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51. Pastoral conflict in Kenya: Transforming mimetic violence to mimetic blessings between Turkana and Pokot communities

Author:
Ryan Triche
Publication Date:
07-2014
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
African Journal on Conflict Resolution
Institution:
The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD)
Abstract:
Livestock raiding has been a source of conflict amongst and between pastoral societies in Africa for hundreds of years. However, more recently, these raids have become more violent and have triggered much more organised retaliations. Many times raids themselves are perceived as motivated by ethnic dimensions. The following paper looks at tensions and conflict between Turkana and Pokot communities in rural Kenya. The paper first traces the historical context of cattle rustling and livestock raiding between pastoral communities within Kenya. It then identifies contemporary factors driving exacerbated tensions: access to resources, profiteering, and weapons proliferation. The paper further explores the systemic nature of the conflict through analysing livestock raiding as a conflict spiral dictated by negative reciprocal actions. The spiral is ultimately maintained due to mimetic violence structures that are in place. It then offers prescriptions and potential solutions to the conflict, which are centred on transcending the relationship from mimetic violence to mimetic peace and reconciliation. Ultimately, by empowering local pastoral communities in the form of multi-ethnic coalitions, and promoting broad-based interest groups, cultural transcendence can reverse the conflict spiral into a relationship of mutual reciprocity and mimetic peace.
Topic:
Conflict, Violence, Pastoralism, Peace, and Land
Political Geography:
Kenya and Africa

52. Tools for Change: Applying United Nations standards to secure women’s housing, land, and property rights in the context of HIV

Publication Date:
10-2012
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Open Society Foundations
Abstract:
Developed by the United Nations Development Programme and Open Society Foundations, Tools for Change is an easy-to-use resource for advocates working on women’s housing, land, and property rights in the context of HIV. It brings together relevant international human rights documents and highlights core concepts, rights, and means of enforcement, providing examples of successful advocacy from around the world. Moreover, it draws on the voices of women worldwide to explain these rights and their uses in practical terms. This manual was originally conceived during a strategic meeting on property and inheritance rights as they relate to HIV, held during the 2009 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, where organizations gathered from around the world. It emerged from the realization that through hard work, advocates have managed to get a number of UN instruments to include protection for women’s housing, land, and property rights, and member states have pledged to abide by them. However, many advocates at the national level do not even know of these international instruments, even though they might be helpful in their work, particularly as governments may not be meeting their international human rights obligations. Advocates need a better understanding of international human rights and government obligations in order to ensure government accountability and advance women’s housing, land, and property rights. This manual seeks to empower advocates working in the context of HIV by making the relevant United Nations standards and interpretations clear and accessible—to make them "tools for change."
Topic:
HIV/AIDS, United Nations, Women, Land, Housing, and Equality
Political Geography:
Global Focus

53. Land Governance at the Crossroads: A Review of Afghanistan’s Proposed New Land Management Law

Author:
Liz Alden Wily
Publication Date:
10-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU)
Abstract:
Afghanistan’s longstanding Land Management Law, last revised in 2008, is again under review. More than 100 amendments had been formally proposed by mid-2012. So far the proposed changes are mainly editorial and do not reform problematic fundamentals of the law. Some important issues still requiring urgent attention are discussed and examined in this paper.
Topic:
Politics, Governance, Leadership, and Land
Political Geography:
Afghanistan and Middle East

54. State land policy in Ukraine: standing and development strategy

Author:
Maryna Melnyk
Publication Date:
01-2009
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
National Security and Defence
Institution:
Razumkov Centre
Abstract:
Ukraine possesses vast land resources. As of January 1, 2009, its land stock amounted to 60,354.8 thousand hectares, or almost 6% of the European territory1 . In particular, farming land accounted for nearly 19% of the European, arable land – almost 27%. Per capita area of farming land in Ukraine is the highest among the European countries – 0.9 hectares, including 0.7 hectares of arable land (against the European average of 0.44 and 0.25 hectares, respectively). Black soil in Ukraine, according to different estimates, occupies from 15.6 to 17.4 million hectares, or nearly 8% of the world stock. By and large, at the beginning of 2000s, the standard monetary value of land resources in Ukraine was estimated at UAH 330 trillion2 . Meanwhile, the structure of the land resources and land use shows rather serious disparities whose deepening may pose a threat to the quality of the natural and life environment, and the effectiveness of the business activity, i.e., sustainable development of the national economy. For instance, Ukraine demonstrates an extremely high rate of development of the life environment: over 92% of its territory is involved in economic circulation, and only some 8% (4.5 million hectares) is in its natural state. The tillage rate of the territory is similarly high – over 54% (in developed European countries – no more than 35%). The actual forest rate of the Ukrainian territory is only 16%, which is insufficient for the environmental balance (European average – 25-30%). The territory under surface waters steadily goes down (from 1991 – by 12.5 thousand hectares), further aggravating the problem of shortage of water resources in Ukraine. There are problems in land relations, whose reformation, commenced in 1991, is not over. Respectively, creation of the land legislation, registers and databases necessary to ensure land ownership rights and effective control of observance of the norms and rules of proper land use remain unaccomplished. In such situation, the quality of the state land policy, its effectiveness, professionalism, correspondence to principles of proper management of the national land resources acquire particular importance. Discussed below are some features of the state land policy and its main problems hindering effective use of the main national wealth – land, free access to that wealth for individuals and legal entities, unconditional respect for ownership rights.
Topic:
Development, Natural Resources, Governance, Land Rights, and Land
Political Geography:
Europe and Ukraine

55. Assessing External Effects of City Airports: Land Values in Berlin

Author:
Gabriel Ahlfeldt and Wolfgang Maennig
Publication Date:
04-2008
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg
Abstract:
This paper employs a hedonic price model to explain standard land values in Berlin. Impact on land values is assessed for the two city airports situated in Berlin, Germany, Tempelhof and Tegel. Empirical results confirm expectations about the impact of various attributes on land values. Areas exposed to noise pollution of downtown airport Tempelhof sell at a discount of approximately 5-9% within a distance of 5000 m along the air corridor. No significantly negative impact was found for land values around Tegel Airport, which is located in a central, but less densely populated, area. Market access indicators created for all three Berlin airports in operation, including Berlin Schoenefeld International Airport, reveal clear location advantages in terms of accessibility of Tempelhof and Tegel compared to Schoenefeld Airport, where the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport is about to be developed.
Topic:
Infrastructure, Land, and Airports
Political Geography:
Germany, Berlin, and United States of America

56. The Impact of Sports Arenas on Land Values: Evidence from Berlin

Author:
Gabriel Ahlfeldt and Wolfgang Maennig
Publication Date:
01-2007
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg
Abstract:
This paper develops a hedonic price model explaining standard land values in Berlin. The model assesses the impact of three multifunc-tional sports arenas situated in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg which were de-signed to improve the attractiveness of their formerly deprived neighbourhoods. Empirical results confirm expectations about the impact of various attributes on land values. Sports arenas have significant positive impacts within a radius of about 3000 meters. The patterns of impact vary, in-dicating that the effective impact depends on how planning authorities address potential countervailing negative externalities.
Topic:
Economics, Sports, and Land
Political Geography:
Europe, Germany, and Berlin

57. Engendering Property Rights: Women’s Insecure Land Tenure and its Implications for Development Policy in Kenya and Uganda

Author:
Kanika Mak
Publication Date:
05-2005
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
Institution:
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
Abstract:
The importance of women’s contributions to the predominantly agrarian societies of Kenya and Uganda contrasts sharply with the inequity and insecurity these women face in their ability to own, inherit, manage, and dispose of land and property. This paper examines how gender equality in the design and implementation of property rights in East Africa can promote development as well as enhance the status of women in patriarchal societies. Women’s insecure land tenure stems specifically from deficiencies in the constitutional order, institutional arrangements, and social norms that govern property rights systems. Accordingly, recommendations for reform in these three areas share the ultimate goal of making property rights systems not only more equitable, but also more effective.
Topic:
Development, Women, Land, and Property
Political Geography:
Uganda, Kenya, and Africa

58. Looking for Peace on the Pastures: Rural Land Relations in Afghanistan

Author:
Liz Alden Wily
Publication Date:
12-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU)
Abstract:
This paper synthesises the lessons learned from a study of land tenure relations in Bamiyan, Badakhshan and Faryab Provinces. It also offers recommendations on how to move forward from the existing muddle of land policy and law to engage in "learning by doing" projects aimed at mitigating conflict on communal land.
Topic:
Law, Rural, Land, and Community
Political Geography:
Afghanistan and Middle East