The Case Study involves examining a particular case demonstrating an environmental issue in terms of its governance challenges. The Case
Study is about identifying the problems within its governance structures, and the analysis is about how you’d fix the governance problems.
This assessment task is designed to increase your skills in researching and analysing sustainability issues and to start thinking about
complexities oftheir governance. Your Case Study should be a formal, essay-style document of no longerthan 2500 words. It should be broke
down into sub-sections that cover the following:
Introduction: brief introduction ofthe issue at the centre ofthe case study;
Actors:
a brief outline ofthe key actors involved and their position on the issue (a diagram can be useful here); and
Analysis ofthe issue’s
governance challenges (drawing on concepts and issues discussed in the unit), which might include:
value conflicts
contested
knowledge(s)
competing interests
institutional barriers
(Further elaboration on these criteria will be discussed in the first weeks
ofthe unit)
Your informed assessment ofthe most significant governance challenge in your case. If you are having difficulty finding a
case, please contact your tutor for some suggestions.
your Case Study will be assessed against the following criteria:
demonstrated
knowledge ofthe issue including a brief account of its history, the key actors, institutions and debates
competent application of
relevant concepts and ideas from the unit and the literature on environmental governance
analysis ofthe issue: move beyond the
descriptive and examine the issue using material from your research and from the unit
articulation of your own ideas on the key
challenge facing the governance ofthe issue
demonstration of independent research and thinking.
structure and coherence: presenting
a logical case that connects your description ofthe issue and your discussion of its various components.
presentation and expression
including succinct writing with minimal spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors.
diverse and appropriate sources including: policy
background material (e.g. relevant reports, newspaper articles, radio transcripts, think tank reports, web citations etc.) as well as
relevant academic literature. As this is your main written assessment piece you are expected to have at least 12-15 references for this
piece of work.
accurate and consistent referencing