PTR Alumni Stories: Meet Tosca Berkhout
I came to the Peace, Trauma, and Religion (PTR) master’s programme after completing a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Utrecht University, with a gap year of travel in between. The dynamic interplay between religion and conflict has long been one of my main interests. In fact, it was the reason I chose to study religion in the first place. Although I did not grow up religious, apart from the occasional church visit during Easter or Christmas, religious education classes in high school piqued my curiosity.
During my bachelor’s studies, I became fascinated by how different religions understand the world and their place in it. I was particularly interested in the influential role the media play in shaping public perceptions of religion, especially in relation to the often-heated debates surrounding violence perpetrated by religious groups. An exchange semester in Helsinki, Finland further deepened my interests for state and church dynamics. As a result, my bachelor thesis focused on the relationship between Russia and the Orthodox Church, examining how patriotic education shapes national identity.
Since my bachelor’s studies only scratched the surface of this topic, the PTR master’s seemed like the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into conflict dynamics, as well as the aftermath of peace processes and the healing of religious trauma. The programme has been particularly valuable in this regard as its interdisciplinary approach and the many perspectives of both lecturers and fellow students from different cultural and religious backgrounds have challenged me to look beyond my own frame of reference. It has broadened my understanding in understanding the duality that religion brings to the table in times of conflict, whereby it can act as a legitimizer of the violence but also serve as a powerful tool for reconciliation and healing.
During my master’s, my focus has increasingly shifted towards the effects of colonialism on religious practices. For my thesis, I have researched one particular ritual practised by the Mapuche, the largest Indigenous group in Chile, which plays a role in recreating a new sense of belonging in urban areas after forced migration to cities. It reflects the larger question of how Indigenous groups who have been forcibly removed from their homelands can redefine and re-establish themselves in urban areas.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue my academic journey in Helsinki, where I am planning to start a research master’s in the social sciences, focusing on understanding conflicts and peace processes in a new light. In doing so, I hope to combine the knowledge of religion I have gained over the past years with a broader social science perspective, allowing me to understand the role of religion within conflicts and peace processes in their full societal context.
About author:
Tosca Berkhout
My name is Tosca Berkhout and I am 23 years old. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies (UU) and Master of Arts in Theology and Religious Studies (VU), track Peace, Trauma, Religion. I am currently living in Utrecht but from September 2027 onwards in Helsinki, Finland to continue my studies.
Contact: toscaberkhout@outlook.com
