Oil, Rights ＆ Development

University catalogue

The Simulation class has as its purpose to familiarize and inform the student participants with the real-life interests, objectives, constraints, working and strategies of the range of stakeholders concerned or engaged with a large natural resource development project (oil) in a developing and civil war torn country. It challenges the students, as members of pre-assigned teams with different goals and objectives, as well as values, to seek ways to reconcile, to the extent possible, through discussion and negotiation the different and even conflicting interests, goals and strategies of the multiple stakeholders. These stakeholders include the governing parties, opposition parties, local and international NGOs, local and international media and think tanks, as well as two oil companies, including one from an authoritarian country, competing for the oil development contract