Social Geography

This book deals with the role of natural resources for social security and livelihood in a Minangkabau village in West Sumatra. First of all it touches on problems of property rights; an analysis of communal land rights in this matrilineal society, the clash between adat and state law and perceived changes therein.

How do new spatial patterns emerge in rapidly developing cities at the periphery of the advanced capitalist world? While the new spatial elements in cities are similar, the structural shifts underlying recent spatial changes are not. This study delves beneath the surface of the new urban landscapes and examines the differences in institutional backgrounds.

After 1990, the year that marked the collapse of socialism in the former Eastern Block, the land of the kolchozes and sovchozes was given back to the people for reasons of historical justice. As a consequence, however, land was subdivided into many small units. This land fragmentation impedes the emergence of a competitive new farming structure. In the light of joining the European Union, this problem has become a topical issue. The question is what policy instruments are suitable.

This book depicts the variety of situations found in seven different cities. It shows that there are a number of local conditions and determinants whether or not participatory channels exist, and whether this provides the type of space for collaboration between different stakeholders and if this ultimately enables the formulation and implementation of pro-poor policies.

The question ‘how to integrate Islam in the political and social frameworks of European societies’ is a prominent one. To address this issue properly, it is necessary to step back from the heated discussions about this theme and to put it in a wider framework of nation building. This volume attempts to do this by making historical and comparative analyses on the integration of religious minorities in The Netherlands and France. It does not only focus on Muslims but includes seemingly integrated religious minorities such as Protestants and Catholics into the analytical framework.

The Caspian Sea and the lands around it are emerging again as a focus region in global affairs. With security of energy supply high on the international agenda, and with fears of resource shortages re-surfacing, the countries of the Caspian region are stepping onto the global stage, claiming for themselves new roles as providers of resources to the world.