Local Green Politics

How do local communities manage their natural resources? How do they navigate global forces that often work against them? Through systematic comparisons of cases of successful and unsuccessful community resource management efforts, we will assess under what conditions local communities are likely to be successful environmental stewards. The course will draw on experiences from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the USA. Students will compare the cultural contexts in which resource management decisions are made. By the end of the course, students will be expected to describe and critically analyze cases of resource (mis)management. They will also learn to offer solutions to situations of resource mismanagement. 3 hrs. lect./disc./(Comparative Politics)/