International Institute of Social History (IISG) Campuses

The International Institute of Social History (IISG) in Amsterdam primarily functions as a world-renowned research institute and archive rather than a traditional university campus offering degree programs. However, it supports advanced scholarly activities, workshops, and specialized training sessions focused on social history, labor history, and archival research methodologies. These offerings are designed for researchers, historians, PhD candidates, and professionals interested in the global history of social movements, working-class studies, and international socialism.

• Archival Research Methods: This core course introduces participants to the institute's vast collections, including over 35 million pages of documents, posters, and photographs. Learners explore cataloging techniques, digital preservation, and ethical handling of historical materials from the 18th century onward, with emphasis on European and international labor archives.
• Social History of Labor Movements: A comprehensive program delving into the evolution of trade unions, strikes, and worker rights across continents. Sessions cover key events like the Industrial Revolution, the rise of anarchism and socialism, and 20th-century decolonization struggles, using primary sources from the IISG's holdings.
• Digital Humanities in Historical Research: Focused on leveraging the institute's digital platforms, this workshop teaches data visualization, text mining, and online curation of social history datasets. Participants learn to analyze digitized pamphlets, newspapers, and correspondence from global protest movements.
• International Socialism and Anarchism Studies: An in-depth exploration of ideological developments, featuring case studies on figures like Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg, and Emma Goldman. The course includes seminars on transnational networks, anti-fascist resistance, and contemporary relevance to modern activism.
• Preservation and Conservation of Historical Documents: Practical training in restoring fragile artifacts, climate-controlled storage, and legal frameworks for archival access. This is particularly relevant for materials from non-Western contexts, such as Asian and African labor histories preserved at the IISG.

These programs, often conducted in collaboration with universities like the University of Amsterdam, span from short intensive workshops (1-2 weeks) to semester-long research residencies. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating history with sociology, economics, and political science. Participants gain hands-on experience in the institute's state-of-the-art reading rooms and digital labs, fostering skills in critical analysis and source interpretation. With a focus on open-access scholarship, IISG courses promote the democratization of historical knowledge, encouraging contributions to global dialogues on inequality and social justice. Over 300 scholars annually engage in these activities, benefiting from expert guidance by the institute's curators and historians. The programs underscore the IISG's mission to preserve and interpret the records of ordinary people's struggles, making complex historical narratives accessible and relevant today. This unique educational environment not only builds research expertise but also inspires a deeper understanding of how past social dynamics shape current global challenges.