Local Mayors Research Articles

DEVELOPING A METHODOLOGY PACKAGE FOR LOCAL CAPITAL STOCKS MANAGEMENT : A CASE STUDY IN ICHIHARA CITY

It is necessary that capital stocks be maintained in order to achieve environmental sustainability. However, there is as yet no firmly established methodology for maintaining and managing capital stocks. This study focuses on one example of a developmental process which took place in order to create a methodology package that will assist city officials and others such as the staff of not-for-profit organisations in Japan to manage local capital stocks. The methodology package has two main elements: providing access to a simulator which shows expected changes in local capital stocks in each city; and providing workshops to promote the sharing of knowledge and discussion among local students and people of other generations. Through the implementation of this methodology package by the project members, it has been found that these two elements generated a realisation within junior high school and high school students of expected changes to each city, and encouraged a diversity of ideas among them. Through promoting the sharing of ideas, this package has proved effective as a tool for generating suggestions regarding the management of capital stocks which have then been presented by participants at the workshops to the local mayor.

Indonesia. Indonesia's changing political economy: Governing the roads By Jamie S. Davidson Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. 242. Maps, Figures, Tables, Appendix, Bibliography, Index.

Indonesia's changing political economy: Governing the roads By JAMIE S. DAVIDSON Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. 242. Maps, Figures, Tables, Appendix, Bibliography, Index. doi: 10.1017/S0022463416000618 A book about roads might seem somewhat esoteric and perhaps, inevitably tedious except to a small number of aficionados. And to be honest, although it is well written, this highly detailed and meticulously researched book requires considerable stamina and commitment on the part of the reader. But this is more than a descriptive work and it is more than a study of roads. It provides incisive and concrete insights into the way wealth and power are accumulated and distributed in Indonesia. Set within larger and ongoing debates about power and governance and how governments make decisions, the author distances himself from the more narrow technocratic explanations of economic rationalists and market fundamentalists, including those from the IMF and World Bank. And he also sees limits in the way New Institutional Economics and the varieties of institutional approaches might effectively explain his problem. What is missing, he proposes, is a political sociology of power that identifies the coalitions, interests and ideas that shape the way resources and priorities are decided in infrastructure programmes. These, in his view, give life to a highly political process. So we find, rather than discussions about market distortions or weak institutions as the root cause of problems in the history of road building in Indonesia there are discussions of who the contending interests are, and how these decided the course of events. Threading through his chapters we find a story of struggles between the managers of a still-powerful state sector, technocrats and market fundamentalists, private opportunists and capitalists with powerful political backing, foreign investors, Indonesian capitalists seeking protection and favour from the broader forces of a global market, land and property owners fighting expropriation, and local mayors and officials protecting their regional and private interests. The different chapters are designed to show how these forces collide at different points in Indonesian history in bitter struggles over regulation and governance, private sector participation and the role of public authorities, and how land should be acquired. As the established dominance of public road-building companies and the Ministry of Public Works was upset by the emergence of powerful political business families in the latter part of the Soeharto era (most notably the Soeharto children), the author shows how the hybrid of state leadership and private rent-seeking through capture of licences, concessions and state funding was to provide the central problem for post-Soeharto presidents in their attempts to resolve Indonesia's infrastructure chaos. In an industry driven increasingly by the interests of private opportunists the author shows how the question of regulation became increasingly important for governments and investors alike. This was especially complicated by the demands of market ideologues within key ministries and in the IMF who pushed for private-public partnerships as the way forward. It was the failure of regulators to win the battle over politicians and powerful oligarchs that is argued to be one of the main factors in Indonesia's poor performance in tackling the problem of infrastructure building. The author shows how some of the most powerful oligarchs, including Aburizal Bakrie and Jusuf Kalla, presided over poor performing companies who consistently failed to meet the requirements of their concessions, or sat on licences and resold them as market conditions or their private commercial fortunes fluctuated. …

CHALLENGES OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN RURAL SOUTH AFRICA

While the South African government has implemented an information and communication technology (ICT) policy to address issues of universal access and service, questions remain about the effective implementation of this policy in rural areas. This article explores the extent to which ICT policy and regulation were implemented in rural South Africa, with specific reference to the Eastern Cape province. Focus group interviews and in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data from 28 high school learners, two local municipal mayors and two women support group leaders in the Chris Hani District Municipality. A theme analysis indicated that the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) is failing to fulfil its mandate of promoting universal access and service. It is recommended that the provincial government in the Eastern Cape design an ICT strategy for its municipalities and that there should be easy access to Thusong Service Centres in rural areas.

A Comparative Analysis of European Islamophobia: France, UK, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden

A 2015 French court decision flouting Muslim dietary restrictions in public schools serves as a sobering reminder that growing Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination, threatens religious freedom in parts of contemporary Europe. Last year, a local French mayor announced that his district’s school cafeterias would no longer provide students non-pork alternatives despite rules against bringing packed lunches and a sizable Muslim population. The Islamic faith prohibits consumption of pork and its by-products or derivatives. Additionally, many Muslims follow religious standards of slaughter known as halal in the preparation of meat and poultry. Notably, non-pork lunch alternatives have been available to Muslim students throughout France since 1984. In response to the decree, a Muslim group brought a court action requesting injunctive relief to stop the discriminatory changes from taking effect. The court decided, however, that such relief was unwarranted citing procedural deficiencies.While the French minister of education denounced the decision, unjust laws and policies are nothing new to Muslims in France or other parts of Europe. The minority faith group continues to grapple with increased bias, prejudice and discrimination perpetrated by individuals, groups and institutions in a variety of contexts including in schools, at work and on the street. Moreover, from banned burkinis, or modest swimwear, on French beaches to banning Muslim children from praying in German schools, anti-Muslim sentiment often victimizes the most vulnerable members of the minority faith community.This article engages in a descriptive, normative and comparative analysis of contemporary religious freedom challenges, measured by official restrictions and social hostilities, confronting Muslim minority communities in five European countries including, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden. Interdisciplinary in nature, this inquiry will initially contextualize the subject matter in Part II by surveying relevant public opinion research toward Islam and Muslims as well as prevailing social, economic and political conditions. Part III explores from a historical and legal vantage point the role of religion and protections extended to freedom of religion, at least in theory. Part IV then examines the intersection of religion, law and society with a particular focus on Islamophobia. Finally, Part V engages in a comparative analysis highlighting relevant observations, patterns and trends.

Selfa A. Chew. Uprooting Community: Japanese Mexicans, World War II, and the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands .

In Uprooting Community: Japanese Mexicans, World War II, and the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands, Selfa A. Chew examines the relocation and internment of Japanese Mexicans from the northern border during World War II. She presents a relatively understudied episode in Mexico’s wartime history and offers a view of the ways race played a role in the nation’s era of “national unity” in the 1940s. As Mexico formally entered the war in June 1942, President Manuel Ávila Camacho signed a decree suspending constitutional rights for all citizens. But already in January of that year the government had been relocating Japanese Mexicans from the border region to the nation’s interior—primarily Mexico City. Many had their bank accounts frozen, but were still required to pay travel and living expenses. Those who remained in Mexico City faced severe restrictions of movement and limitations on the types of employment they could seek. Others were sent to concentration camps—erroneously characterized by the news media as “farming communities.” Chew points out that some individuals were granted an exemption by state governors, but few high-level politicians seemed willing to intervene on behalf of Japanese Mexicans, particularly in the height of national security concerns after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Neighbors and local mayors often supported their Japanese acquaintances and tried to protect them. But the case studies presented in Uprooting Community suggest that exemptions were difficult to obtain and often required lengthy appeals based on poor health and other hardships. The author places the treatment of relocated and interned individuals within the context of citizenship rights as well as international rights. She explains that since the Mexican government did not consider them prisoners of war or spies, they were not protected by the Geneva Convention.

An introductory study of perceptual marginality in Slovakia

Abstract The existence of marginal regions is closely linked to the socio-spatial polarisation of our society. Especially in the post socialist countries, including Slovakia, which have undergone significant social and economic transformation, spatial polarisation and related regional disparities have become a relevant issue across multidisciplinary academic research. This study focuses on similarities and differences in defining the marginality from two different perspectives - one that is based on quantification of statistical data and another based on individual perception of marginality from the position of local mayors. Local mayors, the main figures of the local governance, have in the Slovak system of administration huge responsibility in the development of communes and a great opportunity to improve the status of certain communes, especially those marginal. At the same time this study investigates how the political affiliation and political support affect their competencies and activities in relation to the marginal position of their commune.

Dynamics between denial and moral panic

In this contribution the authors describe the main findings of a research study conducted in the Netherlands on the return of sex-offenders to the community. The study questioned how crisis situations can develop following the identification of a sex-offender in the community. The study consisted of an analysis of ten cases in which the return of a convicted sex offender to the community or the ‘discovery’ of a sex-offender in the community resulted in community unrest and attracted media attention. Interviews were conducted with professionals involved in supervising those individuals convicted for sexual offences as well as the individuals themselves. Contrary to the situation in both the United States and the United Kingdom, criminal records in the Netherlands − as in most of continental Europe − are predominantly seen as a private matter and are not made public to those outside the criminal justice system. The article also examines the role of the local Mayor who has a central role in managing the local negative reactions to return of those convicted of sexual offences back into the community in the Netherlands. The findings produced from the data are analysed applying a social construction approach that utilizes the concepts of ‘moral panic’ and denial. The authors found that the return of a those convicted of sexual offences can lead to a range of responses varying from anger and panic to secrecy and denial. Ultimately the authors found that greater transparency led to more positive outcomes in these cases.

From Book to Bubble: How Finance Built the New Chicago

From Book to Bubble: How Finance Built the New Chicago. Rachel Weber. The University of Chicago Press, 296 pages, 2015.Early in the 2000s, Chicago, like a number of cities, was experiencing a commercial real estate boom. At the time, the common wisdom was that lenders had learned the lessons of the office bubble of the 1980s and that supply and demand would be kept in balance. This proved to be optimistic, not only in Chicago, but in cities across the country. Rachel Weber's From Boom to Bubble explains why.Weber begins with two questions: why did office developers in Chicago add approximately 15% more square footage to the existing supply at a time when the number of new office jobs dropped 8.3%; and what does this fact tells us about the gap between economic theory and what actually happens in real estate markets? Ambitious in scope, the book offers a new explanation (i.e., theory) of real estate development and it explains anew not only the mechanics of the real estate process and how Chicago ended up with a field of skyscrapers downtown, but also, and perhaps more importantly for readers of this journal, why we continue to overbuild.At its core, the book is an argument that the supply of real estate is not determined solely (or, in the case of Chicago, substantially) by demand for new space. Instead it is the result of active participants in the market, including agents, appraisers, and brokers; sources of capital; and local governments-whether mayors, economic development officers, or planners-who all rely on a steady stream of transactions to maintain and build their wealth or, in the case of public officials, their career. In the absence of a sudden jump in hiring, she shows, demand for new buildings must be created by brokers who impress on clients both the shortcomings of their existing space and the merits of the new.Methodologically, Weber is a successor to Anthony Downs: well-connected to industry sources, well-schooled in the theories of real estate, and able to take the broad view of what is happening in the industry and lucidly present it to the reading public. She is also a kind of successor to Susan Fainstein, author of The City Builders, who has written at great length about both the mechanics of real estate development and its public policy implications. Weber's alternative way of understanding bubbles is based on years of interviews and data gathering among Chicago's real estate developers, and, like Homer Hoyt, she uses it to develop a richer understanding of the operation of real estate markets and the strengths and shortcomings of the real estate literature.The book is divided into three parts. In the first, Weber brings together a wide range of sources to rethink what we know about the development of real estate. Her analysis draws from the academic and trade literature and across a wide ranging set of (normally academically-distinct) specializations. She weighs conflicting explanations for how, when, and why real estate development occurs, and in the process offers an explanation that deepens our understanding of the fundamentals of real estate: the real estate cycle, how real estate investment works, and the role of the intermediaries who facilitate real estate development and sales.Having created a framework for understanding development, Weber turns to Chicago in the second part of the book, and the overbuilding of skyscrapers there during what she terms the Millennial Boom. During this period ''over two hundred large-scale development projects were erected'' (p. 124), many of which were residential, with 2 million square feet of office space built, or roughly an additional 15% of stock (a modest amount of overbuilding compared to cities like Phoenix and Atlanta). Weber offers a detailed retelling of the boom and bubble there, with attention to all of the parties discussed in the first part of the book. In a final part, Weber broaches the question of whether there are policy alternatives that might limit future bubbles. …

Place and city branding in Danish municipalities with focus on political involvement and leadership

Place branding is increasingly used by cities and municipalities worldwide. This article seeks to give a descriptive status quo of this current development in Danish municipalities in 2014. In doing so, the article describes the national status on city branding in Denmark with a particular focus on political involvement and leadership. From a dialog with 72 municipalities (out of a total of 98), 38 site interviews were performed with CEOs and/or brand managers and 25 brand projects isolated. In this regard, four questions were in the focus: (i) reasons for the branding initiative; (ii) the underlying place development strategy; (iii) the issue of project ownership; and (iv) project funding. A special emphasis was given on the political leadership of those projects. Data indicates that most projects were developed in narrow political circles including mayors, councils, municipal CEOs and semi-public organizations. This is because of the reason, that Danish mayors have the political as well as the formal administrative responsibility for the municipality. Thus, the data supports the view that local mayors and politicians in a Danish context act from a shareholder’s perspective. Differences and implications of those findings are discussed.

Forgotten and ephemeral? The Palace of the Kings of Majorca, Perpignan

The titles of these weighty tomes invite questions: the palace of whom? The kings of where? A palace when? Olivier Poisson, concluding the first volume, writes of the restoration programme of 1943–1960 that “le palais est resté, malgré le pari des restaurateurs de la décennie 1950, le souvenir un peu vide et abstrait d’une ‘monarchie oubliée et éphemère’” (p. 539). This ‘forgotten and ephemeral monarchy’ of Majorca, a scion of the kings of Aragon, ruled from 1270–1344. In 1276, the monarchy had made Perpignan the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca and began work on the ‘Palais des Rois de Majorque’. To posterity's good fortune, the final Majorcan monarch, James III (‘the Unfortunate’), left the ‘Lois palatines’ (Palatine Laws) of 1337 that provide key insights into the etiquette and even the significance of colour in the early fourteenth-century palace. Following the dispossession of James III in 1344, Perpignan came into the hands of the Aragonese monarchy until 1462. The Palace then passed into French ownership and was used as a barracks for three decades in the late fifteenth century. Following return to Spanish ownership in 1493, Emperor Charles V, Philip II and their successors made further modifications. The Palace finally came back into French hands in 1659 and was henceforth a barracks, graced by significant extension of the fortifications by Vauban. Under French military control, benign neglect preserved early architectural phases, a signal advantage for those subsequently involved in the restoration of the Palace. Following the fall of France in 1942 (and with Spain in fascist hands), the buildings were largely released from military use and handed to the local authorities of the Pyrénées Orientales. A programme of repair and restoration was established, and brought to fruition by the local socialist mayor, a former member of the Resistance, towards the end of the 1940s. The restored buildings were opened to the public in 1958.

Las prácticas culturales de los ropavejeros de la Plaza España de Bogotá

El presente artículo surge a partir de un proceso de asesoramiento a una investigación de práctica socio-cultural que se llevó acabo en la plaza España de Bogotá con el apoyo de la alcaldía local de los Mártires y el grupo de investigaciónm ALEPH integrado por Luis Ernesto Corredor Portilla; Katherine Alvarado Contreras; Luís Carlos Montenegro Almeida y Ángela María Botero Sierra. Se obtuvo una visión de ciudadanía amplia y plural, por medio de la participación y el análisis al buscar soluciones pedagógicas desde procesos culturales. La Comunidad de Los Ropavejeros en la Plaza España tienen una tradición en la historia de la capital colombiana de más de 60 años, la cual se nutre no solamente de los edificios emblemáticos, los acontecimientos que se desarrollaron en este lugar, o los registros fílmicos y documentales sobre estos, sino que se alimenta de la experiencia y las vivencias que son narradas por sus mismos protagonistas, quienes con sus vidas y desde la cotidianidad construyen historia, el objetivo principal es conocer y evidenciar las prácticas culturales que realizan los ropavejeros para mantener en el tiempo una actividad comercial para la población más vulnerable, como es la venta de ropa usada en buena calidad.

Procesos de marketing e innovación en las pymes de una localidad de Bogotá – Rocío Peña

La Uniagustiniana consciente de su impacto y capacidad de contribuir a la base organizacional desea aportar a partir de un estudio riguroso y sistemático con la construcción de la información sobre los procesos de marketing e innovación que tienen las empresas del sector de Kennedy. Se busca responder a la pregunta ¿Cuáles son los procesos de marketing e innovación de las pymes del sector aledaño a la Universitaria? con el fin de proponer estrategias de mercadeo para el fortalecimiento empresarial en las pymes del sector. Este es un estudio de dos fases, una de tipo documental y otra de trabajo de campo con un diseño mixto de carácter exploratorio y descriptivo, teniendo como fuentes secundarias información de la Alcaldía local, Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá, y como fuentes primarias entrevistas a empresarios. Como resultados se encuentran escasas estrategias comerciales y de mercadeo, estas últimas son recurrentes en las necesidades de las pequeñas empresas, los planes proyectados para mejorar su situación tienen que ver con la exploración de nuevos mercados y la innovación de sus productos.

Tendencias y oportunidades de desarrollo turístico en la Costa Tropical de Granada: la visión de los municipios

El artículo presenta la situación del turismo litoral español, el desarrollo del turismo en la Costa de Granada y su evolución, como uno de los espacios litorales del país con poco desarrollo del turismo. Por medio de entrevistas se presenta la visión de los alcaldes. Se reconoce la potencialidad turística de la zona y la importancia de la Mancomunidad de Municipios como ente para la planeación del desarrollo turístico, sin embargo se percibe una ausencia de liderazgo y visión común. Se vislumbra a la Mancomunidad como la instancia que debe impulsar el desarrollo en la costa de Granada.

Local development implications of pork-barrel: a case study of a Czech district

The purpose of this article is to contribute to the study of parliamentary grants (also known as “pork barrel”) through a case study focusing on the grant application process from the perspective of municipal representatives and the perception of the grants’ development potential by inhabitants of such municipalities. Existing studies have considered the topic of parliamentary grant allocations at the national level. This article represents the first attempt to consider the issue of parliamentary grants in the regional context research concentrating on a sample of small municipalities with up to 1500 inhabitants within the Czech district of Žďar nad Sazavou. The study analyses the outputs of the author’s survey of local mayors and ordinary inhabitants conducted within these municipalities in September 2013. The results of this research will contribute not only to the study of parliamentary grants, but also to the broader debate on various forms of subsidies. Furthermore, the study can generate insights into the larger issue of subsidies in Czechia, the distribution of which is often influenced by national politicians. It can also contribute to the broader discussion about the purpose and challenges to the current system of subsidies. The conclusion of this article offers possible solutions to some of these challenges.

Authoritarian Environmentalism Undermined? Local Leaders’ Time Horizons and Environmental Policy Implementation in China

AbstractChina's national leaders see restructuring and diversification away from resource-based, energy intensive industries as central goals in the coming years. On the basis of extensive fieldwork in China between 2010 and 2012, we suggest that the high turnover of leading cadres at the local level may hinder state-led greening growth initiatives. Frequent cadre turnover is intended primarily to keep local Party secretaries and mayors on the move in order to promote the implementation of central directives. While rotation does seem to aid implementation by reducing coordination problems, there are also significant downsides to local leaders changing office every three to four years. Officials with short time horizons are likely to choose the path of least resistance in selecting quick, low-quality approaches to the implementation of environmental policies. We conclude that the perverse effects of local officials’ short time horizons give reason to doubt the more optimistic claims about the advantages of China's model of environmental authoritarianism.

Decentralization of natural resources management and improvement of rural livelihoods: empirical evidence from the Dimako Council Forest experiment in eastern Cameroon

Since the mid-1980s, throughout the world, decentralized experiments in natural resources management are being promoted under the major assumption that through the inclusion of those who were formerly excluded – rural communities and governments – the management of those resources as well as local and rural living conditions will be improved. In Cameroon, following the 1994 landmark Forest Law which transferred significant powers, resources and responsibilities to local actors, three primary modes of involving local communities and rural governments in the forestry sector were created: community forests; the annual forestry fee (AFF) and (local) council forests. While the literature has focused on the governance of community forests and the AFF, the study of council forests has lagged behind until recently. This paper investigates the impact of the forest management decentralization on rural livelihoods in the local council of Dimako, the first local government to benefit from this particular type of transfer of powers in Central Africa. Overall, the empirical data reveals that the whole experiment has turned awry as the benefits have essentially bypassed local villagers amidst stories of incomplete projects, overestimations and alleged misappropriation of funds by the local mayor.

Challenges of implementing a primary health care strategy in a context of a market‐oriented health care system: the experience of Bogota, Colombia

Although Colombia has a health system based on market and neoliberal principles, in 2004, the government of the capital-Bogota-took the decision to formulate a health policy that included the implementation of a comprehensive primary health care (PHC) strategy. This study aims to identify the enablers and barriers to the PHC implementation in Bogota. The study used a qualitative multiple case study methodology. Seven Bogota's localities were included. Eighteen semi-structured interviews with key informants (decision-makers at each locality and members of the District Health Secretariat) and fourteen FGDs (one focus group with staff members and one with community members) were carried out. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The main enablers found across the district and local levels showed a similar pattern, all were related to the good will and commitment of actors at different levels. Barriers included the approach of the national policies and a health system based on neoliberal principles, the lack of a stable funding source, the confusing and rigid guidelines, the high turnover of human resources, the lack of competencies among health workers regarding family focus and community orientation, and the limited involvement of institutions outside the health sector in generating intersectoral responses and promoting community participation. Significant efforts are required to overcome the market approach of the national health system. Interventions must be designed to include well-trained and motivated human resources, as well as to establish available and stable financial resources for the PHC strategy.

Innovative integrated health care models in Germany

Purpose: To identify successful implementation strategies for regional integrated health care models in Germany. Context: In Germany, an imminent GP workforce shortage, especially in rural areas, threatens the sustainable provision of primary care services. Initiatives to reorganise care have been launched on the regional level, as well as local support programmes to attract young GPs. A recent health care reform stipulated the right for federal states to participate in regional planning of ambulatory health care. As part of the research project “Innovative Health Care Models”, we identified strategies and success factors of regional initiatives, with a particular focus on integrated care. State of the art: Successful models were initiated by local GP networks, regional district administrators, district councils, or local mayors. Success factors included good working relationships of local health care actors and sufficient start-up financing. Transfer of strategies to other regions seemed possible. Statements for debate: 1. Are strategies initiated by regional health authorities are better able to support integration than models initiated by GPs and GP networks (top-down vs. bottom-up)? 2. How can good cooperation and personal contacts between all participants be facilitated? 3. Which incentives (financial and otherwise) are needed to support local initiatives to integrate care?

Landlords, Tenants and Agrarian Reform: Local Elites and Regime Transitions in Avis, Portugal, 1778–2011

Abstract:In a small municipality in the Alentejo region of Portugal, the same group of families, defined by latifundia landownership or tenancy, dominated local political institutions for two centuries during which great changes occurred. Three revolutions resulted in regime transitions: the 1820 Liberal Revolution, the 1910 Republic and the 1926 Dictatorship, which led to Salazar's Estado Novo. Even though a few members of these families offered some resistance to each of these revolutions at an early stage, they all adapted their behaviour and kept local political control within their ranks. Local traditional institutions, such as the local council and mayor, charitable and welfare associations, and corporate institutions created in the 1930s and 1940s to direct economic activities, were all presided over and controlled by members of the same rural elite. This continued until 1974, when the Carnation Revolution and agrarian reform removed and replaced these old elites with new ones. The lords of the land remained lords of the village for as long as control over the main economic resource of the region was the major factor in the maintenance of political power. These land occupations were not permanent. The process was reversed as a result of political factors relating to Portugal's accession to the European Economic Community in 1986. Agrarian elites in Southern Portugal no longer control jobs or the economy and therefore they no longer control local politics as they had for several generations. The Carnation Revolution and agrarian reform removed the old elites and replaced them with new ones. Agriculture is no longer the main economic activity of the countryside. The rural environment has become a hiking ground or an all-terrain vehicles track. The future is elsewhere and the current economic situation and the absence of elites have transformed rural areas into depopulated regions.

A Cacophony of Dissonance

A Cacophony of Dissonance