Business and Global Governance for Sustainable Development, April 14-16, 2008
Intensive Ph.D Course
Oslo, Norway.
April 14-16, 2008.
"(external)University of Oslo":http://www.sum.uio.no
1. Course Background
There is a growing recognition of the increasingly significant and influential role played by business in global governance. Business contributes to the shaping of the sustainable development agenda, performs governance functions by establishing new norms and institutions, and mediates and influences regime formation and implementation. After years of neglect in theories about international relations and international political economy, significant research is
currently being undertaken that aims to advance our empirical knowledge and theoretical tools for better understanding the role of business in global governance.
2. Course Objectives
This intensive three-day course has the following primary objectives;
* Theory: To provide students with an intensive but thorough introduction to the different theoretical perspectives on the role and influence of business on global governance, with particular reference to global environmental issues.
* Case Studies: To provide students with a critical review of how business influences the policies of particular international institutions and agreements and increasingly collaborates with states in public-private partnerships, and how business itself creates, develops and adopts commitments and policies that promote sustainable development through internal corporate social responsibility (CSR) measures and transnational standard-setting processes.
* Paper Presentations: To allow students to present their own research and receive feedback from other students and lecturers, and be exposed to the research conducted by other students. The overall intention is to ensure that the workshop contributes to the students' doctoral research and their academic development.
Lectures and seminar discussions will be held by, inter alia:
* Dr. Robert Falkner, Lecturer in International Relations at the London School of Economics (LSE).
* Dr. Peter Newell, Professor of Development Studies at the University of East Anglia.
* Dr Benedicte Bull, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM) at the University of Oslo.
* Christopher Wright, LSE/Alcoa Fellow 2007-09 and a Visiting Researcher at the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM) at the University of Oslo.
3. Learning outcomes
The course will combine lectures and seminar discussions to give students a thorough knowledge of different theoretical perspectives on the role of business in global governance mainly from the disciplines of international relations and
political science. In discussing the evolving relationship between public and private actors in world politics, it will consider how the nature of power and authority in the international system is changing with globalization, and
how new forms of public-private institutions across national boundaries are giving rise to new forms of global governance. The intention is to expose students to
current debates, allow them to discuss theoretical and empirical material, and present their own research designs and empirical findings to other students and leading academics in the field.
4. Course requirements
As a condition for participating in the course, successful applicants are required to do the following.
By April 4, 2008: Submit an academic paper based on the abstract sent with the original application.
By April 14, 2008: Read the research papers of all the other participating students, in addition to the readings assigned to the course. Information will be provided in due course.
During the course: Attend all the lectures, seminars, and associated social events, and present their paper.
By May 30, 2008: Submit an updated paper that draws on the workshop lectures, feedback and assigned reading materials. The paper will be evaluated by one of the lecturers of the course.
Upon completion of the course, participants will be provided with a certificate. If participants wish the course to be accepted for credit at their respective universities, it is their responsibility to arrange this.
5. Funding
Participants will be accommodated in Oslo. The cost of room and board for three days will be fully covered by the Center for Development and the Environment (SUM) at the University of Oslo.
Note: Participants are themselves fully responsible for organizing and financing their travel to/from Oslo, including travel to/from Oslo airport and the assigned accommodation in Oslo.
6. Application Information
SUM is currently accepting applications from registered doctoral students to take part in a three-day Ph.D course on the role and influence of business in global governance for sustainable development, that will take place in Oslo, April
14-16, 2008.
Who Should Apply
Doctoral students undertaking research in the following academic disciplines will be given particular consideration;
* International Relations
* Political Science and Government
* Development Studies and Economics
* Environmental Policy and Management
* International Business, Trade and Finance
* Political and Development Sociology
How to Apply
Interested students are asked to submit;
* a cover letter.
* a brief abstract of their research (max. 500 words). This can be an overview of research design and research questions, or a piece of completed research.
* and a CV .
By email:
Christopher Wright, christopher.wright@sum.uio.no
Please write 'Application PhD Course' in the subject line.
By post:
Christopher Wright, Visiting Researcher Centre for Development and the Environment, University of Oslo
Box 1116 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
Please write 'Application Phd Course' on the postal envelope.
Deadline
Application deadline is February 15, 2008.
Successful applicants will be contacted by February 25, 2008.
Christian Andreas Morris
