Water Politics and Governance Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Overview

Water is central for ecosystems, human wellbeing and development. The relationship between society and water resources is critical and complex. 

Water issues have been historically treated as a technical problem, something to be resolved through hydraulic and engineering solutions. However, the increasing and exacerbating competition over water resources due to expanding global population, climate change and conflicting production activities raises new political and democratic challenges. 

Understanding water governance implies developing interdisciplinary knowledge about the different problems, approaches, perspectives and controversies related to how societies cooperate and compete over water resources.

Key Facts

The main objective of this Water Politics and Governance course from VU Amsterdam Summer School  is for you to build an expert understanding of the multidimensional challenges of governance of water resources. Collectively as a class, and individually, you will develop expertise in the water governance world by engaging with the core scientific literature, discussing, and tackling real world problems and independent research activities. 

By the end of the course, you will have gained an understanding of the complexity of water governance: the various models of governance, its structures and institutions at multiple scales, the different values and uses of water, and the main frames and debates from multiple perspectives.