Water Governance Group @ Bradford

Papers in this seminar series critically explore key themes in water governance, assess evidence for the efficacy of policies and suggest innovative directions for research

Documents

Seminar 1
Seminar 2
Seminar 3
Seminar 4
Seminar 5
Seminar 6


Water Governance: Challenging the Consensus

Water governance features prominently in international development policy-making and considerable efforts have been made to develop a world water ’vision’ which propounds key principles for better water management.  Amongst these are ideas about the desirability of integrated water resource management, increased participation of users (especially women) in financing and management and a larger role for the private sector. Such principles can be seen to represent an international 'consensus' on water governance.

This consensus embodies three profound shifts in water governance:

From state to market-driven regulation

From centrally administered to user-based management institutions

From administrative to resource-based management.

Insights emerging from research and practice critique international water policy for being narrowly underpinned by neo-liberal principles, dominated by technical and managerial concerns and informed by limited methodologies and empirical data.  NGOs and campaigning groups have questioned the pro-privatisation focus of the 'consensus', the neglect of ecological concerns, and equity issues.

To engage with these issues, a Seminar Series was jointly organised by the University of Bradford, the Overseas Development Institute (UK) and the World Wildlife Fund, its aim to bring together academics and practitioners from a variety of disciplines to critically explore key themes in water governance, to assess empirical evidence for the efficacy of policies and to evaluate methodologies used in policy making.  The outcomes will inform theoretical debate, empirical research and policy initiatives across the water sector.

The series was staged over 15 months and featured five seminars:

  • Seminar 1, Identifying the Gaps. Held at the Bradford Centre for International Development on 18-19 November 2004
  • Seminar 2, Access, Poverty and Social Exclusion. Held at ODI London on 1 March 2005.
  • Seminar 3, Politics, Institutions and Participation. Held at ISS, The Hague on 27-28 June 2005.
  • Seminar 4, What's water got to do with it? Scarcity, vulnerability, and environmental change.  Hosted by the Overseas Development Institute in London on 21 October 2005.
  • Seminar 5, Beyond the Consensus. Held at University of Bradford on 20-21 February 2006.
  • Seminar 6, Water Governance for Africa: the Challenge of Uncertainty and Change, Bradford on November 30-Dec 1, 2006

The seminar series was funded by the ESRC

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