Prof. Dr. Wilfried Raussert

"Inter-American studies open up your eyes to the manifold relations between nations, peoples and cultures in the Americas. It´s an exciting academic endeavor for students and professors alike to plunge into a vast, heterogeneous and challenging field of investigation."

Serena Wördenweber

"I decided to apply for Inter-American studies in order to expand my knowledge of the Americas through the interdisciplinary perspective the University of Bielefeld offers. I really appreciate the well-thought-out structure of the master program, which combines various areas of study including history, politics, sociology, linguistics, literature and culture of the Americas. It is the place to be if you are looking for something more than the official version of history taught in so many classrooms throughout the world!"

Prof. Dr. Sebastian Thies

"The interdisciplinary study project we offer enables students to organize exhibitions, create video or radio features, or work together on internet articles. With the help of such pratical media devices and of experts from different media domains , we wish to make it possible for our students to learn how to transmit their knowledge to a broad audience."

Dr. Luz Angélica Kirschner

"The field of Inter-American Studies is important because by problematizing the rhetorical ambiguities of the name "America" which is often identified with a single country- i.e. the United States of America- it challenges the way we think the (Caribbean-, North-, Central-, and South) American continent while suggesting that the histories, literatures, peoples and cultures of the multifarious nations that constitute America can be better understood from inter-American and transatlantic perspectives. Students interested in promoting the dialogue of disciplines as diverse as Canadian, Caribbean, Diaspora, Hispanic, Jewish, Latin American, Latin@, Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian, U.S. American Studies, as well as, history, film, geography, sociology, translation, literary studies, linguistics, etc. will find the department of Inter-American Studies an exciting place to study!"

Sven Buchloh

"I believe that the Inter-American perspective of this MA program is both extremely exciting and rich for all those interested in North and/or Latin America. It helps people understand the facts of life, the actions and the mentalities of those inhabiting these regions, especially as the development of the northern and the southern part of the continent has been influenced and marked by mutual dependence and interests. Exploring and analyzing these contexts with the help of an interdisciplinary approach, as well as personally experiencing them during a stay abroad, provide future researchers in the field of the Americas with an excellent course of studies."

JProf. Dr. Olaf Kaltmeier

"People spontaneously associate the Americas with the Indians. Beyond an exoticising Karl-May-romance, this MA program offers an exciting and diverse engagement with issues such as (post) colonialism, indigenous social movements and inter- and multiculturalism. It is fascinating how these issues that have a historical depth still contribute to the present."

Isabel Macri

"The Master Program Inter-American Studies enables its students to stretch out their "tentacles" very far in order to get a very wide range of academic qualifications. I think it's good that one can design their studies individually and has the possibility to attend courses of different faculties. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the Master IAS, one can investigate not only according to their personal interests but also prepare themselves optimally for the job market. I would recommend Inter-American studies to all those people who love foreign languages and also want to qualify in many other areas."

Prof. Dr. Christian Büschges

"As a historian I engage with the origins and development of many current phenomena and with the developments in Latin America, such as the many indigenous protest movements since the 1990s. The Bielefeld Inter-American Studies offer me an ideal environment to explore and discuss the various relations between North and South America with colleagues and students of different professional backgrounds."

Katarina Schwach

"The decision to apply for Inter-American Studies was mainly easy, since for me, besides the extremely exciting topics of the Master Program, the academic environment also plays an important role. Most seminars are held in small groups and thus it is easy to mingle with the other students and lecturers. Especially in times of anonymous degree programs I take this for an immense advantage."

Prof. Dr. Thomas Welskopp

"The MA program for Inter-American Studies offers students the possibility to gain insight in the field of North and Latin American history. Besides, the major focus of the History Department in Bielefeld pursues a transnational and comparative perspective, which brings together the different regional "histories". We have also offered interdisciplinary seminars together with the Faculties of Literature and Sociology, which our graduate students have profited from."

Diana González

"I love having the chance to meet and study with a group that is culturally so diverse. The interdisciplinarity of this MA program gives me the opportunity to compare my knowledge with that of the others. This program has also helped me to establish interesting and important contacts through the international conferences taking place regularly."

Amiran Gabunia

"For me as a graduate of IAS it was a great pleasure to go through such an exciting multidisciplinary-designed Master program. The various research activities helped me to specialize in the area of the Americas, with emphasis on their sociopolitical development and historical dimensions. It's not just the diversity of the topics that characterizes the daily university experiences, or the memorable research stays abroad, which leave a positive imprint with IAS graduates, but also the highly qualified and motivated professors, as well as the individual counseling they offer."

Eduard Mesares

"Through its intercultural and interdisciplinary approach, the Master Program "Inter-American Studies" enabled me to consolidate and expand my knowledge of the social, political and cultural relations between the north and the south of the American continent. In addition, through its regular conferences with Inter-American experts, the program offers its students the opportunity to expand the horizons of the seminar contents and to establish important professional contacts for the future. This master program captivates through internationality, practical application and a wide range of career-relevant specializations."

Daniela Opitz

"What is also great about the Master IAS in Bielefeld, are the many conferences being held at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research. For me personally, the conferences on documentary films and the "narrative of the nation" were especially exciting since one can easily get in contact with important representatives of the respective research fields."

Nadja Lobensteiner

"Thanks to this MA program I had the chance to opt for the field of focus I'm most interested in within Inter-American studies. For that purpose it was helpful to me that I got to know different perspectives and proposals both in Bielefeld and in Guadalajara, in the field of sociology as well as in literature or history."