Høst 2018

SVF-3554 A social science perspective on fisheries management and development - 10 stp

The course is administrated by

Norges fiskerihøgskole

Type of course

The course is an integrated course of International Fisheries Management, and can also be taken as a singular course.

Course overlap

SVF-3505 Fisheries and aquaculture management 10 stp

Course contents

The topic focuses on how marine resources become governable. A key issue is how fisheries and aquaculture governance (hereafter called marine governance) is set up, organized and institutionalized in ways that produce different governance outcomes. The course focuses on how governance bodies and different stakeholders interact to create governability. We discuss the effects of management instruments like for example Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) and co-management. Special attention is given to the consequences of transfer of governance solutions based on western experiences in the fishing sectors in the developing world.

Application deadline

Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester. Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Admission requirements

Application code: 9371

The course is an integrated part of the IFM programme, but is also open for single course students with relevant background.

Objective of the course

Objective of the course

The aim is to give the students a social scientific understanding of how resources are made governable and how governability is produced. During the course, the students are introduced to different theoretical approaches and the practical application of these approaches. After the course the students should be familiar with the historical development of marine governance and management institutions and instruments, know the challenges and problems, and be able to understand why different solutions have different effects.

Students will learn:

How governability is produced
How social organisation and institutional set ups affect governability
Basic social science concepts relevant for studies of marine governance and governability
How marine governance regimes, institutions and instruments are linked to social development
Different approaches to marine governance and the historical development of them
Conceptual and analytical approaches to analyse governance regimes, institutions and instruments

Students will have the ability to:

Identify the governable objects and the processes that makes them governable
Identify, understand and review research literature
Plan and carry out institutional analyses of marine governance systems
Identify user interests and power relations in marine governance and development

General competence:

Understand how the marine space, environment and users are turned into governable objects
Understand the roles of science andpolitics in governance and management
Understand how the construction of governable objects and governability impacts the fisheries, other marine industries and communities
Understand the relationship between management, governance and social change
Understand the objectives, use and effects of different governance and management instruments
Identify, discuss and present challenges and solutions in relation to marine governance and development
Write literature reviews, policy briefs and scientific papers about marine governance

Language of instruction

The language of instruction is English.

Teaching methods

Lectures, seminars, workshops, games

Assessment

5 hours written exam. Grade scale: A-F, where F is not passed.

Work requirements:

The students shall submit four written assignments, and give feedback to each other on the assignments:

The first assignment is a policy brief (500 words.)
The second assignment is an individual literature review (1500-2000 word) based on the literature in the reading list
An essay (2500-5000 words) where the students analyze a marine governance problem. The essay can be a group work.
As a final requirement, the students shall anonymously submit a written evaluation of the course.

The topics for the literature review and the essay will be given in advance.

The assignments and the feedback must be approved by the teacher before the students can take the written exam

Deadline for final submission of the assignments will be two weeks before the exam.

A re-sit exam will be arranged for the written exam in the next semester for those students who fail the exam.

Date for examination

Written test 04.12.2018

The date for the exam can be changed. The final date will be announced at your faculty early in May and early in November.