EDS430 Environment and Development Studies for and by PhD Students

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Esben Leifsen

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Limits of class size:12

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:250 hours

Teaching and exam period:This course is taught in the Autumn parallel. Evaluation will normally be completed before the end of the year.

About this course

The course consists of a series of seminars where the candidates discuss different books and articles. All participants will have the role as chair and discussants in the various seminars. In addition, participants will write book reviews of a selection of books/articles. Topics discussed may include: the state and governmentality; the postcolony; markets and neoliberalism; political agronomy; property and institutions; nature as agent; and nature conservation, communities, participation and resistance. Each reading will first be introduced by a lecturer familiar with the reading. The candidates will also write a final paper of 4000 words where one's own PhD project is discussed in relation to the course literature.

Learning outcome

The main objective of this introductory PhD course is to provide PhD candidates in international environment and development studies with a broad and solid interdisciplinary basis for understanding environment-development relations, together with insight into basic knowledge and critical approaches to development theory, policies and practices, with due regard to the diversity and complexity of the real world. The course presents theory and approaches that seek to integrate political, economic, cultural and ecological dimensions of change at both global and local levels. There will be feedback on the book reviews.
  • The course adopts a participatory approach in that the lecturers and candidates work together. The course consists of lectures by teachers and candidate seminars with the participation of a teacher. The course will also train candidates in analysing texts in writing and in discussions.

    Campus based teaching - no streaming

  • Discussions between students, and between staff and students.
  • Participants should hold an Master degree or equivalent. Participants should also be admitted to a PhD programme.
  • Combined assessment: Book and/or article reviews of 1000 words each and a final paper of 4000 words.
  • Written assignments and oral presentations during the course are evaluated by the course responsible or an internal examiner. In addition, an external examiner will evaluate a sample of the final essay submissions. The candidate should pass all written assignments to successfully complete the course.
  • Oblig 1 Active participation in at least 80% of the seminars

    Oblig 2 Take on the roles as both chair and discussant

  • Organized seminar acitivty will take place in September and October.
  • The course will be based on a series of 8-10 seminars (two hours each).
  • PHD-IEDS, PHD-SDP
  • Passed / Not Passed
  • Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)