About Capstones

• Received a B+ or higher
• The topic of the capstone is in line with the Roosevelt Network’s progressive policy ideals
• The research has not been funded by an external party
• Signed capstone supervisor consent form
• Signed publication contract

The International Justice (IJ) major explores the capabilities and challenges of the international legal framework, spanning topics including human rights, climate justice, war crimes, and economic and political integration. It seeks to answer questions such as: why are the commitments of Paris Accord not enforced? How can a society transition out of protracted conflict and move towards sustainable peace? Are human rights universal norms or privilege? IJ majors can focus their Capstones on a topic within the core and co-convened tracks: International Law, Human Rights and Society, Statehood and Integration, IJ/GED, and Gender Studies.

The World Politics (WP) major investigates how increasing global forces interact with state and non-state actors, including multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, NGOs, MNCs, diasporas, civil societies and terrorist networks. Some of the questions this major attempts to answer: how is globalisation changing the significance of state borders? What are the long-term implications of the Arab Spring? How should we understand China’s rise? WP students can opt their Capstones with the core and co-convened tracks: International Relations & Diplomacy, Globalisation and Transnational Politics, Peace & Conflict Studies, International History, Gender Studies.

The Culture, History & Society major studies cultural expressions, identities and social change. In the increasingly globalized world we live in, our differences in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion and class become more and more apparent. Drawing on the fields of sociology, cultural studies, history and other humanities, this major analyzes how we can understand the world and each other, despite our diverse backgrounds. HD majors can focus their Capstones within one of the core or co-convened tracks: Time & Space, Cultural Expressions, Social Forms Languages, Gender Studies, Philosophy.

Governance, Economics and Development combines insights from political science and economics with various other social sciences. By studying the formal and informal rules which order society and our behavior therein, the major seeks to explain economic inequality between countries, as well as political developments and societal change. GED majors may explore the following tracks and co-convened tracks for their Capstone: Institutional Analysis, Policy Science, International Development, Comparative Politics, Political Economy, Economics, GED/EES, GED/IJ.

Global Public Health researches the biomedical, socioeconomic and institutional forces that influence the health of populations. An interdisciplinary field, GPH combines the socio-economic and the physiological, delving into topics of prevention, intervention, and overall community development. To ensure the equitable progress of all societies, the basic topics of health and wellbeing need to be tended to. A lack of a social support system can have serious implications for your health. How do we include the elderly more in the wellbeing of a community? Does the implementation of greenspaces in cities aid the levels of stress brought on by modern life? GPH at Leiden University College equips the students with the methodological knowledge needed to identify these problems, as well as design interventions focusing on their alleviation. GHP majors can focus their Capstones within the core and co-convened tracks: Biomedical Sciences, Health & Environment, Health & Development Health, Behavior & Society. 

Earth, Energy, and Sustainability investigate sustainability within a human context, looking into the major challenges to sustainable development, industry, and innovation. Sustainable research models the use and effectiveness of alternative energy strategies as well as the implications water resource management has on the ecosystem. Key questions in this major are: How do GMOs impact health and the ecosystem? What weight offs do fracking have and what alternative energy strategies can minimize environmental degradation?  EES majors can focus their Capstones within the core and co-convened tracks: Ecosystem Health, Earth System Science, and Energy & natural resources.