Water Politics and Governance

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This course builds knowledge on the governance of freshwater resources with emphasis on the institutional, political and organizational dimensions.

Course description

Water is central for ecosystems, human wellbeing and development. The relationship between society and water resources is critical and complex. Water issues have been historically treated as a technical problem, something to be resolved through hydraulic and engineering solutions. However, the increasing and exacerbating competition over water resources due to expanding global population, climate change and conflicting production activities raises new political and democratic challenges. Understanding water governance implies developing interdisciplinary knowledge about the different problems, approaches, perspectives and controversies related to how societies cooperate and compete over water resources.

The main objective of this course is for you to build an expert understanding of the multidimensional challenges of governance of water resources. Collectively as a class, and individually, you will develop expertise in the water governance world by engaging with the core scientific literature, discussing, and tackling real world problems and independent research activities. By the end of the course, you will have gained an understanding of the complexity of water governance: the various models of governance, its structures and institutions at multiple scales, the different values and uses of water, and the main frames and debates from multiple perspectives.

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Course level

Master

Contact hours

Language

English

Tuition fee

€545 - €1035

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course you will:
▪ Describe various principles and theories for water governance and management.
▪ Apply these to analyze different water policy and governance interventions, by analyzing them from diverse and diverging perspectives.
▪ Formulate your own analysis and suggestions regarding water-governance interventions on multiple scales: local, national and international.
▪ Synthesize and communicate your water governance expertise.
Course schedule and programme

Typically the mornings will be organized in lectures while the afternoons for seminars and self-study. The structure of each session, generally, consists of lectures at the start, where we will first highlight concepts and key questions related to the topics we are working on. In the seminars we will engage in-group discussions associated with the key issues addressed in each session. The group activities will include simulations and team work. Readings are assigned for each session and it will be essential to be well prepared in order to successfully participate and address key questions that we will tackle in the discussions. Finally, writing exercises, and debates will be an integral part of the course too. There we also be a daily excursion to the dunes (Nature Based Solution) of an Amsterdam water filtering company.
Key topics treated:
- Water politics and critical perspectives
- Neoliberalism, commodification and privatization
- Water remunicipalization
- Commons Theory and Community Irrigation Schemes
- Water Law and Water Rights
- NEXUS, Virtual Water, Water & Energy, Water and Mining
- International cooperation and water conflicts
- Global virtual water trade, water grabbing, water war and peace
Here you will be able to download the course syllabus for 2025.
^{*Please note that this is a preliminary syllabus and that it can still change before the start of the course.}
Forms of tuition and assessment
Forms of tuition

The course will further introduce you to the leading theories, concepts, proposed solutions, and current governance trends and debates of water governance. You will study challenges and opportunities on multiple scales from the global level, to regional, national, and local approaches in the Netherlands and in the Global South. Additionally, this course will feature guest speakers from diverse backgrounds, offering varied perspectives on global water challenges with a preference for water justice framings. An excursion will provide practical insights into water management in the Netherlands. By incorporating these external voices and real-world experiences, the course aims to enrich critical analysis, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the complex issues involved in water politics. Finally, the course works on academic writing and presentation skills. It represents an excellent opportunity to be fully immersed in water related debates, ideal for master and phd students as well as for professionals that have an academic interest. The general organization for the day is divided in a two hours morning lecture followed by 2 hours afternoon seminars that will include writing, debates, simulations and group discussions. Additionally there will be a full day excursion. Students will be expected to self study 3-4 hours per day during the course and additionally spend ~12 more hours to complete their essay which will be submitted the week after the end of the course.

Assessment

The workload includes three assessments:
- Active participation in the course (20%);
- Team presentation at the end of the course (30%)
- An individual written essay of 1000 words (50%). The student will discuss with the lecturer the topic of the essay which can relate to research or professional interests in connection with the topics treated in the course.
About the course organiser

Jampel Dell'Angelo is Associate Professor of Water Governance and Politics in the Department of Environmental Policy Analysis at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He is an environmental social scientist interested in the political economy of natural resources, in particular water. His research is on the multilevel dimensions of cooperation and conflict over freshwater resources.
Dell’Angelo is the Director of the Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment (SENSE).
Dell'Angelo is the Principal Investigator and Coordinator of the EU's Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN) NEWAVE 'Next Water Governance'. The NEWAVE consortium includes 10 host organizations and 19 partners from academia, the public and private sectors and organizes the research and training of 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) enrolled in different Phd programs.
Since 2021 he serves as Editor-in-Chief of World Development.