1. Demonstrate knowledge and a wide understanding of the complex interconnections between climate change and conflict at the local, regional and global levels.

2. Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of water in local, regional and international politics.

3. Develop research, analytical and communication skills through engaging in an in-depth project into a relevant case study.

4. Develop communication skills by presenting findings of the research project in a class presentation

5. Provide critical, well-researched and developed pieces of work in appropriate

academic style.

1 x 2000 word Research Report delivered first as seminar presentation on a relevant case study(50%) Requiring extensive research, analysis, critical reflection, the construction of an argument responding to the question as well as planning, drafting and referencing. Learning Outcomes Knowledge and understanding, enquiry, analysis, learning; application, enquiry, problem-solving, communication, reflection.

1 x 2000 word essay (50%) Essay requiring extensive research, analysis, critical reflection, the construction of an argument responding to the question as well as planning, drafting and referencing. Learning Outcomes Knowledge and understanding, enquiry, analysis, learning; application, enquiry, problem-solving, communication, reflection.

Key Information Set Data:
100% coursework

The impact of climate change - melting glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels, low water tables, extreme weather events, desertification – all can result in tensions. Human responses to climate change such as the building of hydro-electric dams can themselves cause conflict. Whilst there is no consensus within the literature as to the strength of the causal link between climate change and conflict, there is little doubt that environmental stress can exacerbate social and political tensions particularly around the issue of water which is essential to human life. Tensions over dwindling fresh water supplies at a local level echo regional disputes over river flows as dams are constructed. At the international level, as ice melts into water in the polar regions new tensions in geo-politics emerge and the rising sea-levels which result threaten the very existence of small island states and the potential loss of low-lying coastal land and major centres of population. Climate change migration can lead to further issues of human insecurity and tensions over water and other resources in receiving countries. You will examine those tensions from the poles to the equator at the local, regional, state and global levels.

The impact of climate change - melting glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels, low water tables, extreme weather events, desertification – all can result in tensions. Human responses to climate change such as the building of hydro-electric dams can themselves cause conflict. It is these issues, all related to water, which you will be studying on this module. Whilst the causal link between climate change and conflict is disputed, environmental stress can exacerbate tensions. Conflict over local fresh water supplies echo regional disputes over river flows. At the international level, as ice melts into water in the polar regions new tensions in geo-politics emerge and the rising sea-levels which result threaten the very existence of small island states. Climate change migration can lead to further issues of human insecurity and tensions over water and other resources in receiving countries. You will examine those tensions from the poles to the equator at the local, regional, state and global levels.

The module incorporates three inter-dependent learning strategies. The lecture programme provides the framework, delivering material and setting up key issues for analysis. The seminars provide for follow up discussion and clarification of the key issues. Independent learning will be focused on directed reading and note-taking in preparation for lectures, seminars and the assessment. It will also require research into a case study of the student’s choice.

J Scheffran,¿M Brzoska, HG Brauch (2012) Climate change,¿human security¿and violent¿conflict: challenges for societal stability Heidelberg: Springer

Stella Thomas (2015), Hydropolitics:an introduction, London: Zed Books

Chris Ward¿and¿Sandra Ruckstuhl (2017) Water Scarcity, Climate Change and Conflict in the Middle East: Securing Livelihoods, Building Peace , London: Bloomsbury

Hans Günter Brauch,¿Navnita Chadha Behera, et al.¿(2009) Facing Global Environmental Change: Environmental, Human, Energy, Food, Health and Water Security, Heidelberg: Springer

Enamul Choudhury (2018), Complexity of Transboundary Water Conflicts, London: Anthem Press

Sebastian Biba (2018) China’s hydro-politics in the Mekong: Conflict and Cooperation in Light of Securitization Theory, London: Routledge

Teaching rooms with digital projection. Library, (books, ebooks, journals, ejournals,) websites of think tanks, Blackboard.