2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Sep 30, 2024

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

SSJ 30154 - Mega Development: Exploring The Nexus Between Natural Resource Extraction, Infrastructure Development and Environment

Across the planet, countries, led by the G-20, promote multi-billion dollar investments in natural resource extraction and large-scale infrastructure development, including: mines, oil and gas fields, hydroelectric power plants, dams, multi-modal transport systems, pipelines and port facilities. Increasing investment in natural resource extraction and infrastructure development is regularly promoted as a pathway to economic growth in the global south. However, investment in mega-projects is often accompanied by corruption, increased inequality, environmental harm and human rights violations. In this seminar, students will conduct research on specific mega-projects and initiatives to understand the socio-political and economic dynamics that drive them, explore the synergistic relationship between investments in infrastructure and extraction, the emergence of socio-environmental conflict linked mega-projects, and learn of the initiatives of business, government and civil society actors to reduce negative impacts pursue alternative, more sustainable forms of development.

Formerly IDCE 30154. Students who have already passed IDCE 30154 cannot receive credit for SSJ 30154 and should not take this course.

Prerequisites: IDCE 360 or SSJ 360 Development Theory and/or equivalent level coursework and by permission of instructor.

Anticipated Terms Offered: Bi-annually