development is organized for students from all tracks and profiles. The joint start of the academic programme allows students to appreciate the societal relevance of water challenges and understand the multifaceted aspects of the issues at stake before they dive into more track-specific and/or disciplinary-oriented studies. It also introduces the students to the learning environment. The collective start also facilitates the bonding and collaboration between students enrolled in the Master's programme.
The module offers the students insights in the main issues, challenges and debates related to water and development. The specific approach that the module follows to explore these larger questions by familiarizing incoming students with different ways of studying and knowing water, based on diverse forms of water wisdom, practices, and expertise. During the week there will be lectures, collective exercises, assignments and film/documentary screenings which will engage students to critically reflect on the implications of interdisciplinarity and plurality of water knowledges. For instance, we will explore whether and how different ways of studying water can be combined and what the tensions are in interdisciplinary research approaches. Importantly, the module aims to develop the students’ sensitivity to some of the hierarchies and silos that are still prevalent in (water) sciences. With this we aim to open up the disciplinary, geographical, racial, and gendered boundaries prevalent in (water) science for questioning and collectively explore with students how this affects their own life trajectories, their worldviews and their educational needs. This theme therefore helps students develop skills such as critical thinking, working together, and self-reflection.
Module 1 is a compulsory part of the academic programme and will as such be assessed based on pass or fail. Actively participation and timely submission of the assignments are therefore required to obtain the study points (3 ECTS). Failing to submit or obtain a sufficient mark for the assignment will result in a fail.
- Module/Course coordinator: Amitangshu Acharya