Members of Parliament will soon be discussing with various organisations what the Netherlands can do to stop pushbacks, a policy where migrants are forced back at the European borders.

On Tuesday 3 September 2024 Straton Papagianneas successfully defended a doctoral thesis and graduated.

The Leiden Lectures in Media | Art | Politics (MAP) is a series of talks organized by Pepita Hesselberth and Yasco Horsman. Speakers from various academic backgrounds and in different stages of their careers reflect on diverging ways in which technological and social changes challenge and transform…

Art of Captivity / Arte del Cautiverio tells a compelling story about Central America's drug war through a series of rich photographs. The book, which is entirely bilingual in English and Spanish, focuses on Guatemala, which has become the primary point of transit for cocaine produced in the Andes and…

On 23 February 2022, Cale Davis defended the thesis 'Prosecutorial Discretion in International Criminal Justice'. The doctoral research was supervised by Prof. C. Stahn en Dr. J.C. Powderly.

The fifth edition of the Owada Chair Symposium, that was held in Leiden on 14 and 15 October 2025, highlighted the law and politics of international criminal justice.

Social resilience and security has never been more important. Over the last 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a considerable disturbance to our personal and social lives. As a result, the general population reports more stress, loneliness and decreased quality of life. At the same time, there…

The research group Intelligence and Security has been augmented with a team Policing Studies as part of the collaboration agreement with the Dutch National Police.

An analysis of people’s access to justice and the working of (legal) institutions in post-conflict, democratic Libya

Early November, Professor of European Law Jorrit Rijpma contributed to Europol's Virtual Foresight Exercise to address the future impact on serious and organised crime in the EU. Human trafficking, smuggling and other forms of organised cross border crime fall within the competence of Europol.

What does academic freedom mean? And how do we give shape to it in Leiden? The Academic Freedom Core Team considered these questions and presented its final report on 17 June.

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

In the track Intelligence and National Security you will be introduced to intelligence and security services in their political, societal, and bureaucratic contexts. The track will give you a thorough understanding of the modus operandi of these agencies, their interaction with the surrounding world,…

What are the institutional dynamics of the adoption of internal market legislation?

‘Praesidium Libertatis is a daily responsibility.’ These were the words of Rector Magnificus Carel Stolker on 8 February during the 443rd Dies Natalis of Leiden University. The University needs to pay continuous attention to open debate if it wants to remain a bastion of freedom.

Our research group Intelligence and Security, provides a diverse range of educational opportunities that combine theoretical foundations with practical applications in intelligence and security.

This study adds nuance to the empirical literature that interrogates the link between exposure to mass violence and post-conflict justice preferences.

Cyber security is one of the critical challenges in our inter-connected world. Organizations are being constantly targeted by adversaries. Various critical systems become exposed on the Internet. Users can find that their data has been stolen from a company that they were not even aware of.

To what extent is the legislation and use of pre-trial detention of juveniles in the Netherlands in compliance with international children’s rights standards?

From Incident to Precedent

This project explores the ongoing acceleration of overlapping systemic crises and security threats and their interactions with local, national, and regional processes in a closely interconnected world.

Sophie Vériter explores a small state’s impact on EU security governance, a hard challenge means against big states in this policy area.

Procedural administrative law in a constitutional comparative law perspective

Exploring cultural production in Europe, Latin America and Africa, the institute’s research programme focuses on the continuous interconnectedness of the Arts and Society in both the textual culture of literature, learning and public debate and the visual culture of art, architecture, film, photography…

This research intends to study the why, what, how and the possible outcome of internationalisation in higher education institutions of fine art and design.

How have British, Dutch, and German security services dealt with political violence and terrorism since the late 1960s; to what extent did they consider these new phenomena as a task and how have they developed activities in order to counter these security threats?

Are you thinking about studying Arts and Culture: Art History and Museum Studies? Learn more and watch the introduction video.

On 5 May we celebrate freedom, a basic human right that should not be taken for granted. We asked international students and staff what it means to them.

This book explores the spiritual potential of faith, mysticism and transcendence in answer to the dangers of a mythologised state and the sacro-sanctification of (liberal) democracy and its rule of law.

Troughout the ages, art has always had a large impact, from the first cave drawings until modern art forms. In the Bachelor's programme Art History at Leiden University you will not just get to know art from the Netherlands and Europe, but also from North-America, Asia and Africa. Study art from the…

Film screening

The master’s programme in Arts and Culture at Leiden University is uniquely positioned at the intersection of Art History and Museum Studies. Informed by leading interdisciplinary research, this degree provides you with a strong academic foundation for a variety of careers in museums, galleries and…

The MA Arts and Culture at Leiden University offers two specialisations: Art History and Museum Studies.

How does the criminal justice system in Indonesia safeguard the rights of and access to justice for witnesses and victims?

In what ways can visual art play a vital role in countering the discriminating stigma experienced by transgender communities?

Security and safety challenges rank among the most pressing issues of modern times. Challenges such as cyber-crime, terrorism, and environmental disasters impact the lives of millions across the globe. The course will introduce you to this broad theme in an increasingly complex world.

How do technologies of computer vision, which promise to replace humans in the understanding of images, work in practice in the field of security, and what are their ethical and political implications?

This article studies the securitization of immigration in the United States of America (U.S.), through the analysis of the National Security Strategies (NSS) published between 2002 and 2017, using a two-layered analytical framework that combines securitization theory and agenda setting theory.

Are you thinking about studying Crisis and Security Management: Intelligence and National Security? Learn more and watch the videos.

The LAK offers a wide range of visual arts courses. The diverse offerings are suitable for both beginners and more advanced students. Classes accommodate varying levels of experience. Quality is our top priority, which is why we work with professional and enthusiastic instructors. Courses are open…

The center studies the many ways in which issues of law and justice are dealt with in art and literature with a focus on liminal issues and cases. These are issues and cases where law comes to the limits of what it is capable of dealing with and art and literature explore the implications of what is…

Inaugural lecture, delivered upon acceptance of the Chair in Theory of Research in the Arts, at the Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, on 10 February 2017, by Professor H.A. (Henk) Borgdorff.

What is the state of access to justice in real property grievances in today’s Libya, and how should it be improved?