Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution: Explorations of collaborative closures to environmental conflicts - Renewable energy and emerging land-use conflicts
The course will explore environmental conflicts especially related to renewable energy development and land use conflicts in the global North and South.
Global climate challenges and the transition to low-carbon societies influence planning policy and the practice of the governance at all levels of society. Different forms of renewable energy production (bio-energy, wind, solar, hydro, etc.) and related infrastructural developments are at the core of these transitions. Renewable energy developments are increasingly generating new contestations by further transforming landscapes, land use and property relations.
Content
In this course we aim to study the dynamics of these new green contestations. As such we will study the physical impacts of renewable energy projects and the competing discourses and practices expressed in these contexts e.g. regarding conservation, forestry and agriculture, livelihoods and ontologies, economy and recreation, private vs. commons etc. The course studies the contrasts and common experiences of renewable development in both the global North and South - and with a special focus on cases in Scandinavia and Latin America. The course will draw on a set of theoretical approaches including political ecology, science and technology studies, environmental governance and participatory planning.
Programme Outline
A more detailed program and invited keynote lectures will be published Spring 2019
- Introduction to energy developments and land use conflicts in the global North and South, and new understandings of energy in modern societal development.
- Approaches to land use conflicts, mapping and counter mapping, governance, knowledge, dialogue and participation.
- Cases from Norway (Sami and Southern Norway)
- Applying theory in practice: one day field excursion to a local community with wind power planning conflicts
- Two sessions of tutored PhD group: discussion and reflections of theoretical and empirical learning in relation to PhD research
- Course evaluation
Learning Outcomes
The students will learn to:
- Explore and analyze environmental conflicts
- Understand complex relations between renewable energy, land-use planning, and economic structures
- Understand different types of collaboration and their precondition
- Analyse barriers and potentials for collaboration and deliberation
- Analyse how socio-economic aspects and knowledge influence management conditions and decision
making structures
Prerequisite Knowledge
This course is aimed at PhD students with research interests in environmental and development studies, planning, natural resource management and conflict resolution. We can also take MSc students who are interested in the topic and have a suitable background, e.g. in the fields of environmental politics, forest policy and economic, environmental issues, social science or related natural resources governance. Or other advanced studies in environmental conflict situations. All students need to submit an extended abstract and CV.
Admission
Max. 30 PhD students
With your application, you must submit the following 2 attachments as Pdf documents:
- Extended Abstract and Reflection: A short description of your thesis project together with a reflection on why this course is relevant to this work (max 2000 words)
- Curriculum vitae: A copy of your CV (preferably in Europass format).
Costs
We welcome NOVA, BOVA and all other PhD students who share a research interest in the connection between renewable energy development and land use conflicts in the global North and South.
There is no course fee: The course includes a fieldtrip and lunches throughout the course. All other costs related to travel and accommodation are to be covered by the PhD students themselves.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://www.nmbu.no/en/students/nova/students/phd-courses/phd-courses-2019/node/35855