About this course

The course consists of topics relevant to development and environmental governance in India: Introduction to Indian society and culture Political organisation and governance systems, Public policies and governance, Desert ecology and livelihoods, decentralised governance and the Kerala model of development, climate change and environmental challenges in a below sea level ecosystem, disaster risk reduction and management of climate induced disasters. The course will be conducted in two different locations in India. The course includes lectures and discussions, field visits,meetings with relevant actors/stakeholders, reflections and write-ups by students. The course includes report writing and presentation by students.

Learning outcome

The course is aimed at providing overall understanding of development and enviromental issues in India including disaster risk reduction and management. The candidates will get advanced knowledge of the interconnected nature of environment and development issues.

The candidates will develop knowledge and skills to work with rural and urban issues in development and environmental governance, advanced understanding of the synergy between state and civil society organisations in India in implementing development and environmental policies and programmes, developing skills in field work in a developing country context.

The candidates will be able to understand field issues, and communicate it to both researchers and civil society in general.

  • Learning activities

    Lectures,discussions, field visits, seminars, field work in rural and/or urban environments in India, group work and report preparation under the supervision of mentors.

  • Teaching support

    Daily contact between students and teachers.

  • Syllabus

    The literature includes the following: (Supplementary literature may be handed out by relevant teachers when necessary).

    Chamola, S.D., 2012, Introduction, In: Bharati, A. and Chamola, S.D. (eds), Agriculture and Rural Development in India: Some Emerging Issues, New Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House, P-1-22.

    Dharma Rajan, Priyadarsanan, 2008, Elixir of Life, Editorial, Vembanad, ATREE Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue 1.

    Gopa Kumar, G., 2013, Civil Society-Politics Interface: The Kerala Experience, New Delhi: Manak Publications, Chapter 1: Civil Society: A Theoretical Debate, Page 1-51 and Chapter 2, page 52-119: Towards Building a Civil Society in Kerala.

    Iyengar, Sudarshan, Rethinking Human Behavior in Modern Economics: A Gandhian Perspective, Chapter 5, In:

    Kannan, K P. 2018. Kerala in Transition: Essays in Economy, Polity and Society. Thiruvanananthapuram: Laurie Baker Centre for Habitat Stuides and Centre of Science and Technology for Rural Development.

    Kannan, K.P. and jain, Varinder, 2013, Historic Initiative, Limited by Design and Implementation: A National Overview of the Implementation of NREGA, In: Kannan, K.P and Bremen, Jan, The Long Road to Social Security, Chapter 2: New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

    Krishna Kumar, K and Dharma Rajan, Priyadarsanan, 2012, Fish and Fisheries in Vembanad Lake: Consolidated Report of Vembanad Fish count 2008- 2011, Community Environment Resource Centre (CERC), Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Alappuzha.

    Omkarnath, G., 2012, Economics: A Primer for India, Delhi: Orient Blackswan

    Parameshwaran, M., 2011, Financial Crisis and Kerala Economy, CDS Working paper No. 441.

    Patterson, Cody, 2010, ¿Matsyathavalam¿ or ¿Home of Fishes¿: A democratic approach towards conserving fishes and livelihoods, www.atree.org/matsyathavalam

    Singh, S., Joshi, V. and Joshi, K.N, 2013, Working of the Employment Guarantee Scheme in Rajasthan: Some grassroots experiences, Chapter 6, In: Pankaj, A.K. (ed), Right to Work and Rural India: Working of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS), New Delhi: Sage.

    Verma, H. L., 2012, India¿s Growth Vision: Liberalized Economy and People¿s Participation, In: Bharati, A. and Chamola, S.D. (eds), Agriculture and Rural Development in India: Some Emerging Issues, New Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House, P. 25-42.

  • Prerequisites

    Master level in International Environmental Studies, Global Development Studies, International Relations, Economics, and Agroecology, Landscape Architecture, Public Health, or other relevant fields; or advanced Bachelor level in International Environment and Development Studies.

  • Recommended prerequisites

    EDS312: Research Methods

  • Assessment method

    Individual Report submitted based on group work and group presentation - 100% (A-F).

    Report Karakterregel: Letter grades

  • About use of AI

    K1: Use of AI is not permitted in the group presentations and in the Individual reports submitted.

    Descriptions of AI-category codes.

  • Examiner scheme

    The Field work based Report submitted by individual student will be evaluated by the course teacher.

  • Mandatory activity

    1. 80% attendance in the lectures, seminars and field visits

    Submission of field notes

    2. Group work including literature/data collection and anaysis, report writing and presentation.

  • Notes

    The course is a cooperation between NMBU and the partner institutions in India and is offered in India for 4 weeks.

    Students apply for the course to the department in autumn.

  • Teaching hours

    The course will consist of approx. 40 hours of lectures, 50 hours of field visits, 20 hours of reflections and writing field notes,50 hours of literature/data collection-analysis-writing Research report and approx.90 hours of selfstudy.

  • Preferential right

    M-DS, M-IES, M-IR, M- Agroecology

  • Reduction of credits

    No overlap

  • Admission requirements

    Relevant Bachelor degree or equivalent.