Water, water, everywhere: governance, politics and society
- Submission status
- Open
- Submission deadline
This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation.
In 2010, the United Nations declared access to sufficient, safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation as a human right. Water scarcity, however, is an alarming concern around the globe. Over-exploitation of freshwater resources threatens food security, health and overall well-being of humanity. The Social Sciences are increasingly vital to understanding and addressing these issues, as water scarcity exists within a larger socio–political system of governance, law and communities. This collection shines a spotlight on social science research about water scarcity and water governance, with particular emphasis on the plurality of methodologies, epistemologies and implications to societies.
Water resource management is a political and social challenge. The collection seeks studies on: strategies to mitigate water scarcity, socio-environmental concepts, relevance of socio-cultural and political structures to shape adaptation to water stresses among communities. We invite papers addressing the social impacts of water scarcity, including research from a range of methodological and epistemological foundations. The following topics will be considered:
Conflict and cooperation
- Analysis of transboundary and local conflicts and cooperation; water politics, water rights
- Social consequences of water scarcity, including social conflicts
- Evaluation of water governance policies across national, cross-border and transnational agencies
Institutional development
- Historical studies about the development of water management institutions
- Development of regulation systems, legislation, agencies, governmental frameworks
- Public vs private vs collective management
- Accountability of water systems, assessing the extent of transparent, effective and fair governance
Politics and Economics
- Evaluations of water management processes and programmes to encourage conservation practices among agricultural and manufacturing industries
- Policy content analysis
- Politics of water pollution, including regulation of emission of chemicals in water bodies, political communication
- Financial aspects of sustainable water management
- Economic understanding of water use
Society and Community
- Acceptance/perception of recycled water or water quality in society
- Use of social media to better understand perception and actions of water users and consumers
- Water conservation awareness, public engagement and activism about protecting water resources
- Community and agency engagement, stakeholder participation efforts to influence awareness/attitude of people using water resource
- Anthropological or psychological perspectives about behavioural understanding of water use
This collection is not open to studies based exclusively in natural, physical or applied sciences.
