Description

Rivers often extend beyond national or administrative boundaries, creating complex contexts where diverse stakeholder groups compete over water and ecosystem resources.

Through comparative case studies of the Rhine, the Danube, the Mekong, and other major rivers worldwide, this lecture explores the driving forces and challenges of hydrodiplomacy—the negotiation and management of shared water resources across political and cultural boundaries.

As part of the course project, students will engage with regional stakeholders to examine how diverse values and interests are balanced in practice. Together, students and stakeholders will develop a general framework for harmonizing competing demands, which can then be adapted to local contexts.