SYLLABUS OF THE COURSE HEN573
Environmentální neziskové a nevládní organizace
Ir. Jan Haverkamp studied biochemistry, energy policy and nuclear physics at the University of
Leiden, and environmental sciences, social and environmental psychology and communication
psychology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He worked 10 years in the development
of environmental NGOs in East Germany, Czecho-Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Albania and
Croatia before he emigrated to the Czech Republic. He is founder of the ZHABA facilitators
collective. In the Czech Republic he worked for organisations like the NGO computer network
Econnect, Hnutí DUHA / Friends of the Earth CZ, EPS (Environmentální právní service) and as
campaigner and campaign director for Greenpeace Czech Republic. Since 2004 he is free-lance
consultant and works for organisations like the World Information Service on Energy
(WISE/NIRS), Greenpeace and others. He is 47 years old and has a 12 year old daughter in Prague
and a 14 year old son in the Netherlands.
The role of Environmental NGOs in society
Goals
.1 Students understand the basic role of NGOs in general and environmental NGOs more
specifically in society.
.2 Students understand the main differences in roles of environmental NGOs in different societies
(USA / Canada, Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America,
international / global / UN level).
.3 Students understand the difference between local, national and international civil initiative.
.4 Students know the situation under which environmental NGOs work in CZ and Europe
.5 Students know where to place different NGOs on the line non-violent ­ violent, extreme ­ main
stream.
.6 Students can form and express a well-founded opinion about who they would support or oppose
under which circumstances.
.7 Students understand the dynamics of NGO organisation
Times
Every two weeks, Monday, 10:00 ­ 13:45 hours.
Dates: 27 February 2007, 12 March 2007, 26 March 2007, 16 April 2007, 23 April 2007
Exam: in the form of a three people essay and oral discussion in May 2007
Students are expected to attend all blocks, as the seminar will be highly interactive and participative
and include a lot of work and discussion done during the seminar hours. The seminar blocks will
not exist of lectures, but of interactive group work. The seminar will take place in Czech, much
literature and materials will, however, be in English. English knowledge therefore is necessary for
this seminar. Halfway the seminar, students will investigate the history of one environmental group
in small teams and present the results to the group.
The course will be concluded in the form of a short group-essay with an oral debrief on the basis of
the work done during the blocks and background literature.
27 February 2007
Introduction and basis
ˇ Introduction in the way this seminar will be run
ˇ Expectations
ˇ Mapping own experiences with and present position towards environmental NGOs
12 March 2007
Stakeholders in environmental debates
ˇ Mapping stakeholders in several key environmental debates: Climate change, GMOs, nuclear
power, saving species (whales, the great apes, wolves, river-crabs (astacus)), mobility, toxic
pollution (water quality, corporate responsibility, toxics in consumer products), habitat protection
(protected areas, Natura 2000).
ˇ Positioning the role of NGOs in these debates
ˇ Making a SWOT analysis of the position of NGOs
ˇ Recreating the map of environmental NGOs
26 March 2007
History of the environmental movement
ˇ Case histories of NGOs ­ partly prepared by students themselves
ˇ Nature protection movement: Dutch Society for the Protection of Nature Monuments
ˇ parallels and differences with ČSOP
ˇ International nature protection and the step to environmental problems: WWF and IUCN
ˇ Friends of the Earth
ˇ Netherlands, UK, Germany, Czech Republic, FoEI
ˇ Greenpeace
ˇ Sea Sheppard, Earth First
ˇ Veronica, SOS Praha
ˇ Differences in environmental movements in Central Europe (DDR, CZ, HU, BUL, PL, ex-YU)
16 April 2007 (BEWARE: this date falls outside the 2 week rhythm because of Easter)
Principles, tools, dynamics and organisation of environmental NGOs
ˇ Tools environmental NGOs have at their disposition
ˇ Underlying principles of non-violence, direct and symbolic action, relation of NGOs to the law
ˇ Financing of NGO activities
ˇ Working with volunteers
23 April 2007
Round-up ­ our position towards environmental NGOs
ˇ real life debate on the role of NGOs
ˇ Intermezzo: environmental NGOs and gender issues
ˇ short NVDA training (Non-Violent Direct Action)
ˇ finding our own position towards environmental NGOs
ˇ preparation for group-essay
Exams in coordination with students