Water Diplomacy Track Electives

Instructor(s): Shafiqul Islam
Day(s): Tuesday/Thursday
Time: 12:00-1:15pm
School: School of Engineering (Engineering Science)
Concentration: Required Course
Description: 
Approaches that leverage tools and techniques from complexity science with negotiation theory for use in solving practical problems with societal relevance. Systems thinking, policy relevance and effective implementation within the context of nonlinearity, uncertainty, and unpredictability associated with coupled natural, engineered, and human systems. Integration of numbers and narratives to create actionable technological solutions with a problem-driven strategy.

Instructor(s): Maria Robinson
Day(s): Tuesday
Time: 9:00-11:30am
School: School of Arts and Sciences (Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning)
Concentration: Diplomacy/Policy
Description: 
TBD

Instructor(s): Nadim Rouhana
Day(s): Monday/Wednesday
Time: 1:30-2:50pm
School: The Fletcher School
Concentration: Economics/Policy/Diplomacy
Description: 
This course offers an overview of theories of conflict and approaches to conflict resolution. It surveys theories of conflict that originate in various disciplines including sociology, political science, international relations, social psychology, and law. It presents multiple levels of analysis to explain both inter-state and intra-state conflicts. It also reviews approaches that seek to settle and to transform the relationships of disputing parties. This course will provide an in-depth and a critical look at leading theories of conflict and conflict resolution and will explore some of the major theoretical debates in the field.

Instructor(s): Alexandra Thorn
Day(s): Friday
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
School: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Concentration: 
Description: 
Many problems in agriculture, food and nutrition are inherently geographic in nature. For example, livestock production is increasingly concentrated in large feeding operations, leading to new spatial patterns of water and air pollution or foodborne illness. Spatial clustering is equally important for food consumption, nutrition and public health, as in hunger hotspots, food deserts and disease corridors. This course will equip students with the skills needed to capture, analyze and communicate spatial data in geographic information systems (GIS), using a variety of examples from agriculture, food and nutrition

Instructor(s): Scott Horsley
Day(s): Friday
Time: 9:00-11:30am
School: School of Arts and Sciences (Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning)
Concentration: Economics/Policy/Diplomacy
Description: 
Presents a comprehensive approach to water resources management through the integration of environmental science and policy. Intended for students with or without technical backgrounds. Course examines groundwater, lake, riverine, wetland, and coastal management issues and relies heavily on practical case studies to illustrate successful methods.

Instructor(s): Elena Naumova
Day(s): Monday/Thursday
Times: Monday: 4:00- 6:00pm, Thursday 5:00-6:00pm
School: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Concentration: 
Description: 
This project-based course capitalizes on student interests to formulate research questions with understanding of data limitations, conduct multi staged data analysis, and select proper data visualization and graphical representation tools. Students will learn advanced modern analytical tools and techniques essential for analysis in a variety of disciplines such as Climate, Environment, Nutrition and Health applications (knowledge of only one of these disciplines. This course also covers research design, the scientific method, data quality and validity, data management, and research ethics in data analysis. Students should attempt to identify data sets relevant to their specific interests prior to the course. Instructor will approve data set suitability. If students cannot identify appropriate datasets, the instructor will provide a dataset. Designated time outside of the classroom is required for each student to work with the team partner to provide and receive feedback on homework assignments.

Instructor(s): Melissa McCracken
Day(s): Tuesday/Thursday
Time: 1:30-2:50pm
School: The Fletcher School
Concentration: 
Description: 
Familiarizes students with global environmental problems – and solutions – facing the international community today. Global environmental problems can be thought of as a problem that has entered into the attention of governments, scientific communities, non-governmental organizations, and the public. Often these are complex, multi-faceted issues that are significant enough to be addressed by the global international community. While many of these issues can exist at multiple scales, our focus in this class will be on the international scale. The course is divided into two main sections: Foundations for Environmental Problem Solving and Environmental Problems and Solutions. The first section considers what environmental problems are, as well as the policy and quantitative tools used for addressing various environmental problems. Once there is a common foundation for discussing environmental problems, the course uses the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals to consider several global environmental problems. Through these discussions, we will explore the significant aspects of an environmental problem, some of its dominant solutions, as well as tools and skills that can contribute to solving the problem. This course aims to cover a breadth of environmental problems and policies to serve as a foundation for further exploration of these topics in other Fletcher courses.

Instructor(s): Aram Mourad Donigian
Day(s): Wednesday
Time: 6:00-9:00pm
School: School of Arts and Sciences (Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning)
Concentration: Diplomacy
Description: 
Techniques of negotiation and mediation applied to a broad range of conflict situations from interpersonal differences to labor relations, environmental disputes, and international relations. Combines practice in basic methods with theoretical and applied aspects of conflict resolution.

Instructor(s): Melissa McCracken
Day(s): TBD
Time: TBD
School: The Fletcher School
Concentration: 
Description: 
This is a seminar-style course to introduce students to the concept of water security. Water security is a relatively new term in the field of water science and policy, and it is a concept with multiple interpretations. One definition by the Global Water Partnership is “Water Security, at any level from the household to the global, means that every person has access to enough safe water at an affordable cost to lead a clean, healthy, and productive life while ensuring that the natural environment is protected and enhanced.” Since the early 2000s, the term has been used in increasing popularity often as justification or informing technical or policy solutions to the world’s water challenges. How the term is applied in these situations depends on its interpretation, making a solid understanding of the underlying concepts of water security important for decision-makers. Ultimately, water security is a concept that allows us to consider the risks associated with water, such as the risk of a lack of access, risk of poor quality, or risk of flood, and to develop solutions to address these risks, thereby ensuring one’s water security. However, water security is often conflated with the idea of securitization, which has the potential to encourage a securitized approach to water resources management, when interdependence and cooperation are often what is needed to ensure water security for all. This course will take a deep dive into the main concepts and theories underlying the term water security. We will use the Web of Water Security (Zeitoun 2011) as a framework for understanding how water relates to climate, energy, food, human, and national securities, plus consider the economics of water and address environmental water needs. This course aims to help students build an understanding of water security as a concept so that they can use it as a tool to evaluate and inform sustainable and equitable water solutions to the global water crisis we are currently facing.

Instructor(s): Gerald R Weitz
Day(s): TBD
Time: TBD
School: The Fletcher School
Concentration: Economics/Policy/Diplomacy
Description: 
Over 90% of international trade is carried by sea – the lifeblood of globalization. The world’s oceans also present a myriad of opportunities and challenges in international affairs, such as territorial disputes, opening Arctic sea routes, piracy, terrorism, strained fisheries, mineral and energy extraction, marine disasters, whaling, maritime security and technological advances in maritime domain awareness. The course will explore these issues and other maritime topics based on individual student interests. Course format is lecture and discussion. Writing and speaking skills receive considerable attention. No prerequisites other than a lively curiosity.

Instructor(s): Alexandra Thorn
Day(s): TBD
Time: TBD
School: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Concentration: 
Description: 
Many problems in agriculture, food and nutrition are inherently geographic in nature. For example, livestock production is increasingly concentrated in large feeding operations, leading to new spatial patterns of water and air pollution or foodborne illness. Spatial clustering is equally important for food consumption, nutrition and public health, as in hunger hotspots, food deserts and disease corridors. This course will equip students with the skills needed to capture, analyze and communicate spatial data in geographic information systems (GIS), using a variety of examples from agriculture, food and nutrition.

Instructor(s): Richard Hooper
Day(s): TBD
Time: TBD
School: School of Engineering (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Concentration: Analytical Methods
Description: 
Mathematical models of water resource and environmental systems are presented in combination with optimization procedures, decision theory, and environmental applied statistics to generate an integrated approach to the planning, design, and management of complex water resources systems. Water resources systems applications are formulated as decision problems where an optimal solution is sought, yet cost, safety, environment, and technology appear as competing constraints. Applications include regional water quality management; siting treatment plants; reservoir system operations; and design, irrigation, flood control, and watershed planning.

Instructor(s): Mihaela Papa
Day(s): TBD
Time: TBD
School: The Fletcher School
Concentration: Economics/Policy/Diplomacy
Description: 
Sustainable development diplomacy course examines how to integrate economic, environmental and social equity goals in foreign policy-making. It discusses the emergence of sustainable development as a concept and international institutions and negotiation processes that facilitate its implementation. Focusing on climate, water and forest diplomacy, we address a range of themes including UN climate negotiations, climate finance, environmental refugees, public-private cooperation, and water governance. The course also analyzes China and BRICS-led approaches to sustainable development and their new banks. It offers insights from practice, trainings in mutual gains negotiations and complex UN multiparty negotiations. Students develop expertise in policy analysis and planning, strategic thinking and feedback management.

Instructor(s): Amy Myers Jaffe
Day(s): TBD
Time: TBD
School: The Fletcher School
Concentration: 
Description: 
Energy affects every dimension of human society and it is crucial for economic prosperity. Energy is at the heart of economic development strategies, national security challenges, and intractable environmental problems. This review course maps how challenges and opportunities differ among countries, exploring basic differences between industrialized and developing countries. The policies of major energy producers and consumers are compared. The focus is on oil and gas, but renewable energy sources are also considered. Topics include: energy and the world economy, the geopolitics of oil and gas, energy markets, energy policy and economic development, climate change, technological change and the future of energy.

Instructor(s): Jette Knudsen
Day(s): TBD
Time: TBD
School: The Fletcher School
Concentration: 
Description: 
Western firms with activities in developing countries are increasingly held responsible for a range of issues such as climate change, labor rights and human rights that have previously been seen as outside a firm’s sphere of influence. The course explores the drivers of this development as well as social implications for corporations and society. The course examines the following broad questions: What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? What are some of the main drivers of this new CSR agenda? How can CSR activities best be regulated at home and abroad and by whom? What are new CSR issues and challenges?