The Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre (HSC)
Based at the International Institute of Social Studies
Apply to our new MSc in Humanitarian Studies for the 2026-2027 intake!
The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) and the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) are jointly offering this new MSc programme – ‘Societies in Crisis: Humanitarian Action and Policy Responses’.
The HSC is a hive of transformative initiatives around Humanitarian Studies aimed at academic and applied research; teaching and
training; networking and impact.

Humanitarian Studies is:
“The study of societies and vulnerable communities experiencing humanitarian crises originating from disasters, conflicts, refugee situations, and/or political collapse. It studies the causes and impacts of crisis; how people, communities and authorities respond to them, including efforts for prevention and preparedness; how humanitarian action and other external interventions are organized and affect the recovery from crises; and the institutional changes that crises and crisis response engender. “
– Thea Hilhorst, Director, HSC

Watch the video abstract ‘Rethinking the (im)possibility of participation in humanitarian research’
04 December 2025

Sarian Jarosz shares about the realities at the Polish-Belarusian and Polish-Ukranian borders
01 December 2025

Rewatch the webinar ‘Migration at the Crossroads: EUrope–Africa Responses to Climate Change, Forced Displacement, and Humanitarian and Policy Challenges’
24 November 2025

The November issue of the Humanitarian Observatories Newsletter has been published!
24 November 2025

The 4th HSC Research Brief ‘Reforming Humanitarianism ‘from below’’ has been published!
21 November 2025

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Space
Monthly
Space
Spa
Monthly Hum-Gov Webinars
Event
humanitarianstudiescentre@iss.nl
Based at the International Institute of Social Studies
Kortenaerkade 12
2518 AX The Hague
The Netherlands
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