Geographical Approach Research Articles

“Can you ban the bees from the honey?”: exploring an integrated labour law and geographical indications approach for protecting the rights of forest-dwelling communities over non-timber forest produce

ABSTRACT In this article, we study the fragmented approach of two Indian statutes, namely, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 (“FRA 2006”) and the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999 (“GIA 1999”). The article critically examines the labour law approach under the FRA 2006 and intellectual property ownership under the GIA 1999 with a specific focus on the production and commercialization of non-timber forest produce. The analysis leads to an argument for an integrated approach that starts with recognizing the agency of the communities, followed by guaranteeing protections under the labour rights approach and integrated protection through GIs. The integrated approach would facilitate cooperative experiments that go beyond strict private and public law distinctions. This can offer sustainable livelihood opportunities for forest-dwelling communities.

ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЯ СТРУКТУРИ І ЗМІСТУ КУРСУ ГЕОГРАФІЇ ВОСЬМОГО КЛАСУ ДЛЯ ЗАКЛАДІВ ЗАГАЛЬНОЇ СЕРЕДНЬОЇ ОСВІТИ

The article is focused on the analysis of the structure and content of Geography study in the 8th grades of general secondary educational institutions based on the model curriculum, developed by the team under the supervision of S. P. Zapototskyi. According to it, the content block related to the study of the population was removed from the 8th and instead transferred to the 9th grade course. Thus, the content of the course “Geography” in the 8th grade will encompass the following 4 chapters: Chapter I “Cartographic image of Ukraine”, Chapter II “Nature of Ukraine”, Chapter III “Natural Resource Management” and Chapter IV “Space – Territory – State”. Instead of the topic “Ukrainian and World Population” in the 8th grade, the inclusion of which in this course at one time was an unsuccessful experiment, two Chapters were introduced under the names “Natural Resource Management” and “Space – Territory – State”. Chapter “Natural Resource Management” logically completes the study of the nature of our state from the standpoint of the resource approach and perspectives of nature use, and “Space – Territory – State” is a kind of a transitional link to the study of Ukrainian and world social geography in the 9th grade. However, a more detailed analysis of the content of the topics included in the geography course covered in the 8th grade according to the model program offered by S. P. Zapototskyi and others, prompts to draw attention to some debatable issues and to offer author’s vision of improving the content of the educational discipline. The main suggestions concern the preservation of a typical physical and geographical approach to the study of the nature of Ukraine in Chapter II, In topic 1. of section IV. "Ukrainian state" a very important aspect of consideration is the affirmation of the idea that Ukraine is the inheritor of the state tradition of the Slavic tribe of the Ants. Another strength of the program is the project activity to establish the features of the formation of capable territorial communities formed after the decentralization reform. The main narrative to be relayed by topic 2 "Ukraine's place on the political map of the world" is that Ukraine is a sovereign European state, a candidate country for EU membership, which has to defend its independence from Russian aggression in a fair armed struggle. and some clarification of the content in Chapter III “Natural Resource Management”.

Interpretasi Hakim dalam Menyelesaikan Sengketa Pelanggaran Myanmar terhadap Konvensi Genosida

Introductioan: A case of international dispute between Gambia and Myanmar where both countries have ratified the Convention on The Prevention of The Crime of Genocide.Purposes of the Research: The purpose of the research is to identify the legal standing of the parties, analyze the judges’ interpretation of the dispute, and propose potential approaches to resolve this case.Methods of the Research: This research uses a qualitative approach to understand the issue under study, with legal analysis methods to evaluate legal aspects and case studies of Gambia vs. Myanmar.Results of the Research: Legal standing is important. With recognition as a legal subject and participation in international agreements. Then it can claim rights and demand obligations based on international law. In this paper, there are three relevant approaches that judges can use in resolving such dispute, namely geographical, political and humanitarian approaches. When the three are combined, it will enrich the legal analysis and possibly find the best solution for all international communities.

Henri Lefebvre and the spatial revolution that never ends: Towards the reconciliation of anarchist and Marxist approaches in geography?

AbstractIt is widely accepted that Henri Lefebvre's Marxism had anarchistic traits, but few have tried to specify what these traits are, or what they mean. This paper argues that Lefebvre's work should be seen as first and foremost an anti‐authoritarian theory that uses space, rather than a spatial theory. Written from a position that refuses to be either just ‘Marxist’ or just ‘anarchist’, this paper makes a claim to the possibility of a radical geography that can engage with and beyond both.

Monitoring and assessing of sustainable development in the urban area of Ouagadougou based on SDG 11.3.1 indicator and the city biodiversity index

Urban growth can induce changes in the use and transformation of urban land. In the context of rapid urbanization, monitoring key indicators of sustainable development is essential. The aim of this study was to monitor and assess the level of sustainable development in the city of Ouagadougou between 2002 and 2022, based on global indicators such as Sustainable Development Goal 11.3.1 indicator and the Singapore City Biodiversity Index. A remote sensing and Geographic Information System approach was used to acquire and analyze open-source geospatial data. The results show an increasing inefficiency in land use, with excessive consumption to population growth until 2013. Between 2013 and 2022, this trend declined, but urban biodiversity nevertheless decreased significantly, with a 40% loss of natural areas between 2002 and 2022. Fragmentation of natural areas, due to infrastructure development, has amplified this degradation, posing ecological risks to the city. This study underlines the importance of strengthening the ecological connectivity of urban spaces to improve their sustainability and resilience. It also recommends reorienting urban strategies by integrating nature-based solutions and placing biodiversity preservation at the heart of sustainable urban development policies.

ХЭЛФОРД МАККИНДЕРИ ГЕОГРАФИЧЕСКОЕ ОФОРМЛЕНИЕ ПОЛИТИКИ В НАЧАЛЕ ХХ В.

The article attempts to analyze the process of intellectual design of geopolitical thought, which in the early twentieth century, when on the eve of the Great War an attempt was made to form a geographical certainty of foreign policy strategy. The study is based on the understanding of the geographical axis of history, carried out by the British geographer H. Mackinder, who was one of the founders of British geopolitics. His approach involved identifying key geographical regions of the world that influenced the vectors of European politics in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. At this stage, H. Mackinder's understanding of the definition of the Heartland as the center of world politics of European states is studied. The geographical approach of the British thinker to identifying patterns of political development of foreign policy fit into the desire to formulate laws of foreign policy, which were undertaken in the early twentieth century and subsequently formed the basis of geopolitical science. In the practical sphere, within the framework of the development of a post-war model of world development in 1919 during the Paris Peace Conference, the Heartland concept was expressed in the Versailles Peace Treaty concluded in 1919 in the form of the creation of a buffer zone between Germany and Soviet Russia.

Dismantling displacement and de-tenanting—Toward a feminist legal geography perspective on the housing crisis and eviction court cases in Germany

Displacement and de-tenanting are critical issues at the intersection of housing crises and legal frameworks, demanding a nuanced understanding that integrates class, gender, and race. This article aims to contribute to this scholarship by employing a feminist legal geography perspective, specifically through courtroom ethnography. The examination of eviction court cases in Germany reveals the intricate ways in which legal mechanisms mediate and perpetuate. The paper thus demonstrates how eviction processes are not merely legal transactions but are deeply embedded in power dynamics that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. By foregrounding the experiences and voices of those impacted, this paper underscores the material realities of eviction and highlights the importance of a feminist legal geographic approach to understanding and addressing housing injustices. This perspective not only illuminates the courtroom as a pivotal space where socio-legal battles unfold and emphasizes the necessity of listening and attuning to the lived experiences of the displaced.

‘Plastic addicts’: troubling consumer tropes in Thailand’s neoliberal waste environment

ABSTRACT Amidst mounting alarm over plastic waste’s impact on ecosystems and health, Thailand has gained global attention as one of the top six contributors to marine plastic debris. Narratives that Thai people are ‘addicted to plastic’ circulate widely in local and international media. This article unpacks this and related tropes by investigating their historical development and everyday usage. Based on ethnographic research among regulators, activists, plastic industry members, and recyclers in Bangkok, and a media analysis, I demonstrate how co-constructed civic epistemologies frame plastic waste solutions in Thailand. As public knowledge-ways that inform decision-making, these epistemologies drive plastic pollution by perpetuating neoliberal ideologies of personal responsibility and deregulation. In doing so, they reframe Thailand’s plastic waste challenges as a question of individual morality that requires consumer-based solutions rather than a question of structural production that requires a regulatory response. While scholars have addressed plastic pollution from technical, governance, and new materialist perspectives, this article offers a socio-cultural geography approach that accounts for the cultural narratives that mediate plastic pollution debates and drive plastic production and policy in Thailand and beyond.

Causes of Pediatric Deaths in Lusaka, Zambia: A Quantitative Geographic Information Systems Approach.

While childhood mortality has been declining in Zambia, it remains high at 58 per 1000 live births. Importantly, many leading causes of mortality in Zambia are preventable. This study was conducted to identify clusters of childhood mortality, causes of death of recently deceased children, barriers to care, and risk factors for mortality in Lusaka, Zambia. This study was conducted as a prospective cohort study. Family members or lawfully authorized representatives (LARs) were interviewed when they came to pick up death certificates for recently deceased children from Lusaka Children's Hospital. Each interview included a verbal autopsy, determination of the child's location of residence, and collection of demographic information. Demographic data was also collected from a healthy control group. Quantitative Geographic Information Systems was used to visualize mortality and evaluate for clustering. Leading primary causes of death included malnutrition (21%), complications of chronic illnesses (16%), and central nervous system infections (13%), while the leading barriers to care were cost (58%) and difficulties with travel (53%). Compared to controls, recently deceased children came from families with significantly lower incomes (1905 Kwacha vs. 2412 Kwacha, p = 0.03) and were significantly more likely to have a history of malnutrition (16.7% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.005). Mortality was clustered in two high-population density, low-income neighborhoods in Lusaka. Systems to reduce financial barriers to care and improve access to transportation could reduce childhood mortality in Lusaka. The aforementioned neighborhoods are ideal locations for public health interventions or improved healthcare services.

Applying the water quality indices and geographic information system approach to assessing the suitability of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes in the semi-arid region of Tebessa-Ain Chabro, Northeastern Algeria

Assessing the groundwater quality is important for the efficient exploitation of water resources in semi-arid areas. The study area in northeast Algeria mostly depends on groundwater as its main source of water, and the quality of groundwater is becoming important due to the increasing need for freshwater. The hydrochemical characteristics and water quality of groundwater in the Tebessa-Ain Chabro were assessed using water quality indices, geochemical modeling, and multivariate statistical approaches. The study discovered that the groundwater samples could be classified into four distinct water groups using hierarchical cluster analysis in Q mode (HCA) based on their electrical conductivity. We identified three forms of water: mixed (Ca2+–Mg2+–Cl−), Na+–K+–HCO3−, and Ca2+–Cl−. According to the water quality assessment, only 38% of the samples were deemed suitable for human consumption, while 34% were categorized as poor water, 10% as extremely poor, and 17% as unsafe for drinking. The irrigation water quality index identified four classifications: low, moderate, high, and severe restriction, with corresponding percentages of 31%, 31%, 7%, and 31%. The nitrate pollution index (NPI) showed that 48% of samples fell into the moderate pollution class. Human activity, such as sewage infiltration and waste disposal in open areas, was the cause of this nitrate contamination. The saturation index values showed that groundwater was less saturated in halite and sylvite and more saturated in aragonite, calcite, dolomite, anhydrite, gypsum, and hydroxyapatite. The Tebessa region’s groundwater’s hydrochemical properties and water quality have been assessed using multivariate statistical techniques, geochemical modeling, and water quality indexes. The study’s conclusions can provide a foundation for upcoming research evaluating the region’s groundwater quality.

Counter-forensics and the geographies of images

Counter-forensics emerged in order to deploy scientific investigative techniques usually wielded by the state against the state. In this article, we theorize how a counter-forensic approach can inform geographical approaches to the study of images. Our counter-forensic approach centers the material and semantic instability of images and highlights the indeterminacy of meaning and thus, the importance of the discursive activity of articulating the relationship between images and political claims. The article offers two case studies that deploy this approach. The first engages with cell phone images made by migrants at sea, showing how they can be read as evidence of the broader spatial politics of Europe’s external borders. The second case study examines the materiality of ultrasound technologies in relation to the changing legal terrain of abortion politics in the United States. Both studies use images as openings to intervene in contested politics that are part of the production of uneven geographies of state domination and control.

Spatial proximity in ‘local’ Alternative Food Networks: a case study of AMAP in France

This paper explores the emerging paradigm of alternative food networks (AFN), with a focus on AMAP (Association pour le Maintien de l’Agriculture Paysanne) in France as a case study. Delving into the multifaceted concept of spatial proximity within such networks, this paper explores three hypotheses drawn from literature on the spatiality of AFN, analyzing both ‘local’ distances variability and the characteristics of agricultural and urban contexts where such local-based AFN take place. Methodologically, the study leverages an original, manually compiled database at a national scale encompassing AMAP producers and distribution points. Specific analytical protocols are developed combining traditional geographical approaches with machine learning techniques. Key findings reveal the influence of both population density and agricultural land availability on the distances between producers and selling locations. Moreover, the study discerns that the nature of products and their processing levels significantly shapes 'local' distances. Additionally, the paper offers insights into distinctive features of the morphological landscape associated with AMAP producers. These findings may serve as a catalyst for future inquiries into the spatial dynamics and potential spatial configurations of alternative food networks.

야외박물관으로서의 경주 남산 만들기 : 1950-90년대 지역문화공동체의 유산 실천을 중심으로

This article examines the heritagization process of how the performances and practices of local communities and people in Gyeongju contributed to the creation of Mt. Namsan in Gyeongju as a natural and cultural open-air museum through a historical geographical approach to cultural landscape. During the Park Chung-hee regime, Mt. Namsan was a space organized around selected points and the lines connecting them, i.e., ruins that were considered important in the construction of national history and the roads that connected them. In 1985, the entirety of Mt. Namsan was designated a historic site, which led to the transformation of this point- and line-centered spatial organization into an area-centered one. In addition to the institutional change, the activities of local cultural communities and local people played an important role in the spatial reconfiguration of Mt. Namsan. They were the main actors who carried out and practiced the heritage of Mt. Namsan from the 1950s to the 1990s. Their activities laid the foundation for the transformation of Mt. Namsan into an “open-air museum” that bears the imprint of Silla, a multifaceted and multilayered pilgrimage site where points, lines, and planes intersect.

Evaluating Urban Services in Neighbourhoods Through the Inequality Lens in Khulna City, Bangladesh: A Geographic Information System Approach

This article delineates the development of an integrated assessment tool to understand inequality in the provision of urban services among neighbourhoods in Khulna city, Bangladesh. The study considers eight key indicators to evaluate basic urban services related to the physical environment of the city. We use primary and secondary sources of information as well as geographic information system (GIS) to summarise the results in a scientific fashion. Additionally, we adopt the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique to distribute weights among the considered indicators and categorise the neighbourhoods as ‘good’, ‘average’ or ‘poor’ in terms of service availability. Results from the study demonstrate that a majority of the neighbourhoods lack basic urban services. Only 10 per cent of the neighbourhoods are equipped with basic urban services, whereas 74 per cent face difficulties with ‘average’ quality of services and nearly 16 per cent of neighbourhoods fail to provide basic services to city dwellers. Our study may be useful to development authorities, city corporations and local governments to visualise the neighbourhoods struggling for basic urban services and bring them under immediate attention to deliver the required resources. Further, the study provides an assessment model to understand urban service inequality in cities with similar characteristics in other parts of the world.

Recent Urban-to-Rural Migration and Its Impact on the Heritage of Depopulated Rural Areas in Southern Transylvania

There has recently been discussion regarding how heritage rural areas are culturally affected by recent urban-to-rural migration. However, little research has been conducted on the form this process takes in post-communist contexts. Taking a geography approach to some Romanian heritage sites, this study foregrounds narratives based on interviews with local people in two villages in southern Transylvania that were formerly inhabited by different ethnicities. The results point to quite different perceptions of the cultural landscape changes in the two villages. Although both communities consciously seek to preserve and maintain a sense of place that is rooted in history, those who migrate from urban areas to these rural heritage places represent a catalyst for community resilience and development in areas such as acquisition of buildings, development of facilities, modern social services, and seeking new funding for landscape transformation. As NGOs function as a link between government, local people, newcomers to the community, and investors, we contend that more attention could be paid to channelling their funds towards investment in rural heritage. The greatest challenges to heritage are those posed by tourism, while NGOs and small investors are the driving force that helps to preserve and save cultural heritage.

Mappers, Mapmakers, and Cartographers and Where to Find Them in Contemporary Art (a Modest Proposal)

The so-called “art map age”, a phenomenon marked by the convergence of visual arts and cartography, emerged between the 60-70s and early 2000s. The close relationship between cartographic and artistic language is a “commonplace” of the present world: if the artistic experiments with the maps have been supported by a vast bibliography, in this paper I follow a strictly geographical approach to describe some trends of contemporary art. I take inspiration from a terminological distinction introduced by Arthur Robinson and Barbara Petchenik: and that is between ‘mapper’, ‘mapmaker’ and ‘cartographer’. Furthermore, combining the “types” of the mapper, the mapmaker, and the cartographer with the different attitudes regarding maps (as medium, image, abstraction, etc.), I will suggest a small classification scheme.

For an Environmental Ethnography in Human and Physical Geography: Reenvisioning the Impacts and Opportunities of El Niño in Peru

In 2017 El Niño Costero devastated the northern coast of Peru. This article seeks to learn from this experience for future large central and eastern Pacific-driven El Niño events. It directs attention away from dominant disaster narratives to reflect on the opportunities that El Niño rains have generated for desert livelihoods over time. We make a call for and set out the key elements of a historical geographical ethnography approach in environmental geography, which, as well as examining climate dimensions (paleoclimatology, dendrochronological, and atmospheric changes) of El Niño, also aims to consider its impacts on the livelihoods and management strategies of desert communities over time. We take as a starting point the responses of people who themselves come directly into contact with environmental change, yet whose agency and experiences are often marginal in knowledge production about El Niño. Responding to recent calls for qualitative geography researchers to be more explicit about how data are collected and analyzed, we explain how and why it is important to compare stakeholder interviews and climate records with newspaper archives and community memories of the 1983 and 1998 El Niño events. We illustrate that for desert populations in northern Peru, El Niño can represent abundance as well as disaster and make visible their role in managing change after El Niño flooding.

Geographic Information System-Based Approach and Analysis of Housing Mismatches in Searches during Housing Selection

This study aimed to explore the spatial interaction between search flow and house price levels. It utilized migration flow data from 2011 and house price data from the same year in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. The methodology included Chi-square tests and a series of visual maps to explore and visualize the relationship between current areas and search areas. The study examined five house price ranges with matches and mismatches between search patterns and current patterns and tried to illuminate the underlying causes. The research results could prove beneficial for policymakers and planners in discerning distinct migratory patterns and geographical regions, thereby facilitating the formulation of well-informed decisions.

Land use change and Ecological Network in rapid urban growth region in Selangor region, Malaysia

Rapid urbanization will cause various land use changes and the vast occupation of green spaces, a critical factor in the deterioration of biodiversity in urbanized areas. Some species of wildlife are endangered due to habitat shrunk and fragmentation. However, Malaysia's current biodiversity protection range is still limited. The Ecological Network (EN) refers to a framework of ecological components, which can be obtained by geographical and technical approaches to support more ecological diversity ranges. Furthermore, little research has been found on EN in Malaysia and the impact of land use change on EN. Therefore, the Selangor region is selected as the study area. This paper quantifies land use change and measures the extent of land use change to obtain the EN’s change. The result has shown that forestland has decreased, explored by people for housing and agriculture from 2000 to 2020. The EN has a trend of fragmentation. Overall, this study's results imply that the land use change led to EN's worsened performance from 2000 to 2020 in the study area. This paper hopes that this research could help supply information on conserving biodiversity in future development and urban sustainable planning in Malaysia.

Combining environmental-socio-economic data with volunteer geographic information for mapping flood risk zones in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China

Due to the occurrence of extreme weather phenomena, flooding caused by precipitation has become a frequent, widespread, and highly destructive natural disaster. For densely populated urban areas, efficient identification of people's emergency rescue needs and mapping of high flood risk areas are particularly important for decision makers to formulate disaster relief strategies. In this study, we employed a machine learning approach along with volunteer geographic information (VGI)1 data and environmental-socio-economic indicators to map the flood risk area in Zhengzhou. Firstly, the sentiment analysis tool based on artificial intelligence platform initially identified the public's emergency rescue needs. Secondly, the crowd-sourcing approach and geographical approach were used to evaluate the VGI data quality and the variable importance measures (VIMs)2 method to optimize the evaluation indicators. Lastly, the flood risk area was classified in four categories: flood environmental susceptibility, flood-induced risk, flood exposure risk, and flood mitigation capacity, subsequently resulting in a comprehensive risk map of Zhengzhou. The results showed that the accuracy of flood risk assessment increased from 85.7 % to 92.4 % after VGI quality evaluation. The most important indicators affecting flood risk assessment were population density, river system and nighttime light intensity. The comprehensive flood risk map better reflected the spatial distribution of high-risk areas in Zhengzhou. It allows emergency responders to quickly identify areas that require urgent attention.