation: Citation and Bibliography The various style sheets provide extensive information and clarity with regard to documentation. Generally speaking, there are two systems: the documentary-note system and the author-date system. Whichever you choose, make sure you are consistent.
In the documentary-note system, bibliographic information on the source is included in a footnote. This information is also listed in a complete bibliography at the end of the thesis. In the author-date system, the author’s name and the date of publication of a source are cited in the text itself, in parentheses. The full bibliographical information is listed in a list of references.
These days, the author-date system is most widely used.
Examples of the author-date system according to The Chicago Manual of Style:
Books One author In-text citation: (Blinksworth 1987, 23)
Bibliography: Blinksworth, Roger. 1987. Converging on the Evanescent. San Francisco: Threshold Publications.
Two to three authors, editor or editors In-text citation: (Collins and Wortmaster 1953, 127)
Bibliography: Collins, Geoffrey, and Matthew D. Wortmaster, eds. 1953. The Collected Works of G. Farthington Pennyloss. Boston: G.F. Pennyloss.
Organisation as author In-text citation: (IMF 1977, 13)
Bibliography: International Monetary Fund (IMF). 1977. Surveys of African Economies. Washington, D.C.: International Monetary Fund.
Volume In-text citation: (Farmwinkle 1983, 2: 55)
Bibliography: Farmwinkle, William. 1983. Survey of American Humor. Vol. 2, Humor of the American Midwest. Boston: Plenum Press.
General or series editors and volume editors In-text citation: (Tancredi 1989, 23)
Bibliography:
9 Tancredi, Edmund. 1989. The Letters of Edmund Tancredi. Edited by William Tismont. Vol. 2, The War Years, edited by Arthur Soma. San Francisco: Idlewink Press.
Chapter or article in book In-text citation: (Bugge 1987, 130-32)
Bibliography: Bugge, Peter. 1993. Europe 1914-1945: The Nation Supreme. In The History of the Idea of Europe, eds. Jan van der Dussen and Kevin Wilson, 83-149. Milton Keynes: The Open University.
Journals In-text citation: (Bennett 1946, 372)
Bibliography: Bennett, John W. 1946. ‘The Interpretation of Pueblo Culture: A Question of Values’. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology 2: 361-74
In-text citation: (Armstrong 1974, 160)
Bibliography: Armstrong, Paul B. 1974. ‘E.M. Forster’s Howard’s End: The Existential Crisis of the Liberal Imagination’. Mosaic 8, no. 1: 183-99. In-text citation: (Orshansky 1965, 15)
Bibliography: Orshansky, Mollie. 1965. ‘Counting the Poor: Another Look at the Poverty Profile’. Social Security Bulletin 28 (January): 3-29.
Newspapers In the author-date system, citations to items in daily newspapers are made in running text and are usually not listed individually in the Bibliography.
Internet In-text citation: (Thatcher 1988)
Bibliography: Thatcher, Margaret , 1988. Speech to the College of Europe.
3.9 Word of Caution Always keep a copy of your thesis and frequently make backups of your files.
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4. THESIS TIME FRAME 2018-2019
All information on http://student.uva.nl/humanities/shared/studentensites/fgw/fgw-gedeelde-content/en/az/thesis-european- studies/thesis-european-studies.html?origin=kdIQjNlzRhS8IFI6gR%2BH6A The underlined concepts are discussed in the Thesis Manual.
September - October Introduction thesis MA European Studies.
October - January Find a topic and supervisor. If you need help contact your programme coordinator (see 2.9). Write a thesis proposal in consultation with your supervisor.
January Hand in your thesis proposal to your supervisor.
January Thesis / Skill Seminar. Explore and discuss research and thesis matters and finalise your thesis plan.
February Start writing your thesis, in consultation with your supervisor and according to the rules in this Thesis Manual.
1 March Hand in the online Thesis Application Form.
Before 30 June Diploma application
1 July Hand in the final version of your thesis to your supervisors and mail a copy of the thesis (Pdf or Word) to [email protected].
End of July or end of August Examination date. After this date you can either collect your diploma or wait for the Graduation Ceremony.
September / October Graduation Ceremony
11 5. EUROPEAN STUDIES MA THESIS SUPERVISORS AND THEIR AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Prof. L.A. (Luisa) Bialasiewicz • The EU in international affairs • European geopolitics, past and present • Borders and migration in Europe • Historical geographies of European cities Mediterranean Europe
Dr M. (Marjet) Brolsma • European (intellectual) history during the First World War and the interwar period • Cultural criticism and the idea of Europe • Cultural transfer • Research on periodicals
Dr R.J. (Robin) de Bruin • History of European integration • The transformation of the European idea • Europe under Nazi rule • History of postwar decolonization • Technocratic ideology • The history of political parties • Work ethic in Europe in the 19th and 20th century
Dr Alfrid Bustanov • Russian history, • Religious history of Central Asia, Western Siberia, and the Caucasus • Islam in Russia and Europe • Anthropology of Islam and the Study of the Other
Dr P.P. (Pola) Cebulak • Legal aspects of European integration • Constitutional law • Human rights • Judicial politics • Comparative regionalism • Foreign policy of the EU • EU and international organizations • Rule of Law in the EU • Law and politics
Dr C. (Chiara) de Cesari • European memory • Cultural policies and cultural politics in the EU • Cultural heritage and migration • Multiculturalism • Colonial and transnational memories • Transnational artistic production
12 Dr A.J. (Alex) Drace-Francis • Cultural and political history of southeastern Europe, 1700-present • Travel literature and cultural stereotypes • History of the idea of Europe • Conceptual histories, symbolic geographies, historical discourses
Dr D. (David) Hollanders • Political economy of the euro-crisis • Inequality (causes and consequences in EU-context) • Fiscal policy in the EU • Financialization
Dr A.M. (Artemy) Kalinovsky • Russian-EU relations • Political history of Russia, the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Afghanistan • Contemporary and historical Cold War history
Prof. M. (Michael) Kemper • Contemporary politics in Russia and Ukraine • Russian history • Balkan history • Islam in Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia • Islam in Europe, incl. the Netherlands (fieldwork) • European colonial history in Africa and Asia • "Orientalism" and the history of studying the "Orient" in the West
Dr K.K. (Kristina) Lajosi • Nationalism and national thought in Europe • History of ideas in the 18th and 19th centuries • Music and opera in cultural and political contexts • English and American literature • Transatlantic themes and stereotypes (Europe and America)
Prof. J.T. (Joep) Leerssen • Cultural nationalism in Europe, 1800-1918 • National character and representation • Literary History before 1900 • Imagology
Dr M.M. (Matthijs) Lok • Political history of (Western) Europe • European intellectual history • History of France and the Low Countries
Dr J.M.A.H. (Enno) Maessen • Political and cultural history of modern Turkey and the late Ottoman Empire • History of Turkish international relations • Urban history • Post-war urban development • History of cultural diplomacy 13
Dr L.K. (László) Marácz • European integration • (Cultural) history of Central and Eastern Europe • Foreign relations and the European Union • Language and the European Union • Ethnic and Civil Issues
Dr H.L. (Hanna) Muehlenhoff • The EU in international relations • Human rights promotion • International security policies • Turkey-EU relations • Discursive and feminist approaches to international relations/EU
Dr C.U. (Christian) Noack • Political, cultural and social history of Russia, Poland and Ukraine • History and presence of Islam in Russia • History of consumption and leisure in post-war Europe • Politics of history and memory • Visual history
Dr S. (Sudha) Rajagopalan • Leisure in the Soviet Union • Topics in Soviet/Russian popular entertainment • Digital media in Russia • De-Stalinization and everyday life in the Soviet Union • Gender in Soviet history
Dr E. (Erik) van Ree • Political history of Russia and the USSR • Political extremism (radicalism, fascism, communism, religious fundamentalism) • Christianity and Islam • History of ideas and political philosophy • Questions of freedom (freedom of expression, drug policy, morality issues, etc.)
Dr C.W.C. (Carlos) Reijnen • History of European integration and thought on Europe • 19th and 20th century political history and the history of ideas in Central and Eastern Europe (including Germany and the Balkans) • Nationalism and religion • European Union and international relations, theory and practice
Dr M.J.M. (Marleen) Rensen • Cultural history of France 1870-1945 • French intellectuals of the 20th century • Fascism in Europe • Modern literature and politics • Literature in the interwar period
14 Dr P. (Peter) Rodenburg • Macroeconomic aspects of the European economy • Growth and Stability Pact • Common Currency and EU monetary policy • EU agricultural policy • European labour markets • Welfare effects of European integration • European welfare states
Dr Y. (Yolanda) Rodriquez-Pérez • Image Studies (Spain-the Netherlands) • Nation building in Spain • Spanish history and cultural history in the European context • Cultural transfer Spain - the Netherlands in the early modern period • Spanish Golden Age (literature, translation, imitation, emulation)
Dr J.B.M.M.Y. (Jamal) Shahin • International Relations and the EU • Middle East relations with Europe • Globalisation Policy making in the EU • Governance in the EU • Democratic processes in the EU • Theory of International Relations
Dr G.J.A. (Guido) Snel • Contemporary European art, literature and cultural identity • European cultural diversity in the 20th century • Cosmopolitanism • European multilingualism • Balkan and Central European art and literature • The European novel and autobiography of the 20th century • Cultural remembrance: trauma, genocide and forced migration in art and literature
Dr E.M (Ewa) Stanczyk • The EU in international relations • Human rights promotion • International security policies • Turkey-EU relations • Discursive and feminist approaches to international relations/EU
15 Dr N. (Nena) Tromp MA • Emergence of the Balkan States in the 19th and 20th centuries • History of Yugoslavia, 1918-1992 • Disintegration of Yugoslavia, 1992-1999 • Birth of the post-Yugoslav states, 1991-2006 • Transitional Justice in the Balkans
Dr B. (Boyd) van Dijk • History of Modern Europe • Global History • International History • Human Rights • History and Theory of International Law • Genocide • Imperial History
Dr C. (Claske) Vos • European cultural (heritage) policy • European identity formation • History of the idea of Europe • Southeast Europe (particular focus on countries of former Yugoslavia and their relation to EU integration processes)
Dr A.C. (Anne) van Wageningen • Legal aspects of European integration • Topics focusing on European and/or comparative, public, constitutional, theoretical or historical law • Topics combining aspects of law with culture, history, political science or economics
Dr P.W. Zuidhof • Market forces in the European context, including competition policy, liberalization, privatization • Economic, social, cultural and political shaping of Europe • Economic theory of European integration • Political economy of Europe and economic governance • Neoliberalism • Economic policy, including internal market, common currency and the Lisbon Agenda • Discursive approaches to the economy and economics
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