Trainers:

Dr. Ahmad Hamidov, Department of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt University of Berlin

Dr. Ulan Kasymov, Department of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt University of Berlin

Prof. Dimitrios Zikos, Department of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt University of Berlin

Brief description:

The course makes use of the stock of experiences based on pertinent research employing multiple methods in interdisciplinary research aiming to study the complexity of human behavior and the complex interactions with social-ecological systems. Empirical examples from Central Asia’s natural resource use will be the emphasis of this course.

Course objectives:

The course’s overall aim is to contribute to the advancement of the understanding of the leverage interrelationships between ecological, economic, social and institutional systems leading to unsustainable trends in natural resource use and collective action problems among users in an increasingly globalized arena.

Learning organization and Teaching methods to be used:

An introduction to general research methodologies applied in social sciences and economics will be followed by theoretical discussion and practical testing of relevant methods. Such methods include but are not limited to, Qualitative comparative analysis, Sustainability assessment, Role playing games stressing social interaction and collaboration instead of competition, Agent-based models as computational models for simulating the actions and interactions of individuals or collectives, Crafting Rules by Discourse as an innovative urban rule-making development-promoting planning and consensus-building tool. Other methods like Simulations, Vision Development, Mediated Modelling, Systemic Constellations, Social Metabolism and others will be introduced. Moreover, the second part of the course will be more empirical but will also introduce Game theory and its relevance to Institutional, Experimental and Behavioural Economics focusing on applications in natural resource management in Central Asia, focusing on irrigation management in Uzbekistan.

Online platform to be used:

The Zoom session is suggested for the course as all the instructors have licensed with the relevant online platform.