News
Commented Lecture Directory - Summer Term 2025
In the link you will find the commented lecture directory for the summer term 2025
You can simply click on the name of the class and it will automatically lead you to the respective page in LSF. Nevertheless, please check LSF yourself as information might be updated. This document is just a guideline to give a a bit of an overview.
If you find any discrepancies or have any questions please send an email to
New Book: An Introduction to Humanitarian Action
Our professor Kristina Roepstorff along with Katrin Radtkehave published their new book:
An Introduction to Humanitarian Action. ISBN 9781032395555
In this book they provide a concise and practice-oriented introduction to the workings of the humanitarian sector and the key contemporary debates surrounding it.
Description
This important new textbook provides a concise and practice-oriented introduction to the workings of the humanitarian sector and the key contemporary debates surrounding it.
The number of people around the world in need of humanitarian action and protection is at its highest figure in decades; yet at the same time, the humanitarian system is facing numerous problems and undergoing fundamental reforms. This book invites us to tackle these challenges head on, addressing the increasing complexity of humanitarian crises and the implications for humanitarian principles and standards as well as the management of humanitarian projects. Expansive in scope, the book covers:
- The sector’s historical foundations and the need to decolonise
- The main types of crises and sectors of humanitarian response
- State and non-state actors and institutions
- The key rules, norms, and project management approaches
- Key trends and challenges, including access, innovation, and anticipation
The book also covers important debates on localisation, inclusive programming, and the decolonisation of the humanitarian system. This exciting new textbook will be an important read for students looking for a comprehensive introduction, as well as for practitioners wanting to stimulate critical thinking and enhance their practical skills.
Get access to the paper from here
Summer school at Charles University in Prague
Check out this invitation to the summer school at Charles University in Prague:
Key details:
- Location: Campus Jinonice, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague
- Dates: August 31 - September 13, 2025
- Target Audience: Undergraduate and Postgraduate students
- Application deadline July 15, 2025
- 5 or 10 ECTS upon completion
More info here
New Article: The futures market for water rights trading in California: Analyzing the emergence of a controversial experiment
Our colleague Charlotte Christen along with Prof. Dr. Michael Böcher and Prof. Dr. Petra Schneider have published their latest research article in Journal of Environmental Challenges under the title: The futures market for water rights trading in California: Analyzing the emergence of a controversial experiment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2025.101125
In this paper they present a qualitative case study of the world's first water futures contract in California, a market that enables hedgers and speculators to bet on water prices
Abstract of the Paper
This paper presents a qualitative case study of the world's first water futures contract in California, a market that enables hedgers and speculators to bet on water prices. It is attempted to explain which factors shaped the emergence of the unique market by applying the Political Process Inherent Dynamics Approach (PIDA), an analytical framework from the field of environmental policy analysis. In addition, the topics of heated debate that have surrounded the new market are summarized and contextualized. To obtain the relevant information, expert interviews, complemented by online sources, were subjected to a Qualitative Content Analysis. It is concluded that the launch of the contract is an extreme case of private business actors shaping water governance, made possible by a longstanding market philosophy in the US, that gives leeway for actors of financialization to create facts. In the political-administrative realm, a lack of accountability and will to interfere seems to prevail. However, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other actors have led efforts to abolish the market, criticizing water futures in ways that resonate with broader debates about privatization and food futures.
Get access to the paper from here
