Course: Reversing the Resource Curse

Apr 13, 2015 - Apr 24, 2015 | School of Public Policy at Central European University and the Natural Resource Governance Institute
Budapest, Hungary
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The effort to promote transparency and good governance in resource-rich countries has gained significant momentum over the last decade and made substantial progress. At the same time, the degree to which this agenda finds more than rhetorical support from political elites is questionable. It is equally unclear whether civil society, the media, and parliaments in developing countries are sufficiently well-informed to take full advantage of transparency for more effective oversight. The persistent disconnect between the governance research community and practitioners also hinders innovation in specific contexts. In this light, the School of Public Policy at Central European University (SPP) and the National Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) designed this twoweek course to equip a pool of exceptional individuals from government, civil society, parliaments, media, international development agencies, and the private sector, as well as academics, researchers, and analysts, with the knowledge and tools necessary to help reverse the “resource curse.” Specifically, the course will examine the political economy of governance in resource-rich states and explore how it impacts domestic policy debates and practice. The course will also offer practical lessons for policy improvement, based on both best practices from around the globe and exchanges among participants. Using the Natural Resource Charter as a framework and focusing on rigorous analysis and advanced techniques, the course is designed primarily for individuals who already have a solid understanding of the subject matter but are seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills to play a more prominent role in developing, monitoring, and/or evaluating the mining and petroleum sectors in specific countries or globally.