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The Science and Politics of International Water Management, Part I
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:25:08
Abstract
The participants in this seminar first acquire basic skills for assessing and explaining success or failure in national and international freshwater management (HS08). They then write a paper on a case of their choice and present the results in the second part of the seminar (FS09).In HS08, the seminar will take place on:8 and 22 October 20085 and 19 November 20081:15pm - 5:00pm, CHN P.12.
Objective
Acquire the skills for assessing and explaining variation in success or failure of national and international freshwater management.
Content
Rivers and lakes are crucial to human survival and well-being. They provide drinking and household water as well as water for irrigation, industrial activity, and energy production; freshwater fauna is an important element in many countries’ food supply and rivers and lakes are the base of most aquatic ecosystems; rivers and lakes are sinks for the disposal of industrial and household waste, and they serve as important routes of transportation. Most of the world’s large rivers and lakes have catchment areas that reach beyond national boundaries: in fact, only 4 out of the 19 largest rivers on Earth originate in, and flow through, the same country. Consequently, sustainable utilization of these waters hinges on international cooperation that successfully integrates up-to-date scientific knowledge into political action. The key questions addressed in this seminar are: Under what conditions are riparian countries able to initiate cooperative processes for preserving or sustainably managing vital water resources? Under what conditions is international cooperation effective or efficient or successful in terms to be defined? What strategies can be or are in fact used to share water resources for consumptive use (e.g., irrigation), to reduce or avoid chemical contamination of rivers and lakes, to safeguard, in an ecologically sensible manner, against flooding, and to produce hydro-electric power without excessively damaging the environment?
Resources
Lecture Notes
To be distributed to participants electronically or as hard-copy during the first meeting.
Literature
To be distributed to participants electronically or as hard-copy during the first meeting.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DS , DR , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- ungraded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar |
The Science and Politics of International Water Management, Part I
Permission from lecturers required for all students.
The seminar is limited to 25 participants on a first-come-first-serve basis. There will be four meetings, four hours each, 1pm-5pm.
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16 h semesterly |
Offered In
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Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (In order to be awarded credits, please register under "Pflichtwahlfach GESS"!. The language courses are offered by the ETH and University of Zurich Language Center.)
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