| Responsible Department | Forest & Landscape | ||||||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | MSc. 1 year to MSc. 2 year | ||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | One block | ||||||||||||||||||
| Credits | 7.5 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Level of Course | MSc | ||||||||||||||||||
| Examination | Final Examination oral examination Some Aid allowed For each examination question one A4 page with notes and one A4 page with diagrams for the presentation is allowed Description of Examination: Individual oral examination based on pre-released questions. The student is tested in relation to the syllabus and the core areas of competence of the course. Further, the student is tested in the specific themes and topics related to the students own group project report. Questions are broad and discussion oriented. Weight: Oral examination: 100% 7-point scale, external examiner | ||||||||||||||||||
| Requirement for Attending Exam | Active participation in group project work. Hand-in of a group assignment consisting of a limited number of hand-ins. Group assignment evaluated "passed". | ||||||||||||||||||
| Organisation of Teaching | Approx. 1/3 with lectures which aim to create overview and make connections between theory, methods and practice, approx. 1/3 practical and personal skills through exercises, approx. 1/3 assignment work in groups combining theory and practice. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 2 Week Structure: A Lectures, exercises and assignments are distributed within the Block. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Language of Instruction | English | ||||||||||||||||||
| Restrictions | A maximum of 84 students. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Course Content | |||||||||||||||||||
| Most MSc candidates working with natural resource management, planning, development, and e.g. landscape architecture must collaborate across disciplines with representatives from other educations and sectors. Often they act in conflicted situations be it as part of political decision making, public or private management or in relation to an involved, often critical, even angry general public. Constructive management of complex and conflict laden problems is one of the key demands to actors in contemporary natural resource management - whether taking place in a public or private setting. Systems thinking is launched as an approach to handle complexity and promote collaborative learning among different people. Analysis and collaboration skills are trained in order to develop a qualified problem solving approach spanning different disciplines and cultures. Active stakeholder involvement is introduced as a key element in management. The course covers process facilitation and collaborative learning as integrated elements in problem solving and conflict management. The course introduces a series of concrete analysis and problem solving methods and tools. Through the use of qualitative methods, including interview techniques, the student is trained in uncovering, understanding and structuring knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of different stakeholders. The course uses concrete cases from natural resource management in Euro-American as well as developing countries contexts. Through exercises and project work the students can try various tools and approaches to conflict assessment and development of management strategies. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching and learning Methods | |||||||||||||||||||
| The course is composed of alternating lectures, exercises and discussions. The lectures give overview of theory, examples of application in practice and make connections between different parts of conflict management. Exercises are made as well as written course assignments where theory and experiences are translated into practical analysis and advice. The course contains typically a workshop or an excursion with external participants on a relevant topic of current interest. During the assignments the students work in groups with a concrete problem case relating typically to natural resource management, landscape- or urban planning, or e.g. wildlife protection. Hereby insight is gained into conditions under which decision making processes are made. The specific content of the course is adapted from year to year based on the composition of students. External specialists and practioners will be involved during lecturers/excursions/workshops. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Learning Outcome | |||||||||||||||||||
| The course aims to qualify the students to better understand, analyse and manage environmental conflict situations. The learning includes: 1) Basic concepts related to conflict and conflict dynamics, 2) Conflict assessment, strategy and management, and 3) Personal skills and contact to practice. After completing the course the student should be able to: Knowledge - Understand and analyse conflict at a basic level. - Understand fundamental theories and principles for cooperation, competition, negotiation and the causes of conflicts as well as their development and handling. - Understand fundamental problem solving theory, including learning theory. - Understand a problem solving (win-win) approach as against a competitive (win-lose) approach to negotiation and conflict resolution. Skills - Apply concrete analytical tools and methods to specific real life situations. - Apply theories and principles to new situations through the characterisation and analysis of the problem situation and the development of suitable models for conflict resolution. - Reflect on and use the mutual connection between theory and practice. - Reflect upon basic concepts related to the cause, development and management of conflicts (e.g. trust, power and communication). Competencies - Understand and analyse conflict and transform into management strategy and action. - To asses environmental conflict situations, e.g. by conducting a stakeholder analysis, - Facilitate a decision making process with the participation of stakeholders. - Reflect upon own and others behaviour and response in relation to conflict situations, collaboration and decision making. - understand the value of self-monitoring and self-reflection and actually monitor and reflect on own performance and impact in conflict situations. - Discuss power, conflict management, democracy and decision making processes as well as underlying value questions. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Literature | |||||||||||||||||||
| Daniels, S.E. and Walkers, G.B., 2001: Working through environmental conflict, the collaborative learning approach, Praeger, London. 299 pp. Fisher, R., Ury, W. and Patton, B. 1997. Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in. Second edition. Random House, London. 207 pp Fisher & Ury Course material: Conflict management selected reading - journal articles and book chapters. Fisher and Ury is used as a light and easy introduction to the problem field of the course. Daniels and Walker (2001) is a thorough and fundamental book about understanding, analysing and managing environmental and natural resource conflicts. The course is to a high degree structured according to this book. Selected scientific articles and book chapters are used to anchor the course theory in scientific ground. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jens Emborg, jee@life.ku.dk, Forest & Landscape Denmark/Unit of Forestry, Phone: 353-31744 Christian Gamborg, chg@life.ku.dk, Forest & Landscape Denmark/Unit of Forestry, Phone: 353-31734 | |||||||||||||||||||
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