When assigned with making a podcast, a group of NMBU-students upped the ante by sending live and direct on Radio Nova, a radio station catering to Oslo's student community.
The five students from the International Environmental Studies programme hosted a live podcast as part of their coursework for the EDS348 Global Environmental Governance class.
Listen to the podcast (file on Google drive)
Bridging theory and practice
The students, Elise Hjelmervik, Kyleigh Crist, Robin Renz, Nuel Abuchi Obiekwe, and Julia Helena Ferraresi, were joined on air by Anders Christian Norum from Radio Nova.
The podcast centered around the relationship between Environmental Governance and Indigenous Peoples, with a particular focus on the concept of green colonialism.
Julia, one of the students, shared her experience: "The podcast was a really fun learning experience, and we learnt a lot through our preparations so we were able to have a semi free discussion on the topic live on air."
Guri Bang, the course instructor, was very pleased with the students' initiative.
– My students regularly impress me, she said. – While students have made many podcast over the years, each instance provides a unique experience. It is great to see how they bridge academic knowledge with practical application.
For the Global Environmental Governance course, lectures are combined with problem-based learning and group discussions, and as well as creating podcasts, they write popular science texts, and deliver group presentations. Additionally, an excursion provides students with practical insights into environmental policy formulation and management.
Indigenous voices
Through case studies, the students examined the experiences of the Sámi People of Norway and the Mapuche People of Chile, highlighting the exploitation of indigenous lands in the name of environmental benefits.
Statkraft, The Norwegian state-owned energy company, is involved in large projects affecting indigenous people in both Fosen, Norway and along the Pilmaiken river in Chile.
– This a new form of green colonialism, stated the students in the podcast. – The companies doing these projects are making a lot of money, so its by no means charity. Nature and local populations are the ones paying the price for it.
Julia emphasized the value of their topic, adding, "We all enjoyed lifting up the importance of listening to the indigenous people on how to manage their territories and the fact that they have a lot of extremely valuable knowledge on how to manage local environments and biodiversity."
The students also included an interview with NMBU Phd Candidate Tomohiro Harada, to add further depth to their discussion, specifically on the topic of Indigenous Diplomacy