Conflict management - Iceland
Natural resource utilization in Iceland: Managing conflicts
7.5 ECTS credits
For application form: http://nordnatur.net/intensive-courses/natural-resource-utilization-in-iceland1/
1 Background
Natural resource utilization is often subject to conflicts between different stakeholders. For the sake
of those directly involved and society at large these conflicts need to be solved or at least managed in
a satisfactory way. Conflict management is therefore one of the most important tasks of present and
future natural resource managers. The aim of this course is to increase NORDNATUR students’
knowledge and understanding of natural resource conflicts and conflict management.
There are both similarities and dissimilarities between the land use conflicts of the different
NORDNATUR countries. The principles of conflict management are the same regardless of country,
ecosystem or land use issue. Different political systems, social structures and management strategies
may, however, have a strong effect on how such conflicts are handled. We therefore invite all
NORDNATUR partners to send students to Iceland in 2014 to work on specific Icelandic cases. The
students will not only get to know Icelandic nature and conflicts related to it. They will also learn to
put these issues, as well as natural resource use and conflicts in their home countries, into a larger
perspective. We expect all participants to benefit from working together with students and teachers
with different backgrounds.
Icelandic ecosystems differ from the other Nordic countries and some of the country’s natural
resources are; hydro- and geothermal power, extensive rangelands, special geological formations
and scenic landscapes. Some past and current natural resource conflicts concern e.g. construction of
roads and power plants, grazing, afforestation, and nature protection.
2 Aims
The main goal of this intensive course is to give students a thorough introduction to management of
natural resource conflicts. This goal is achieved by a) lectures on conflict theory and management; b)
student group work on local case studies; c) internationally mixed groups in order to benefit from
each other’s backgrounds and experiences.
3 Learning outcomes
On the completion of this course the student will be able to:
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Recognize and describe potential conflicts of natural resource utilization
Apply different methods to monitor conflicts
Propose conflict management strategies
Place local conflicts into an international perspective
4 Organisation
Main responsible for the course is Professor Anna Gudrun Thorhallsdottir, together with researcher
Brita Berglund, both at the Agricultural University of Iceland (AUI). Anna Gudrun is an ecologist
specialized in natural resource utilization. Brita has a master’s degree in environmental
communication, specialising in conflict management and stakeholder participation. Guest
lecturer is Professor Tomas Willebrand from Hedmark University College, Norway. He is a
specialist in conflict management and has done extensive work on the human dimension of wildlife
management and hunting.
The students will be grouped into 6 groups of 4 students, each consisting of 1 Icelandic student
minimum. These groups will work together on a specific case (see below) throughout the whole
course. The course will deal with 6 different cases.
Course part 1: Jul 24 – Aug 1, 2014, through e-learning: Formation of groups, distribution of cases,
reading of course literature and material about the case, elaboration of a case study proposal.
Individual student work load: 30 hrs.
Course part 2: Aug 3 - 15, 2014, at AUI main campus, Hvanneyri, one hours’ drive from Reykjavik:
Lectures and field work. Individual student work load 80 hrs
Sunday August 3: Arrival Hvanneyri.
Monday 4: Hvanneyri. Lectures on natural resources utilization and conflict management
Tuesday 5: Hvanneyri. Lectures on communication and qualitative methods. Group work
Wednesday 6: Hvanneyri. Lectures, presentations and discussion of proposals
Thursday 7: Hvanneyri. Lectures, preparation for field work
Friday 8: Group field work
Saturday 9: Excursion to selected cases
Sunday 10: Free
Monday 11: Group field work
Tuesday 12: Group field work
Wednesday 13: Hvanneyri. Analysis and working on report
Thursday 14: Hvanneyri. Analysis and working on report
Friday 15: Hvanneyri. Seminar and final dinner.
Saturday 16: Departure Hvanneyri.
Hvanneyri (Photo: fastrik.is)
Course part 3: Aug 18 – 22, 2014 through e-learning: Reporting, evaluating. Individual student work
load: 40 hrs.
5 Content
General lectures:
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Natural resource utilization; historical aspects of management and conflicts ( Anna Gudrún
Thórhallsdóttir)
Management of conflicts in natural resource utilization (Tomas Willebrand)
Conflict theory and management (Tomas Willebrand and Brita Berglund)
The role of information and communication in conflict management (Brita Berglund)
Introduction to qualitative methods (Brita Berglund)
Introduction to Iceland and the different cases (AUI-staff and guest teachers)
Possible cases
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Hydro power utilization vs. nature conservation
Utilization of geothermal power vs. tourism and nature conservation
Road construction vs. nature conservation
Fresh water resources protection vs. public and commercial land use
Rangeland livestock grazing vs. afforestation and land reclamation
Mass tourism vs. nature conservation
Alien ( invasive) species vs. nature conservation
Whaling vs. tourism and protection
Unrestricted public access to nature vs. restriction policies and nature conservation
Group field work: Interviews with parties involved in the conflict: e.g. local people, managers,
politicians, researchers. The AUI students in each group, and the teachers, have the main
responsibility to solve language problems and to organize the logistics.
Seminar: Students present the cases and propose management solutions. Discussion on conflict
resolutions for the six cases.
6 Evaluation
Grading from A-F following the ECTS-scale. The final grade consists of the following partial grades:
Proposal 20%; Presentation of case and analyses at seminar 30%; Final report 50%.
7 Administration
The Agricultural University of Iceland will administrate the course as an ordinary course of the spring
semester 2014. Sending NORDNATUR-partners are recognizing the course as part of the students'
education program. Students will receive a transcript of records.
8 Application
Download the application form at http://nordnatur.net/intensive-courses/natural-resourceutilization-in-iceland-1/ and mail it to: brita@lbhi.is. Mail a copy also to the NORDNATUR contact
person and international coordinator at your home university. You find the name and e-mail
address of your contact person on the application form.
Application deadline: March 31, 2014.
Selection criteria for applicants: 6 master and last year BS students and from Iceland, 18 students
from NORDNATUR partners. All partners can send 1-2 students. Unused places will be redistributed
among the sending partners with focus on a balanced distribution among countries. In the selection
process, places are first filled up with students with highest study progression, secondly with those
with best grades.
9 Costs
The students will have to cover part of their own food and accommodation cost. All transport to and
from Hvanneyri from the domestic bus station in Reykjavik (BSÍ), as well as transportation in relation
to fieldwork and the scheduled excursion will be covered by the project.
Foreign applicants receive a scholarship of € 660 to cover their own travel expenses. If the students
buy a cheap flight ticket, they will manage to cover all their expenses with the scholarship. Early
booking is recommended!