Contents:
The course introduces students to the world of international environmental policy and provides them with concepts and methods to analyze and understand a variety of international environmental regimes. Students will go beyond knowing that there is such a thing as international environmental policy and that it faces many problems, to understanding what these problems are and how the actors involved try to address them. The course takes place in the form of alternating theory and case-study lectures, with a weekly tutorial focused on enhancing practical analytical skills. It provides students with an analytical toolbox to assess the structure and effectiveness of an international environmental regime, helping students to simplify the complex world of international environmental policy for purposes of analysis. Students will learn how to identify and formulate pertinent questions in this field, providing a necessary foundation for informed discussion and evaluation. Their acquired knowledge will be assessed in the form of an individual essay and a written exam.
Learning outcomes:
After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
1) Explain the meaning and relevance of key concepts in international environmental policy
2) Make use of conceptual frameworks from international relations and global governance
3) Analyze the structure and dynamics of an international environmental regime
4) Visualize the main elements and relationships of an international environmental regime
5) Formulate questions about the effectiveness of an international environmental regime for the purpose of informed discussion
