ENV 963 (Tentative) () (Tentative) / 2025-2026

Case Studies in Water Management: Conflict and Cooperation

Credits: 3

Water management largely operates at local to regional scales (with some important exceptions), so it is particularly suited to a case-study approach that delves into the unique specificities of particular locations while also trying to extract lessons that can be applied to other locations. Course content consists of case studies presented by the instructor, guest lecturers, and students, along with background lectures on underlying principles. This year’s iteration of the course will use water conflict and cooperation as our lens, delving into the ways that water scarcity, flooding, and water quality can lead to conflict at different scales (from local to international), and how those conflictual interactions can be shifted towards more cooperative, just, and sustainable outcomes. Students are expected to prepare a semester-long case study of their own choosing with ongoing guidance from the instructor. This advanced course is designed primarily for students who have already taken a water management course, though other students will be admitted as space permits. For second-year MEM students with an appropriate background, this course can qualify as a capstone course. Can be taken more than once.