We are excited to announce our third annual conference to be held in Monterey, CA from Nov. 6-8, 2014!
Conflicts Over Water
Water, a basic human need, a human right, is a limited resource. The eternal conflict over access to and control of water has been made more complex in recent times with climate change, privatization, damming and water exploitation for industrial and other commercial use. Poor water management, increased water pollution and unconstrained use of power for control over this resource makes conflicts over water a huge impediment to building an egalitarian, just, sustainable and peaceful society.
Water conflicts are also asymmetrical in that they impact the vulnerable sections of society – women, children and other marginalized groups – more negatively. The unpredictability of water as a resource adds to the problem, making negotiations and resolutions of water conflicts extremely challenging. After all, water gives life but it can destroy too. The paradox of water in the real world demands that conflict resolvers remain innovative, flexible and most importantly, comfortable working in grey zones.
Building Bridges With Water
So, how do water conflicts really get resolved? What innovative efforts have been made to bring warring parties in a water conflict to meet at least halfway on the bridge, if not cross the bridge entirely? Most importantly, how can we use water, often a source of conflict, as a means to resolve the conflict, that is, to build those bridges with water?
This conference aims to highlight the complexities of water conflicts and share approaches made by conflict resolvers, communities, institutions and governments in resolving these conflicts.
Read more about the conference.
Submit Your Proposal
We invite proposals from graduate students, academics and practitioners in conflict studies and other related disciplines (such as law, human rights, gender, culture and environment) who can offer perspectives from their empirical research (we insist on first-hand, ground-up research) particularly on but not limited to the following conference sub-themes:
- Water Supply
- Water Scarcity
- Water Pollution
- Water Access
- Water and Climate Change
- Water and Dams
- Water and Culture
- Water and Gender
- Water and Politics
- Water Use & Impact (Agriculture, Industry – Fracking, Mining, Commercial & Household)
- Trans boundary Water Conflicts
- Water Privatization, Pricing and Trading
- Water Conservation/ Management/ Diplomacy/ Agreements
Learn how to submit your proposal for our Fall 2014 conference here!
Submit your proposal online here.
