UPCOMING EVENT: ARI E-Workshop on Transboundary Environmental Governance in Southeast Asia [Online, 4 December 2020]

15.40-17.30, Friday, 4 December 2020 via Zoom

Carl Middleton from CSDS will be presenting on this event.

The Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, is going to organize an inter-disciplinary workshop on "Transboundary Environmental Governance in Southeast Asia" to explore how, why, when and what forms of transboundary environmental governance are emerging in Southeast Asia.

The workshop will be conducted online via Zoom. To register, please visit this link here and the organizer will reply prior to the event with the Zoom link.

Panel IV. Hybrid Governance of Transboundary Commons

Chairperson: Zu Dienle Tan, National University of Singapore

Panelists:

• Beyond the Commons/Commodity Dichotomy in the Lancang-Mekong Basin: Implications for Transboundary Water Governance by Carl Middleton, Chulalongkorn University

• Unruly Fires: Nonhumans as Transboundary Actants in Governing Indonesia’s Wildfires by Rini Astuti, National University of Singapore and Yuti Ariani Fatimah, Nanyang Technological University

• A Multi-Scalar Political Economy Analysis of Thailand’s Widespread Urban Air Pollution by Danny Marks, Dublin City University

• Path Dependency of Land Use in Southeast Asian Peatlands by Lahiru Wijedasa, National University of Singapore

Abstract:

Beyond the Commons/Commodity Dichotomy in the Lancang-Mekong Basin: Implications for Transboundary Water Governance

Extensive hydropower construction across the Lancang-Mekong basin is changing the river’s hydrology and ecology, with implications for the availability and governance of common pool resources, as well as for riparian livelihoods. In this paper, I assess how the transboundary commons are being reworked as the river is transformed by large dam operation. The paper applies an analytical lens that seeks to move beyond a commons-commodity dichotomy in water related resource governance (Paerregaard and Andersen, 2019) to argue that at the present time the Lancang-Mekong River is neither fully commodified nor fully a commons, but rather a hybrid of the two. The paper will examine how transboundary hybrid governance regimes are reworking the hybrid commons, drawing attention to how states, communities, and even private actors, seek to maintain particular types of commons, whilst simultaneously either furthering or resisting commodification of some properties of the river. The paper will discuss the implications of this hybrid governance perspective for recent hydropolitics in the river basin and existing and new transboundary water governance institutions, namely the Mekong River Commission and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework.

For more information about this event, please visit the organizer’s webpage here.

UPCOMING WORKSHOP: "2017 Winter School for Young Human Rights Defenders" [10-13 December]

 "Winter School for Young Human Rights Defenders"

10-13 December 2017 at the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Call for Thai participants

Workshop convened by the Center for Social Development Studies, Faculty of Political Science and The May 18 Memorial Foundation (518기념재단) (Gwangju, South Korea)

Join us in our training program for young human rights defenders, especially for those who are keen to be part of the fruitful networking and mature dialogue between the activism field and that of academe of human rights!

This Winter School will be a rare chance for human rights students and young activists to carefully listen to the witnessing voices over the light and darkness of human rights issues from neighbor countries, energetically to unite the strength and wisdom to help the risks/challenges faced by HR defender friends, and to get to know each other not only as young HR comrades but also as friends who care about other human being.

Program includes:

• Special Roundatable dedicated to Jatupat Boonpattaraksa (Pai Dao Din), the Laureate of 2017 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, facilitated by Asst.Prof. Dr. Pitch Pongsawat

• ”From Gwangju to Bangkok: Lessons Learned from Democratic Movements” by Dr.Kanokrat Lertchoosakul

• ”The Role of Human Rights Organizations in Perpetuating a Culture of Impunity in Thailand” by Assoc.Prof. Dr.Puangthong Pawakapan

• ”Art as a Form of Resistance” by Asst.Prof. Dr.Pandit Chanrochanakit

• Four lectures on Human Rights Situations in South Korea, Malaysia, Nepal and Bangaladesh

• Peer discussion on Human Rights issues with participants from other Asian countries

• Field Visit to Human Rights Defenders w/ Reflection on Judicial System on Political Prisoners in Thailand by Sirikarn Charoensri, The Lawyers for Lawyers Award 2017 Laureate

Interested participants should write a one-page essay reflecting your thoughts and/or experience in human rights issues. Submit the essay to napath_23592@hotmail.com before November 30. 2017.

UPCOMING WORKSHOP: "Stakeholder Conference on “Transdisciplinary Approaches to Migration, Environmental Change, and Social Inequality” [21 and 22 June 2017]

9:00-17:00, Alumni Meeting Room, 12th Floor
Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University

Co-organized by
the MA in International Development Studies Program, Center for Social Development Studies (CSDS), and the Faculty of Political Science Chulalongkorn University.

Background

Many contemporary development challenges in Southeast Asia are complex and inter-related, including environmental degradation; migration; and social inequality. To appropriately understand these challenges and identify novel insights and innovative solutions, transdisciplinary approaches are required. Not only does this therefore require new research methodologies and new skills for researchers and practitioners, but it also requires universities to develop new curriculum, teaching/ learning materials, and programs.

The Fostering Multi-Lateral Knowledge Networks of Transdisciplinary Studies to Tackle Global Challenges KNOTS project aims to contribute towards meeting this challenge. The three-year project was initiated in October 2016, and is a collaboration between seven universities in Europe, Thailand and Vietnam: the University of Vienna, Austria, which is also the project coordinator; Charles University, Czechia; University of Bonn, Germany; Chulalongkorn University and Chiang Mai University, Thailand; and Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Southern Institute of Social Sciences, and Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam. The project is funded by the European Commission’s ERASMUS+ programme.

Event objectives

The objectives of the Stakeholder Workshop are as follows:

• To deepen understanding on development challenges in Southeast Asia as viewed through a transdisciplinary lens, focusing on environmental degradation; migration; and social inequality
• To inform KNOTS project design towards establishing innovative teaching methodologies with contribution from academics and non-academic stakeholders in Southeast Asia
• To contribute towards establishing a “transdisciplinary knowledge network” on Southeast Asia

UPCOMING WORKSHOP: “Thailand's Sustainable Development Goal 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) status” [2 June 2017]

9:00-12:30, Alumni Meeting Room, 12th Floor
Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University

Co-organized by
the Center for Social Development Studies (CSDS) of the Faculty of Political Science Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
Research Fund, and Faculty of Economics, Thammasart University.

This event will be conducted in Thai language. 

Center for Social Development Studies (CSDS) in collaboration with Thailand Research Fund and Faculty of Economic Thammasart University is glad to invite experts for the Information Sharing Seminar on the “Thailand's Sustainable Development Goal 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) status”. The research aims to evaluate the current actions by state as well as non-state actors, in order to provide recommendations for the economic, social and legal measure to further SCP actions. The seminar provides opportunities for the research to gain feedback from SDG experts, and will conduct priority setting workshop for SDG-12 targets. The overall expected outcome of the project will include reviews of literature regarding SCP concepts; status of actions conducted by state agencies, private sector and CSOs; recommendation on actions to enhance Thailand SCP to achieve SDG and improve overall implementation; and priorities within SCP targets to be evaluated. The report will be disseminated to both state and non-state actors for further implementation.

A press article will be produced as the result of the seminar. Read the draft here.

The workshop agenda can be downloaded here.