Experts from various perspectives have widely reviewed the patterns, processes, reasons, and impacts of paddy field conversion. However, most of these reviews tend to understand paddy fields from the physical-material dimension. By using the perspective of contemporary geography, this paper provides a critical conceptual overview of the conversion of paddy fields through the elaboration of human-nature dialectic as a central theme in the discipline of geography. The dialectic also contains identity, spatial awareness, and spatial-symbolic order issues that affect the existence of farmers and their paddy fields. This critical review results in the argument that the relationship between farmers and paddy fields represents a spatial-symbolic order that contains values, enthusiasm, identity, and living traditions. The identity and existence of farmers are part of the existence of paddy fields. Paddy fields have become part of the minds and consciousness of the farmers. The conversion of paddy fields will reduce the eco-cultural relations in this order and replace it with a capitalistic system.Keywords: contemporary geography, human-nature dialectic, paddy field conversion, spatial-symbolic order, sustainable agriculture

Rice is a staple food for a population of Lebak Regency, Banten Province. The needs of rice in the Lebak Regency are increasing along with the increase in population. The problem of availability of rice for each village in the Lebak Regency does not meet the population needs of each village. The purpose of this study is to analyze: (1) Spatial differences of the ratio of the availability and requirements of rice; (2) The correlation between physical factors (elevation, slope, drought, forest area) and non-physical (population density, distance from the center of district capital of Lebak Regency) to the ratio of the availability and needs of rice. The analytical method used in this study is spatial analysis and statistical analysis (Pearson product-moment). The results and discussion showed: (1) Spatially, there are differences in the region ratio of the availability and needs of rice. The deficit region was located in the north, close to the district capital;(2) The correlation between physical and non-physical factors with the ratio of availability and needs of rice is not significant at the significance level (α) = 0.05, which means that the surplus area of rice is not always in the same physical and non-physical area. The conclusion of this research that's the deficit and surplus area of rice is not always in the same physical and non-physical area.

Malang Regency has many tourism potentials such as natural attraction and cultural attraction. Tourism potentials need to be supported by facilities and infrastructure that are optimal for the development so that they can attract tourists. Some tourism objects in Malang Regency does not have complete facilities to support tourist. This study aims to determine the development stage of tourism objects and analyze the correlation between development stage of tourism objects with tourism organizer. Variables used in this research are the development stage of tourism objects and tourism organizer. The methods used are spatial descriptive analysis and chi-square statistical analysis. The results showed that the stage development of tourism objects in Malang Regency are dominated by the second stage of development (involvement) with natural attraction that tend to have a higher development stage than cultural attraction. Chi-square statistical test result showed that there is a significant correlation between development stage of tourism in Malang Regency with tourism organizer.

The city of Surakarta is one of the cultural and historical tourist destinations that continues to develop in Indonesia. The trend of an increase in the number of tourists in 2016-2018 has led to the emergence of many accommodation facilities in the city of Surakarta. Differences in location characteristics in each accommodation facility will affect tourists in choosing accommodation facilities. This study aims to determine the characteristics of the location of accommodation facilities chosen by domestic and foreign tourists in the city of Surakarta, as well as the relationship between the characteristics of the location of accommodation facilities with the characteristics of tourists based on the age and place of origin of tourists. This study uses a spatial comparison analysis method and uses a chi-square statistical analysis to see the relationship between variables, such as the characteristics of the location of accommodation facilities and characteristics of tourists. The results of this study indicate that the location characteristics of the accommodation facilities chosen by foreign and domestic tourists are different. Foreign tourists tend to choose star hotels, while for domestic tourists the choice varies, namely star hotels and non-star hotels. In addition, there is a relationship between the characteristics of domestic tourists with the characteristics of the location of selected accommodation facilities, while for the characteristics of foreign tourists there is no relationship with the characteristics of the location of selected accommodation facilities.

Tourism is a growing industry sector rapidly. In Kebumen Regency, tourists mostly visit beach tourism objects. This study aims to determine the attractiveness (site attractions, event attractions, supporting facilities, and accessibility) and tourists’ preferences to the attractiveness of beach tourism sites in Kebumen Regency. This research was carried out by surveys, data tracing, and data collection from related agencies. The data collected on this research would be processed into maps, tables, and graphics. For analysis, spatial analysis and crosstab statistical tests were used. Tourist objects having high attractiveness are not necessarily the first choice for tourists.