Technical University of Lisbon, Porugal

Water management and water uses: public participation, stakeholders’ involvement and the role of science

The course will focus the situation of increasing water scarcity, especially in the case of groundwater, in Mediterranean countries. Groundwater is a crucial natural resource considering that a number of economic activities such as agriculture, drinking water supply, tourism and industry, depend strongly on groundwater resources. As it is an invisible resource it is very difficult to manage, a situation that may be potentially conducive to a tragedy of the commons. Adding to this management challenge the Water Framework Directive requires that policy makers involve actively all stakeholders in its management, a process that is still unknown to  most policymakers.  This specialisation will strength comparison of cases and an interdisciplinary approach based in social studies mainly science studies and participation approaches and dialogic perspectives.

This course will focus on the following questions:
-       How can researchers dialogue with users about groundwater? How can we join expert and lay knowledge in the study of water and its management??
-       How can we link hydrological sciences and social sciences?
-       How can research in water be simultaneously participated and more decision making oriented?
-       What does participation mean for actors?

Language of interaction: English

Core literature:
Bento, S.; Errahj M., Faysse N., Richard-Ferroudji A., Rollin D., Varanda, M. e Schmidt, L. (2009), Farmer perception of climate variabilities and change, and of their impacts at local and regional level: the case of groundwater users of coastal aquifers in France, Portugal and Morocco, in Proceedings of the 9th Conference of the European Sociological Association (ESA).

Faysse, N. (2006), Troubles on the way: an analysis of the challenges faced by multi-stakeholder platforms, Natural Resources Forum, 30, 219-229.

Jasanoff, S. (2003), Technologies of humilities: Citizens participation in governing science. Minerva 41 (3): 223-244.

Mostert, E. (2003), The challenge of public participation, Water Policy, 5, 179-197.

Mourik, R (2004), Did the water kill the cows? The distribution and democratization of risk, responsibility and liability in a Dutch agricultural controversy on water pollution and water pollution and cattle sickness. Universiteit Maastricht: Pallas Publication.

Minimum and maximum number of students: 3-8

Possible thesis topics:
- Participative methodologies and fragmentation of knowledge
- Participated foresight methodologies for water management
- Stakeholders’ perception of water and policy making
- Farmers perceptions and policy making in a context of climate change

Schedule : 8 two-hours meeting at the beginning and during of ESST’s second semester from February to May.

Specialization coordinator: Sofia Bento (sbento@iseg.utl.pt)

Team: Sofia Bento and Marta Varanda