Philosophy/Central & East European Studies

Philosophy and Central and East European studies is a combination that brings two disciplines into productive conversation: the rigorous analytical and ethical tradition of philosophy, and the rich and complex regional studies field that encompasses the history, cultures, politics, and languages of Central and Eastern Europe. Philosophy, as the University of Glasgow notes, is the systematic attempt to arrive at clear answers to profound questions about knowledge, life, morality, science, and human nature, using reason and argument. Central and East European studies takes the region's distinctive historical experience, from the empires of the early modern period through the traumas of the twentieth century to the post-communist transitions and contemporary politics, as a laboratory for understanding how societies change and what they are made of.

At the University of Glasgow, you will develop philosophical rigour alongside regional expertise. The philosophy strand engages you with the major traditions and problems in the discipline, from ancient philosophy through to contemporary debates in epistemology, ethics, philosophy of mind, and political philosophy. The Central and East European studies strand develops your understanding of the history, politics, and cultures of a region whose experience has raised many of the most urgent philosophical questions of the modern era, from the nature of totalitarianism to the possibility of democratic transition and the ethics of historical memory.

The programme is offered on a part-time basis, giving you flexibility to balance your studies with other commitments. It also includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study in the region and encounter different scholarly and cultural environments firsthand.

Graduates move into careers in international relations, policy, journalism, education, cultural organisations, and the civil service. Postgraduate study in philosophy, area studies, politics, or related fields is a natural route for those who wish to develop further.