Courses: Water Conflict and Negotiations

Apr 3, 2014 | Oregon State University

How can we move debates about water resource issues beyond entrenched positions? What are some less confrontational approaches that bring conflicting interests and institutions together to craft workable solutions that build community rather than disrupt it?

The complexity of 21st century water demands calls for new strategies that foster long-term stewardship between people, their communities and the environment. This course offers an opportunity for water resource professionals and graduate students to learn about current and leading edge ways to work effectively in contentious water situations. It explores conflict tolerance, prevention, management and transformation through collaborative structures as well as models of negotiation and dialogue. This class emphasizes experiential learning and offers a place to practice new skills that are applicable in a variety of real-life situations.

Course: Water Conflict Management 
Instructors: Aaron Wolf / Lynette de Silva

When: June 15-20, 2014
Where: Oregon State University, Oregon, USA 
Watch this 1-minute video - http://youtu.be/zozilbCpryA

Course: Wicked Problems in Natural Resources: Negotiations, Decision Making and the Public

Instructors: Gregg Walker / Todd Jarvis
When: June 22-27, 2014
Where: Oregon State University, Oregon, USA 

Course Description

Offering an advanced course in negotiations for the first time, instructors Gregg Walker and Todd Jarvis will focus primarily on conflict assessment, negotiation, decision-making and public participation in environmental, natural resource and water conflict situations. Class topics include conflict and negotiation theory, assessment and design, environmental policy, collaboration and systems thinking. Role plays are custom-developed for this course, and they focus on regional and international land management, climate change and related water issues. The course includes case studies, group work, a field trip and a comprehensive simulation to illustrate the concepts considered in the class. Many different negotiation frameworks will be introduced.

To register, learn more and see the entire list of courses, visit: http://outreach.oregonstate.edu/nrla/