Thesis subject
What it takes to work together in fire
In North West Europe, wildfires and wildfire management have for long been topics that hardly gained attention in public debates, and practice. However, with climate change increasing the risk of wildfires in the Netherlands and North West Europe increasing attention towards possible changed ways of dealing with wildfires and wildfire prevention can be witnessed. Key-points in these discussions are the high population densities, the collaboration between the different parties involved, and the low preparedness and awareness for fire risks.
Research questions
- How is fire management organized (in nature areas) and what is the role of trust in these contexts?
- How does trust between actors in fire management networks influence policies and the effect of fire management?
- How are are wildfire risks perceived in Northwestern European countries by different actors and the broader public?
- How do risk perceptions related to wildfire influence management policies?
Within the context of a large new collaborative initiative on wildfire risk in temperate Europe we are looking for students interested in studying wildfire risk perception and collaboration in this region.
With your supervisors you will work with a large collaborative network of stakeholders (research, fire service, land management, emergency management, policy) in NW and Mediterranean Europe. This ensures access to data, respondents, field sites, and dissemination opportunities.
Type of study
This topic offers different options in research activities, ranging from in-depth case studies to surveys.
Countries under study
The Netherlands, or another North West European Country (language proficiency of local language is preferred).