Course description

Community, livelihoods, development and water (WATR7200) places water management in the context of human development and poverty alleviation, focusing on social analysis and tools for water management: safe, secure and equitable access to water and river resources; and the links between water supply, energy, sanitation, hygiene and improved public health. Effective and equitable water management requires an understanding of the socio-cultural, gender and economic factors impacting on water policy, plan, access and use. Students are trained in the application of a suite of participatory approaches, including various tools such as gender analysis, PRA, Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, and participatory design and evaluation of water and sanitation projects. A strong focus is placed on capacity building, including effective education in Integrated Water Management; practical tools for the development of formal and informal institutional analysis and frameworks for water management; and strategies for managing community participation and strengthening relationships between governments, NGOs and communities. The module introduces students to these issues in water and community development through a 11 day field trip to a rural community and community-based organisation in the Mekong region. We stay in rural village community in Ubon Ratchathani Province in Northeast region, where the Mun River meets the Mekong. In the village, students learn the issues through dialogue and discussion, interview, observation, participatory research methods including PRA, visits to the river, the Pak Mun Dam, village walks, and learning by doing with villagers. We critically examine the roles of the state, roles of state enterprise, civil societies, and NGOs, to develop a critical understanding of local responses to dam development, environmental, irrigation, wetland recovery, economic and cultural change." This course is offered externally during Summer Semester.

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