Environment, Development and Change in Rural Asia-Pacific

Abstract

Environment, Development and Change in Rural Asia-Pacific examines the economic, political, social and environmental challenges facing rural communities in the Asia-Pacific region, as global issues intersect with local contexts. Such challenges, from climatic change and volcanic eruption to population growth and violent civil unrest, have stimulated local resilience amongst communities and led to evolving regional institutions and environment management practices, changing social relationships and producing new forms of stratification. Bringing together case studies from across mainland Southeast Asia and the Island Pacific, an expert team of international contributors reveal how communities at the periphery seek to take charge of their lives, champion the virtues of their own local systems of production and consumption, and engage in the complexities of new structures of development that demand a response to the vacillations of global politics, economy and society. Inherent in this is the recognition that 'development' as we have come to know it is far from over. Each chapter emphasises the growing recognition that ecological and environmental issues are key to any understanding and analysis of structures of sustainable development. Providing diverse multidisciplinary theoretical and empirical perspectives, this authoritative and stimulating book makes an important contribution to the revitalisation of development studies and as such will be essential reading for scholars in the field, as well as those with an interest in Asia-Pacific studies, economic geography and political economy.

Long-Term Changes in Land-Tenure Arrangements in Pre-Modern and Early-Modern Southeast Asia: An Introduction

“…1) Recent publications include Weber 2006;Connell and Waddell 2007;Cramb 2007;Colfer et al 2008;Vu 2008;Leisz et al 2009;Ubink et al 2009;Dove 2011: 89-96;Dove et al 2011;Hall et al 2011. 2) Three recent exceptions, all regarding Vietnam, are Lagrée 2003, on the early nineteenth century; Nishimura 2007, on the seventeenth century, and Phan Phuong Thao 2009, on the early nineteenth century.…”

Solar Photovoltaics in Pacific Island Nations: An Analysis of Rural Household Electrification Strategies in the RMI and Vanuatu

“…Electrification of PICs is necessary for development, as 70% of the 10 million people living in PICs do not have access to electricity (SPREP, 2010). A substantial portion of this non-electrified population lives in rural, isolated islands, where grid establishment is uneconomical and development projects are significantly constrained (Connell & Waddell, 2007). In fact, 55% of PICs' population lives in non-urban areas, many of which face irregular access to transportation, telecommunication, markets, and imported goods and services (see regional map, Figure 1.3.1) (PRISM, 2010).…”

Solar Photovoltaics in Pacific Island Nations: An Analysis of Rural Household Electrification Strategies in the RMI and Vanuatu

“…Electrification of PICs is necessary for development, as 70% of the 10 million people living in PICs do not have access to electricity (SPREP, 2010). A substantial portion of this non-electrified population lives in rural, isolated islands, where grid establishment is uneconomical and development projects are significantly constrained (Connell & Waddell, 2007). In fact, 55% of PICs' population lives in non-urban areas, many of which face irregular access to transportation, telecommunication, markets, and imported goods and services (see regional map, Figure 1.3.1) (PRISM, 2010).…”