3rd International Workshop on Comparative Water Studies

Wageningen University will host the 3rd international workshop on “Comparative Water Studies” on 31 May and 1 June 2012, to further explore the interest in comparative water studies, to strengthen the emerging research network and to develop funding proposals. This workshop builds on the first scoping workshop held in London on 24-25 October 2011 and the second network-building workshop held in Bonn on 20-21 January 2012. These workshops clearly showed that there is a strong interest in comparative water studies and that there is a large reservoir of researchers interested in new networking opportunities. The Wageningen workshop aims to build on this interest by focusing on defining and developing fundable programs/proposals in combination with paper presentations on on-going comparative research in the five topic sessions listed below. Before the 3rd workshop, a one-day training by Wendy Olsen on QCA (Qualitative Comparative Analysis) will be held on 30 May 2012 (please see the attachment).
Panels will cover the following topics (please refer to the attachment for details on convenors and topics):
 
1) From the hills to the plains: resilience, organisational dynamics, state-society interactions and the drivers for expansion in Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems (FMIS)

2) Knowledge at work in policy: A comparative political economy of water knowledge

3) Dams and development: private investments and public policies

4) ‘Currencies of Globalisation’: Framing a comparative and interdisciplinary research programme on water resources management

5) Water and human health: Challenges in fast growing economies

The number of participants is limited to a maximum of 40. All participants are expected to submit and present a paper or concept note with a focus on comparative water studies, or come prepared with clear ideas and concrete suggestions for developing funding proposals. An ICCWaDS Working Paper explaining the background and thrust of the comparative water studies initiative has been published and is available on the ICCWaDS Dropbox folder (Title: Theorising structured diversity - an approach to comparative research on the globalisation-localisation dynamics in water resources management).

Those interested in participating are invited to submit an abstract of no more than 200 words to the relevant session conveners directly (see above for email addresses) and to Flip Wester by 5 May 2012 at the latest.
The abstract review decision will be sent to all applicants by 11 May 2012 and the deadline for full papers is 28 May 2012.

To have access to ICCWaDS files (e.g. the papers for the workshop) join the ICCWaDS Dropbox shared folder and for updates on developments join the ICCWaDS Linkedin group. Send an email to flip.wester@wur.nl to receive an invitation to join.