Postgraduate Course: Participation in Policy and Planning (PGGE11016)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | How to engage the public and other stakeholders in decision-making is a key issue for sustainability and environmental management, both in the prevention of conflict by participatory planning or the resolution of conflict via mediation. Participation in Policy and Planning (PPP) presents and analyses theories and concepts relevant to participatory approaches to contemporary environmental planning and policy issues, using a variety of applied case studies and professional experience from visiting speakers.
PPP adopts a participatory approach to learning via a group exercise conducted during the afternoon sessions throughout the semester to examine a local planning problem or an environmental conflict. At the end of the semester, the class presents its findings to the stakeholders they have interviewed, usually in a meeting room at the Scottish Parliament. Students also critically analyse participation challenges based on presentations from invited speakers and their own case study material. This course enables students to explore and develop key transferable skills, including:
facilitation;
communication;
qualitative interviewing;
social research methods;
reflective practice;
mediation;
leadership;
negotiation |
| Course description |
Each week, the course is split into three parts:
Introductory lectures (am): In the mornings, lectures cover the basic theory and provide a framework for applying and evaluating effective participation in decision making.
Participation in Policy (am): Speakers from various organisations/groups are invited to present their professional experience and views on the extent to which participation can balance different interests.
Participation in Planning (pm): In the afternoon sessions, students gain first-hand experience of participatory process design by working together on a research project to address a real problem provided by a local organisation(s). Students interview stakeholders during the project, to gain first-hand insight into the issue and develop their social research skills. The final results are normally presented in a meeting room at the Scottish Parliament, hosted by an MSP.
Weekly lectures cover:
1) Values and beliefs
2) Conflict analysis
3) Representation of interests
4) Consensus and decision-making
5) Conflict resolution in theory
6) Participation strategies and techniques I
7) Participation strategies and techniques II
8) Partnerships and power I
9) Partnerships and power II
10) Participation and politics
11) Course review
Previous group projects
Previous group projects have included:
2015: An analysis of student cycling behaviours at universities and colleges (feeding into the development of a Cycle-Friendly Campus Award by Cycling Scotland, with Cycling Scotland and Sustrans)
2014: An engagement strategy for managing food waste at the University of Edinburgh (with the University of Edinburgh Estates and Buildings department and Zero Waste Scotland)
2013: An engagement strategy for considerate cycling in Edinburgh (with Edinburgh Council, University of Edinburgh, Spokes, Sustrans, Scottish Canals, Lothian and Borders Police)
2012: An engagement strategy for car sharing in Edinburgh (with University of Edinburgh, Napier University, South East Scotland Transport Partnership)
2011: Fairtrade at the University of Edinburgh (with Procurement and Accommodation Services, EUSA, Scottish Fairtrade Forum)
2010: Transition University of Edinburgh (with Transition Edinburgh University, Green Groups and Initiatives)
2009: Local Food Initiatives (with Edinburgh Council (Parks and Gardens), Bridgend Allotment Health Project, PEDAL, Changeworks, Soil Association Scotland)
2008: Community Engagement for Waste and Energy Initiatives within Tenements in Edinburgh (with Changeworks, Edinburgh Stair Partnership, Edinburgh Community Backgreens Initiative)
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | There is a cap of 5 on the number of non School of GeoSciences students ¿ please contact the course secretary (Elspeth.martin@sruc.ac.uk) for available space prior to registering on this course. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 30 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 50,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
146 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
There are three assignments in PPP:
Assessment 1: Interview report (20%) submit in Week 6
A fieldwork report of two interviews conducted with stakeholders relevant to the group project. This includes analysis of qualitative data (methodological training is provided during the course).
Assessment 2: Self-reflective journal (30%) submit in Week 10
This is a reflective writing exercise, conducted using an online journal in Learn. Students reflect on their own engagement in the group exercise and how the theoretical material presented in the course lectures relates to their professional practice.
Assessment 3: Essay (50%) submit in Week 12
A critical essay, drawing on the theories and practical experience presented during the course. Students have a choice of two essay topics.
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Have in-depth theoretical and applied knowledge of participation in environmental decision-making.
- Develop applied understanding and practical experience of ways in which information and communication can be used to achieve more effective participation in environmental planning and policy processes.
- Analyse critically the role of beliefs, interests, power, lobbying and political initiatives in participatory processes related to the environment.
- Gain practical experience of working with stakeholders on a real-life participation problem through a group exercise.
- Develop transferable skills, including: facilitation, communication, interviewing, qualitative data analysis, reflective practice, mediation, leadership, negotiation and professional practice.
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Reading List
Indicative reading list:
Acland, A. (2008). Dialogue by Design. A handbook of public and stakeholder engagement. Surrey: Dialogue by Design. Available online: http://designer.dialoguebydesign.net/docs/Dialogue_by_Design_Handbook.pdf [last accessed August 2014].
Assadourian, E. (2008) Engaging communities for a sustainable world. Chapter 11 in State of the World: Innovations for a Sustainable Economy, The WorldWatch Institute, 25th Anniversary Edition. Available online: http://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/SOW08_chapter_11.pdf [last accessed August 2014].
Braun, K. & Schultz, S. (2010) " ... a certain amount of engineering involved": Constructing the public in participatory governance arrangements. Public Understanding of Science 19(4): 403-419.
Carter, C. (2006). Environmental Governance: The Power and Pitfalls of Participatory Processes. Aberdeen Discussion Paper Series, The Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen. http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/ruralsustainability/Carter_2006.pdf [last accessed August 2014].
Cooke, B. and Kothari, U. (eds.) (2001). Participation: the new tyranny? Zed Books, London.
Derkzen, P. and Bock, B. (2009). Partnership and role perception, three case studies on the meaning of being a representative in rural partnerships. Environment and Planning C 27: 75-89.
Escobar, O. (2011). Public dialogue and deliberation: A communication perspective for public engagement practitioners. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Beltane - UK Beacons for Public Engagement. Available online: http://www.beltanenetwork.org/resources/beltane-publications/publication-public-dialogue/public-dialogue-deliberation-explore/ [last accessed August 2014].
Faulkner, W. (2011) Dialogue in public engagement: A handbook. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Beltane -UK Beacons for Public Engagement. Available online: http://edinburghbeltane.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/dialogue-handbook-final.pdf [last accessed August 2014].
Lemos, M. and Agrawal, A. (2006). Environmental governance. Annual Review of Environmental Resources 31: 297-325.
Raymond C.M., Fazey, I., Reed, M.S., Stringer, L.C., Robinson, G.M. and Evely, A.C. (2010). Integrating local and scientific knowledge for environmental management: From products to processes. Journal of Environmental Management 91: 1766-1777.
Redpath, S., Young, J., Evely, A., Adams, W.M., Sutherland, W.J., Whitehouse, A., Amar, A., Lambert, R., Linnell, J.D.C., Watt, A. and Gutierrez, R.J. (2012). Understanding and managing conservation con¿icts. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 28(2): 100-109.
Reed et al. (2010). What is Social Learning? Ecology and Society, 15(4): http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss4/resp1/
Reed, M.S. (2008). Stakeholder participation for environmental management: a literature review. Biological Conservation 141: 2417¿2431.
Reed, M.S., Graves, A., Dandy, N., Posthumus, H., Hubacek, K., Morris, J., Prell, C., Quinn, C.H., Stringer, L.C. (2009). Who¿s in and why? Stakeholder analysis as a prerequisite for sustainable natural resource management. Journal of Environmental Management 90: 1933¿1949.
Sidaway, R. (2005). Resolving Environmental Disputes: from Conflict to Consensus. London, Earthscan.
van den Hove, S. (2006). Between consensus and compromise: acknowledging the negotiation dimension in participatory approaches. Land Use Policy 23: 10-17.
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Additional Information
| Course URL |
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/17-18/dpt/cxpgge11016.htm |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Facilitation; communication; interviewing; qualitative data analysis; reflective practice; mediation; leadership; negotiation and professional practice. |
| Keywords | Participation,mediation,negotiation,conflict,planning,engagement,knowledge exchange,consultat |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Emily Creamer
Tel: (0131 6)51 4671
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Elspeth Martin
Tel: 0131 535 4198
Email: |
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