This courses examines the social, political and economic relationships between local communities (including indigenous communities) and other stakeholders involved in the development of large-scale mining projects. Particular attention will be paid to the distribution of power, costs, benefits, rights and responsibilities between mining companies, government agencies and local communities under different legal and political regimes. The role of social scientists in the negotiation of relationships between indigenous communities and mining companies will also be considered. The first part of the course will deal with the national and international policy regimes through which the relationships between local communities and other stakeholders are regulated in the mining sector. The remainder of the course will look at specific social, political, economic and environmental issues arising from the engagement of local communities with the minerals industry in different jurisdictions. Consideration of each issue will be based on case study material primarily drawn from the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Students who satisfy the requirements of this course will have the knowledge and skills in relation to local community involvement in the mining industry to:1. Understand and compare the social and political context of relationships between local communities and large-scale mining projects in different countries.
2. Explain and evaluate the ways that social, cultural, political and economic parameters affect negotiations over the development of specific mining projects in specific geographical locations.
3. Contribute to the design of institutions to improve the efficiency, equity and transparency of local-level negotiations over the development of major resource projects in different social and political contexts.
Indicative Assessment
First essay (2000 words, 20%, Learning outcomes 1 and 2) that compares the social and political context of relationships between local communities and large-scale mining projects in two different countries.Case study (3000 words, 50%, Learning outcomes 2 and 3) of the history of social, political and economic interaction between the developers and regulators of one major resource project and local communities affected by that project, with recommendations on how these relationships could be improved.
On-campus or online role play (over 4-5 weeks, 20%, Learning outcomes 1 and 2) dealing with a topic issue in the relationship between local communities and other stakeholders in the mining sector.
Summary: written tasks totalling 5000 words (80%) and participation in on-campus or online discussions (20%)
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Workload
100 hoursRequisite and Incompatibility
Specialisations
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $2604 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $4146 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
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