Spatialising livelihoods: resource access and livelihood spaces in South Africa

Abstract

The livelihood concept remains consistently utilised within a number of research fields, including development studies, political ecology and conservation. Although there are differences in theory and application, these fields draw upon livelihood frameworks to understand how political and economic structures impact decisionmaking and present opportunities for social actors. Several themes have emerged from livelihoods research, including the importance of institutional frameworks and examinations of the conflicts surrounding resource access. While these have been valuable contributions, there has been less attention directed to the reciprocal relationships between space and livelihood. This article draws upon insights from human geography to show how the production and reproduction of livelihoods are interlinked with the processes producing and reproducing space. In order to accomplish this, the article details research completed in South Africa that examines the diversified resources individuals and households combine to generate livelihoods. It is argued that historical and contemporary geographies shape particular livelihood trajectories and social networks for rural residents, thereby making an explicitly spatial analysis necessary for understanding the processes driving social and environmental change. This article asserts that spatialising livelihoods is critical for understanding multiple issues central to livelihood studies, including the significance of diversification, intra‐community differentiation, the structure and agency of livelihoods, and the effects of decisionmaking upon social and environmental systems.

Fluid Waters and Rigid Livelihoods in the Okavango Delta of Botswana

“…This method was intended to build upon recent research intent upon spatializing livelihood systems to examine the ways in which livelihood systems and spatial processes are interlinked and co-produced [35]. In order to understand the institutional context shaping livelihood systems, semi-structured interviews were conducted with tribal authority officials, including the village chiefs, and governmental representatives from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and the Tawana Land Board.…”

“…The mapping exercises included participant observation of resource collection and farming practices, the identification of key natural resource zones, and Global Positioning System (GPS) point collection for spatial analysis. This method was intended to build upon recent research intent upon spatializing livelihood systems to examine the ways in which livelihood systems and spatial processes are interlinked and co-produced [35].…”

Mobility, multilocality and translocal development: changing livelihoods in the Karakoram

“…The strength of the approach lies in providing a better understanding of the subjective logic of decisionmaking and the actions taken by household members. Despite of having received a wide range of criticism, which pointed out its theoretical and heuristic limitations, the approach is still considered by many as an indispensable tool for gaining a better understanding of rural (de Haan, 2012;de Haas, 2010;King, 2011;Mazibuko, 2012;Scoones, 2009; as well as urban (Farrington et al, 2002;Lohnert and Steinbrink, 2005;Rakodi, 1995Rakodi, , 2002 dynamics at the micro level. It is widely agreed on that the livelihood approach's weakness in conceptualizing (macro-) structural factors (Müller-Mahn and Verne, 2010;Scoones, 2009) and societal power relations beyond the realm of the household (de Haan, 2008(de Haan, , 2012 necessitates its complementation with other theoretical and analytical approaches (Bebbington and Batterbury, 2001;de Haan, 2012;Thieme, 2008;van Dijk, 2011).…”

“…by overcoming its blind spot for the spatial dimension of livelihoods (King, 2011). "Classical" livelihood approaches largely failed to grasp spatial mobility and migration dynamics in rural households, family systems and communities.…”

Longitudinal Livelihood Study: A Case Study of Traditional Weavers in Grogol Village, Weru Subdistrict, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java

“…In geography, the concept of livelihood has become a major theme in several subfields including development studies (McSweeney, 2004;King, 2011). Despite some differences in the theory and application of various fields of study, livelihood is used as an entry point for evaluating the impact of economic development and program intervention, the integration of rural areas to the external market and the network, or the process of social and environmental changes.…”