Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

Course Description

Objectives

The course introduces students to the study of sustainable development and the management of natural resources - such as water, land, forests, biodiversity and energy - within the context shaped by climate change and social inequalities. Drawing on the perspective of environmental social sciences, it familiarizes students with key concepts such as social–ecological systems, environmental governance and sustainability transformations, while engaging with case studies from Europe and the Global South. The course aims to cultivate integrative and critical thinking, preparing students to analyze the dilemmas, conflicts and contradictions that accompany policies and practices of natural resource governance and management.

Content

The course is structured thematically around major natural resources. Each unit explores a specific resource as part of a dynamic social–ecological system, highlighting the institutional, social and ecological dimensions that influence its use, governance and management. In parallel, the course examines the meanings and practices of sustainability as they are applied, interpreted, or contested across different geographical contexts. Indicative topics include:
• Introduction to sustainable development and social–ecological systems
• Modes of environmental governance and sustainability transformations
• Water: use conflicts and inequalities of access
• Soils and agricultural landscapes: uses, policies and social contradictions
• Forests: climate change, local communities and markets
• Biodiversity: protected areas and wildlife
• Energy: renewable sources, social dimensions and conflicts
• Environmental and climate justice

Teaching & Assessment
Teaching combines lectures, classroom discussions, simulation exercises, and the analysis of scientific texts and case studies, encouraging active participation and dialogue in an international context. Assessment is based on:

• Individual essay (~2,500 words)

• Group project (scientific poster and management proposal presentation)

• Final written exam (short-answer questions)