Environment, Development and Peace

UPM 6001-UPEACE Foundation Course

3Credits

The UPEACE Foundation Course provides a critical and concise introduction to the broad field of “Peace Studies” for students in all UPEACE programmes. It initially addresses key conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of the origins and development of peace studies as an interdisciplinary area within the fields of international relations and political economy, as well as a basic understanding of conflict analysis. Based on a critical analysis of policies, strategies, policies, institutions, organizations and movements, the course then examines a range of core issues, dimensions, perspectives and paradigms for understanding the root causes of conflicts and violence and constructive strategies to address them and build peace in contemporary global, international, regional, national and local contexts, including: conflict management, conflict resolution and conflict transformation; alternative discourse analysis; militarization and disarmament; human rights violations and promotion; gender inequalities, gender-based violence and gender mainstreaming; structural violence, human security, development and globalization; environmental sustainability; corporate social responsibility; cultural and religious identities; media’s role in conflict and peacebuilding; strategies of nonviolence; and peace education. This Foundations course will be essential in catalyzing the awareness, understanding and motivation of UPEACE students from diverse academic programmes to relate, ground or intersect their specific areas of academic and practitioner interest with core theoretical, conceptual and analytical ideas in peace studies.

DED-6007-Environment, Conflicts, and Sustainability

3Credits

This course will take a close look at the linkages between the environment and peace and conflict. First we will introduce the theme of global environmental change and its impacts on human security, development and life in general. We will discuss the different root causes of these environmental and social or development crises as they come forward in the literature, focusing on overpopulation, industrial development, and free market capitalism and globalization. Part of this discussion will be an analysis of the responses to this crisis and what can, should and is being done to stop it.

A second theme we will discuss is the way sustainability is defined and measured, analyzing different aspects of the political characteristics of measuring, and of the complexities around coming up and using indicators to measure something as complex as sustainability. We will analyze the often proposed focus based on the faith on technological efficiency, and demonstrate that technology by itself won’t solve the sustainability problem with regards to the environmental and social dimensions.

A third main theme of this course is to look at the different linkages between environment and violent conflicts. We will discuss the literature on environmental security, going from older frameworks of scarcity induced conflicts to more complex notions of natural resource abundance, globalization, and historical, political, ecological and economic issues that influence peace and conflicts. The topic of environmental peacebuilding will be presented and critically analyzed. We will make use of specific case studies that give insights into the often contradictory roles of the environment and natural resources when analyzing peace and conflicts.

UPM 6003-The United Nations System and UPMUNC (Part I)

2Credits

The course is intended to familiarize students with the creation, objectives, evolution, main entities and principal areas of work of the United Nations system. The course will look in some detail at the United Nations Charter and the functions of the UN’s principal organs, before delving into the UN’s work in spurring cooperation to address a number of key contemporary global challenges, such as those in the areas of sustainable development, international migration and large-scale refugee flows, and climate change and environmental degradation.

DED 6038 -Water Security and Peace

3Credits

This course uses two dominant framings of water – water security and water governance – as an opportunity to examine the social and environmental nature of water. First, the course introduces both frameworks critically analyzing their ideas, meanings and histories. The course then examines water, which involves the notion of the hydrological cycle. Through the lenses of the two theories the course will discuss key features of water such as actors (e.g., states), dimensions (e.g., political, economic, social, cultural), institutions (e.g., policy and law) and relations (e.g., power relations, and gendered relations). Then, the course turns to examine whether, how and to what extent water, security and peace are intertwined, focusing on involvements at multiple scales to improve the sustainability and equity of water use and distribution. The course will be interactive and will consist in presentations by the lecture, readings, oral quizzes, guest lectures, group works; and presentations by the students. The course also include a multi-day field trip to learn about water governance, competing users, conflicts, policy, law and management in Costa Rica. The syllabus and course format draw from the work and ideas of the former instructor of this class, Julie Watson.

DED 6022-Sustainable Agriculture

3Credits

In this course we will become familiar with contemporary issues in sustainable agriculture and critically analyze key debates in the field. To provide context to our discussions, we will situate the emergence of sustainable agricultural practices within their historic contexts. To identify contemporary issues in sustainable agriculture and key debates, we will be guided by the United Nations post-2015 development agenda. Throughout our course students will examine contemporary issues through a critical review of the published literature and through hands-on experience at the UPEACE farm, as well as with farmers and representatives of small-scale agribusinesses.

NRD 6092 -Management of Coastal Resources

3Credits

This course will provide a brief introduction to the particularities of coastal and oceanic resources and ecologies. Second, we will investigate the unique attributes of the human economic, social, and cultural systems (i.e. fishing, fisherman and fishing cultures) that are most directly dependent upon them. Among the many topics within this section, the course will specifically focus on understanding artisanal fisheries, large-scale/industrial fishing, and aquaculture, as well as the differences and conflicts that exist between these methods of resource extraction. Third, a broad overview of the development of the current resource crises and conflicts will be presented and examined via case studies from throughout the globe. Fourth, the evolution of and trends in coastal and marine management over the last century will also be a central aspect of this course.  

Thus, we will explore the evolution from traditional top-down models to the implementation of stakeholder inclusion participation, and comanagment. We will also thoroughly review the role of marine parks, protected areas, and no-take reserves in the management and conservation of coastal resources. Finally, through practical exercises, guest lectures, and field visits, students will be able to explore the complex nexus of relations between humans and coastal/marine resources as it applies to Latin America and the case of Costa Rica.  

In sum, students in this course will gain insight into and knowledge of how we have moved from the naïve perspectives of Mare Liberum and the inexhaustibility of oceanic resources, which were predominant in the 19th century, to the increasingly complex layers of marine tenure systems, marine protected areas, and precautionary approaches that characterize contemporary 21st century marine and coastal resource

NRD 6075-Forests, Forestry and Poverty

3Credits

Deforestation is seen by many as one of the main global environmental challenges of our times, because of its significant impact on biodiversity and its important contribution to Global Warming. This course analyzes the way deforestation has been and is being explained by both mainstream and alternative narratives, critically engages with the way it is defined and measured, and discusses the various attempts in stopping or reducing it. Additionally, this course takes a look at the links between poverty and deforestation, some of the possible strategies to reduce poverty through forest-based activities, and analyzes and discusses the importance of forests for humans and the challenges faced by those who try to manage them sustainably.

DED-6023-Research Methods

3Credits

In this course we will critically examine research methodology. Our course is designed to take student sequentially through the process of thinking about and designing research. Together, we will explore the basic structure of research and examine the philosophical origins of different research approaches. I will guide students as they learn to link different information-gathering methods to different research approaches. My emphasis will be on qualitative research methodology but we will introduce quantitative data gathering and sampling. To ensure that students gain hands on experience with the process of developing methodologies and implementing different information gathering procedures, I will complement lectures with workshops where students will learn by doing. Furthermore, I believe that learning about methods requires analyzing how these methods have worked (or not) in real world case studies; thus, in class discussions of current case studies will complement workshops and lectures.

DED 6037- Climate Change Governance

3Credits

Global governance of human-induced climate change is a hotly debated subject. Current climate policy mechanisms are the result of a series of complex, long-lasting negotiation processes at multiple levels of governance. The resultant decisions about global environmental governance, which impact socio-economic, cultural and ethical consequences of climate change, are determined by: the availability of relevant science on the Earth’s climate system and anthropogenically driven changes,

• effective science-policy interfacing mechanisms,

• the structure of multi-level organizations that enables cooperation and political relations

• and the existence of appropriate legal instruments of international environmental law.  

This course examines climate change governance by looking at the interaction between these multiple elements, beginning with an overview of the history of scientific evidence of impacts from anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on the climate and biosphere (ecosystems), to understanding the multilateral, regional, national and sub-national governance decision making spheres, including its various stakeholders. Special attention will be drawn to climate impacts on especially vulnerable ecosystems (like poles and the ocean), which by nature require special governance instruments.

UPM-6003-The United Nations System and UPMUNC (Part II)

1Credits

The UPEACE Model United Nations Conference (UPMUNC) is the second part of a composite three credit course that begins with the two-credit introductory course on the United Nations System, taught in the first semester. Through a simulation of UN bodies, committees, procedures, and codes of conduct, this immersive and experiential educational exercise encourages the application of knowledge gained in previous courses, including an understanding of the objectives and functions of the United Nations system, as well as the development of professional skills related to research, public speaking, negotiation, mediation of conflict, and the preparation of official documents.   

Historically, the conference has been open to outside participants from colleges and universities both regionally and internationally, presenting additional possibilities for networking, dialogue, and educational exchange among all participants. UPMUNC is further enriched by special events, which typically include a panel of invited speakers, a diplomatic reception, an awards ceremony, and a closing celebration.    

NRD 6083-Natural Resource Management Field Course

3Credits

This class is an opportunity to explore in-depth how different land-uses and conservation approaches intermingle in one particular region: the South of Costa Rica.  The purpose of the field trip is to obtain critical direct experience and knowledge of important natural resources management issues in a developing country, given the real political, economic and ecological context of the same. This course enables students to assess the contextual factors that affect natural resource management. Over the course of the trip, we will visit and be exposed to projects and issues with various resources, different actors involved in the management and different institutional settings.

DED 6044-Measuring Sustainability

1Credits

The term “sustainable development” was coined over thirty years ago, and imagined as a way of redirecting development by incorporating social justice, equity, and environmental concerns into conceptions of development that had focused primarily on economic growth. This led to a proliferation in definitions of what sustainability means or could mean, in indicators of sustainability. The terms sustainability and sustainable development have been adopted and integrated by a huge variety of different actors. Nevertheless, many would argue that little overall real change has taken place. The environmental crisis and growing social and economic inequalities are still paramount. Furthermore, there is much debate about how one can “measure” anything as complex as sustainability, and about the politics of who is doing or asking for the measuring. This class will explore the merits and shortcomings of the idea of sustainability, explore the politics from different perspectives and worldviews, and analyze the simplification inherent in measuring, give an overview of mainstream and alternative sets of indicators and other assessment tools.

DED-6024-Food Security

3Credits

The objective of this course is to first explore the nature of our food systems and the paradox of why, despite the apparent scientific and technological developments in agriculture enabling production of a worldwide food surplus, food insecurity is increasing globally. Secondly, students will explore what needs to change in our food systems in order to reach a goal of sustainable food security.

To achieve these two objectives, students will be encouraged to explore food security from a household and community perspective in order to understand the environmental factors that contribute to food insecurity. This knowledge-building process will be done through group tasks in the classroom and in the field. Students will be expected to undertake practical work to assess the situation of households vulnerable to food insecurity, hopefully in two locations, one urban and one rural. The course emphasizes “learning by doing” and so there will be field trips to two locations to meet vulnerable households and to assess successful local research initiatives which are increasing household and community food security.

Group work in the class will address defining food security and what constitutes a healthy sustainable food system. In addition, there will be group work, for example, in exploring the causes of famines, the issue of food justice and a right to food, the problems of food aid, and the implications of commoditization of our food systems. To bring out opposing viewpoints on food issues, part of the group work will be organized as debates. The intention of the course is to emphasise experiential learning rather than focus on formal lectures although there will be an initial presentation by the instructor on a food security topic prior to each workshop session. Hopefully, students will have gained both practical skills and theoretical knowledge about hunger, famine and food security and will feel confident and empowered to address these issues directly or indirectly in their future work.

UPE 6074-Introduction to Citizen Advocacy Journalism

1Credits

This is a brief introductory course on citizen journalism and is geared toward those who want to be informed, and to inform others, about important societal issues without influence from corporate or political entities. It should be of special interest to all who are involved in public health, social justice, economic justice, environmentalism, human rights, and international relations.

GPB 6043-Gender, Human Security, and Development

3Credits

This course focuses on the interconnectedness of the work of human security and development with its gendered dimensions. It aims to engage with the notion of human security to elaborate on how people’s livelihoods, their well-being, and concerns such as those related to the environment, food, and health, among others, are directly related to the gendered ways in which they have been approached. It also delves into feminist analyses of development issues, and explores gender inequalities in the areas of education, labor force, mortality, and more.

DED 6043 -Urban Sustainability

3Credits

Urban sustainability goes beyond how "green" a city is. This course will be based on SDG #11, and will provide an understanding on how sustainability in cities is a multi-variable concept, interconnected with issues such as urban planning, transport planning and design, social and gender inequality, climate action, health, economic development, among others. You will learn from case studies, site visits and the experience of experts in the field, in addition to gaining tools and developing skills that will help you propose strategies, projects and policies to improve your community, town or city in order to make it more sustainable.

RMSED 6048-Transition to a Low Carbon Economy

2Credits

This class is a leadership development program centred on the topic of ‘transition’ to a low carbon, sustainable and just economy and explores the disruptive implications of transition for all aspects of society and the economy.  The political, economic, social, technological, legal and ecological drivers for transition are discussed and debated and students are encouraged to consider the implications of these drivers for social/community systems, financial/capital systems, energy systems, transportation systems, food systems, water systems and urban/infrastructure systems around the world.  Students will learn basic principles of strategy and design, and explore approaches to effective leadership and cooperation across sectors: public, private and civil society.  The importance of an inter-disciplinary and entrepreneurial mindset to addressing challenges and enhancing value through sustainable innovation will be explored with reference to case studies and the personal interests of students in the class.

DED 6029 - Climate Adaptation and Climate Justice

3Credits

In the first part of the course, students will analyze and discuss different theoretical and conceptual approaches to daptation to climate change; these include: mitigation, adaptation, transformation, and resilience. We will then examine climate justice and human rights. Next, we will examine climate justice movements led by indigenous peoples, women, and youth. Lastly, we will focus on one key climate justice project and create and present a funding campaign for this project.

DIL-6127-UN Environmental Diplomacy and Sustainable Development

2Credits

The purpose of this course, in the first instance, is to develope understanding of the concept of sustainable development and its evolution in the past decades and the importance of the mainstreaming it into national development plans and strategies. In order to achieve that objective, it is essential to understand the UN System structure and how negotiations are conducted in various UN organs, between Members States of the UN and groups of countries, to develop agendas and programmes like Agenda 21 and various international environmental conventions (UNFCCC, UNCBD and UNCCD) and how various sustainable development treaties and agendas like the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are formulated through diplomatic processes and efforts. Emphasis would be laid on developing understanding of the negotiating processes in the UN for formulating agendas and plans. Rol on non-governmental actors, private sectors and others will also be explained.