Looking beyond the dates and battlefield details of typical military history, this University of Essex MA raises urgent questions about why societies go to war. Students will engage with diverse perspectives on violence and conflict in the modern period, and examine case studies from all over the world.

Drawing on Essex’s expertise across a variety of disciplines, including history, literature, law, sociology and psychoanalytic studies, students will consider the effects of war on different scales, from the individual to the global, and on different groups. Some of the key questions considered include: What did it mean to be a woman in the First World War – as a worker, grieving mother, or a combatant? How does psychological trauma and physical disability impact on veterans today? How is wartime service remembered and commemorated, privately and politically?

This unique course looks at the impact of war on humanity – and draws on a variety of disciplines of study to give a rounded view. The MA has real-world value: begin training in conflict resolution and develop psychoanalytical skills, while developing academic abilities.