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Natural Resources and Geopolitic Strategies (2235.YR.011245.1)

General information

Type:

 OPT

Curs:

 4

Period:

 S semester

ECTS Credits:

 6 ECTS

Teaching Staff:

Group Teacher Department Language
Year 1 Jordi Molina Alsina Derecho ENG

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM

This course assesses how the discovery, access, control and consumption of natural resources has been (in history and nowadays) a source of economic, political and social power. Some examples and case studies include amber, silk, gold, coffee, diamonds, oil, coltan rare earths, among many others, have driven the rise and decline of regional and global powers. The effects of such activities go well beyond geopolitics and economy, as they also produce externalities at social level as well as the environment. The syllabus will also pay special attention to the consequences of the War in Ukraine that started in 2022.

Course Learning Objectives

· Learning how the control of key natural resources helps to explain historical events and shape today's world affairs.

· Assessing politics, economy and corporate activities in such activities.

· Further develop and train analytical skills and critical thinking by putting in practice and linking syllabus from past courses.

CONTENT

1.

2. Content

The syllabus has a total of 20 sessions of 2h, 2 classes (4h) per week.

Key content:

1. About Natural Resources (NR) and Geopolitics
2. NR and Anitiquity
3. Medieval Europe, the Silk Road and NR
4. The rise or European Empires and NR (1): Portugal and Spain
5. The rise or European Empires and NR (2): Britain, the Netherlands and France
6. The case of Congo (1): ivory, slavery and rubber
7. The case of Congo (2): deforestation and wildlife traffic
8. Critical Minerals, precious metals and diamonds today
9. Lithium, Cobalt and Silicon
10. Fossil Fuels and Climate Emergency
11. Nuclear Energy
12. Green Energy and NR
13. Water governance: cooperation and conflict
14. Geopolitics of Space and NR
15. Teamwork presentations (1)
16. Teamwork presentations (2)
17. Teamwork presentations (3)

The order of classes will be subject to the availability of guest speakers. The content of some sessions and its means and methodology (classroom, online) can vary due to geopolitical/geoeconomic breaking news events during the course and/or prescription or recommendations by governmental authorities.

Methodology

· Class sessions include lectures, news analysis, fire-chats and debates.

· Students are expected to bring their views, comments and questions.

· Throughout the syllabus, articles and books will be suggested and/or uploaded to Moodle to prepare or complete key topics. Students are also expected to conduct research to enrich class contents.

· Smartphones must be switch-off in class, laptops are welcomed except in the last three sessions (teamwork presentations).

· Attitude in class must be proper at all times.

Assessment criteria

Skills and Abilities linked to the syllabus

· Critical thinking

· Inter-disciplinary analysis

· Holistic thinking

· Teamwork

· Writing skills and Presentation kills


Syllabus Assessment

The syllabus grade will be calculated as follows:

Teamwork presentation: 1/3

Written exams: 2/3 (1/3 a mid, term and 1/3 at the end of the term)

(Passing the written exam, grade of 5 or above, is essential to pass the syllabus. The same applies to the Teamwork).

According to the Law Faculty regulation students must attend at least 80% of the session to have the right to take the written exam, in order to be able to take the retake exam attendance must be at least 50%.

Bibliography

Suggested book.

The New Map, by Daniel Yeguin- Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations. Penguin Books.

Timetable and sections

Group Teacher Department
Year 1 Jordi Molina Alsina Derecho

Timetable Year 1

From 2024/2/12 to 2024/5/15:
Each Monday from 16:15 to 18:15. (Except: 2024/3/25 and 2024/4/1)
Each Wednesday from 14:00 to 16:00. (Except: 2024/3/27 and 2024/5/1)