The emerging field of socio-hydrology broadly deals with the fact that human activities and the water cycle constantly interact. Already today, these processes operate at an increasingly global scale. The interdisciplinary Study Project (SPJ) aims to clarify and discuss some relevant aspects of this human–water relationship by a set of individual projects/analyses that look into, and explore, modern ways of quantifying humanity’s interference with the global water cycle. The SPJ combines short lectures, group discussions, practical exercises (data analyses) and short presentations by students.
In the lecture part, participants get an introduction into the overall topic of socio-hydrology and specific fields relevant for the study projects to be conducted. Thereby they are guided on how to develop an own research idea and project to be conducted in the associated exercises.
In the exercises part, students co-design their own focus study, discuss their plans in the plenary, perform the required data analysis and/or literature review (supervised by the instructors), and finally present the main results. Topics and analysis tools for individual projects will be identified during the course depending on the students’ individual backgrounds and skills. Tentative topics are: Modelling freshwater resources; trends in water availability and use globally and in specific hotspot regions such as India; groundwater use and overdraft; ecological and social implications of water use incl. gender aspects; socio-hydrological modelling approaches. |
