Browsing by Author "Browder, John O."
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- Agency in the Barrio: Exploring the Intersection of Participation, Politics and Urban Development in Guatemala CityBrink-Halloran, Brendan Jon (Virginia Tech, 2013-11-19)Completed as a series of article-length manuscripts, this dissertation reflects four interrelated aspects of my research on the topics of citizen participation, political practices of vote buying and approaches to community development in low-income urban areas, in the collection of neighborhoods known as Ciudad Peronia on the edge of Guatemala City. Together, the four articles in this thesis explore varying aspects of the social and political dynamics present in the interrelated processes of community organization and local development in Ciudad Peronia. The essays survey the complex array of contextual features that influence local outcomes, while also highlighting the important decisions of key actors. I highlight the interplay between context and agency, and in doing so, provide insight into the efforts of individuals and groups to construct meaningful citizenship rights, especially to basic living conditions, by means of a diverse array of self-organization initiatives and a variety of engagement strategies with the state. Despite the many obstacles revealed in this research, numerous individuals made a concerted effort to secure dignity and inclusion for themselves and members of their communities.
- Agroforestry diffusion and secondary forest regeneration in the Brazilian Amazon: Further findings from the Rondônia Agroforesty Pilot Project (1992-2002)Browder, John O.; Wynne, Randolph H.; Pedlowski, Marcos A. (Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2005)This article reports on research conducted on a ten year pilot program for agroforestry in the Amazon. With the aim of studying the effectiveness of agroforestry practices and sustainability as a livelihood method, the experiment allowed for the selection of 50 farms in the Amazonian region, each of which were connected with resources to establish a small plot of trees to produce products with high market potential. After five years, 64% of the original plots remained. Moreover, nearly 18% of farmers nearby had adopted some practices of agroforestry, far above the rate of adoption outside the pilot project area. The study concludes that agroforestry can be sustainably adopted and practiced with minimal outside intervention over the long term.
- Agroforestry performance on small farms in Amazonia: Findings from the Rondonia Agroforestry Pilot ProjectBrowder, John O.; Pedlowski, Marcos A. (Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000)This article reports on the success of an agroforestry pilot project first begun in 1992. Overall, there is a high rate of success in adoption and in linking producers to markets, with particularly high sustainability rates among fruit trees and some hardwood varieties. Among the failed experimental plots, the role of social factors in planting, harvesting, and overall performance are discussed in detail. It is indicated that these social factors are key to long term sustainability for small-holder agroforestry.
- Civil Society Participation in Poverty Reduction Strategy PapersAbad, Ana Cristina (Virginia Tech, 2004-11-16)It is widely known that many policies and programs of the World Bank have failed to reach the poor and even caused social and environmental damage. Learning from its mistakes, The World Bank adopted in 1999 the Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF), which promotes a more holistic, participatory, and country-owned approach to poverty reduction. Embedded in the CDF is the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). PRSPs introduced the concept of "country-owned" and "country-driven" strategies to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. Governments are in charge of developing their own PRSPs in collaboration with civil society, the private sector, and development agencies. A strong emphasis is placed on the importance of involving members of civil society, especially the poor, in the design of policies that will affect their lives. This has opened the political space for the participation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), assumed to be intermediaries of the poor. However, the participation of CSOs in developing PRSPs hardly goes beyond consultation and very often is not representative of the poor. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical examination of the participation of civil society in PRSPs. To what extent have different groups within civil society participated in developing PRSPs? Has the input of civil society been taken into account in the content of PRSPs? What are the lessons to be learned from the PRSP participatory process in Bolivia?
- Common Pool Resources Management: Are Common Property Rights a good alternative to external regimes?Wong, Boris Fernando (Virginia Tech, 2004-12-09)As a result of the profound influence of theories of collective action such as The Tragedy of the Commons, The Prisonerâ s Dilemma Game, and The Logic of Collective Action, policy analysts have recommended external management, either by government control or market participation, as the most efficient option to govern common pool resources. However, due to the repeated failure of the external intervention, a new alternative has been considered, the common property rights. Due to their long term interaction with the resources, local users have developed mechanisms, rules, and institutions that can be used to favor the sustainable management of the resources. Recognizing these benefits in places where the government has nationalized the resources, it has started a process of decentralization of property rights of natural resources to local users. The purpose of this paper is twofold, to analyze the potential benefits that a common property right regime has in the management of the environmental resources, and to evaluate which are the key factors for this arrangement to succeed. In this endeavor, the case of the Irrigation systems in Philippines is presented.
- Comparison of Segment and Pixel Based Non-Parametric Classification of Land Cover in the Amazon Region of Brazil Using Multitemporal Landsat TM/ETM+ ImageryJoseph, Katherine Amanda (Virginia Tech, 2005-05-09)This study evaluated the ability of segment-based classification paired with non-parametric methods (CART and kNN) to classify a chronosequence of Landsat TM/ETM+ imagery spanning from 1992 to 2002 within the state of Rondônia, Brazil. Pixel-based classification was also implemented for comparison. Interannual multitemporal composites were used in each classification in an attempt to increase the separation of primary forest, cleared, and re-vegetated classes within a given year. The kNN and CART classification methods, with the integration of multitemporal data, performed equally well with overall accuracies ranging from 77% to 91%. Pixel-based CART classification, although not different in terms of mean or median overall accuracy, did have significantly lower variability than all other techniques (3.2% vs. an average of 13.2%), and thus provided more consistent results. Segmentation did not improve classification success over pixel-based methods and was therefore an unnecessary processing step with the used dataset. Through the appropriate band selection methods of the respective non-parametric classifiers, multitemporal bands were chosen in 38 of the 44 total classifications, strongly suggesting the utility of interannual multitemporal data for the separation of cleared, re-vegetated, and primary forest classes. The separation of the primary forest class from the cleared and re-vegetated classes was particularly successful and may be a possible result of the incorporation of multitemporal data. The land cover maps from this study allow for an accurate annualized analysis of land cover and can be coupled with household data to gain a better understanding of landscape change in the region.
- Constructing the problem of "slash-and-burn" agricultureO'Brien, William Eugene (Virginia Tech, 1996-05-17)"Slash-and-burn" agriculture, or shifting cultivation, is perceived by many to be the leading cause of land degradation in tropical forests. Performed mainly by resource-poor farmers, shifting cultivation is the most widespread form of agriculture in the tropics. Concern over its environmental impacts has led to calls throughout the twentieth century for alternatives by policy-makers and development planners. This study employs a constructivist framework, post-colonial perspectives, and rhetorical methods to understand the images which support such assertions regarding shifting cultivation, primarily in policy-oriented depictions. Elements of Kenneth Burke's "dramatistic" method are used, including the analysis of hierarchies which structure discourse, and pentadic analysis.
- Defining agricultural land use in Rondonia, Brazil by examination of spot multispectral dataDonnelly-Morrison, Duane N. (Virginia Tech, 1994-06-05)A number of tests were conducted to determine the realizable accuracies of the Global Positioning System for natural resource conditions. The effects of terrain, forest canopy, number of consecutive position fixes, and PDOP on accuracy were evaluated. Position accuracies were determined for a total of 27 sites: three replicate sites selected for each of nine distinct conditions: three canopy (deciduous, coniferous, open) and three terrain (ridge, slope, valley) in all possible combinations. Each site was visited ten times over a span of eight months to collect position data, for ten replicates of 60, 100, 200, 300, and 500 position fixes. The mean differentially corrected positional accuracy for all sites was 4.35 meters with 95 percent of the positions estimated within 10.2 meters of the true value. The least accurate differential position data were observed at coniferous sites. Positional accuracy was higher for deciduous sites and the most accurate differential position data was collected at open sites. Accuracy increased with increasing number of position fixes. When the number of position fixes increased from 60 to 500, mean accuracy increased 46.7% at deciduous sites, 32.8% at coniferous sites, and 44.5% at open sites. The average time required by the GPS receiver to lock onto four satellites and begin collecting positions varied from one to two minutes. The most time was spent collecting position fixes at coniferous sites. No correlation was found between accuracy and the receiver's distance from the base-station. Nine replicates of 300 position fixes were averaged for six sites, which ranged from 43 kilometers to 247 kilometers from a Virginia Tech base-station. Mean accuracy ranged from 1.48 meters to 2.43 meters. GPS position data were evaluated for ease of conversion to GIS formats. Conversion was accomplished without problems.
- Diversification and Differentiation: The Livelihood Experience of Men and Women in SameneVan Houweling, Emily (Virginia Tech, 2009-04-20)The research for this thesis was conducted in village of Samene, Mali from 2006-2008 where I served as a Peace Corps volunteer. In Samene I became interested in understanding the livelihood experience of men and women and the critical factors that led to positive livelihood outcomes for individuals. The formal research question addressed in this thesis is how assets and access (social rules and norms) influence livelihood diversification options for men and women. The research is based on a mixed method design consisting of extensive individual and household surveying, focus groups, interviews, and participant observation. The Livelihood Approach is utilized to describe the assets, access restrictions and diversification strategies that comprise the livelihoods for men and women in Samene. The findings shows that while diversification activities are important to both men and women, women are unable to access the more attractive high return activities that are dominated by men. Differences in the livelihood experiences between and within gendered groups are explained by looking at an individual's relationship to the critical assets, which are identified as the keys to accessing activities that lead to greater livelihood security. Based on the research findings a new livelihood framework is advanced to show the different pathways men and women take to sustain and improve their livelihoods. This framework incorporates the concepts and processes of social differentiation, social exclusion, historical motion, power and access that were found to be critical in explaining an individual's livelihood experience in Samene.
- Ecotourism and Sustainable Development in Costa RicaBuchsbaum, Bernardo Duha (Virginia Tech, 2004-04-09)The purpose of this paper is to provide a synopsis of the current issues facing ecotourism in Costa Rica; critically examine the impacts and challenges of ecotourism; analyze the potential of ecotourism as a strategy for sustainable development; look at ways in which ecotourism and sustainable development can be evaluated; and suggest ways to improve current ecotourism practices and policies for Costa Rica. What are the impacts and challenges of ecotourism? What are the possible benefits that ecotourism can bring? Is ecotourism in Costa Rica sustainable? Based on the guiding principles of ecotourism, a legitimate argument can be made that ecotourism in Costa Rica has not produced desired outcomes and is not sustainable. However, an equally strong argument can be made that although ecotourism may not currently be sustainable, it has yet to fully mature, and has shown signs that it can achieve a balance between development and conservation goals.. Ecotourism has more promise for achieving sustainability than alternative types of land use such as agriculture, cattle grazing, logging, or mass tourism. Whether or not ecotourism in Costa Rica will prove to be sustainable in the long-term remains to be seen. In order to increase the likelihood that ecotourism achieves goals of sustainable development in Costa Rica, all of the key actors must to begin to take more proactive measures in order to ensure that ecotourism is carefully planned and implemented. Ecotourism must account for social, economic and environmental implications, in order to succeed. A much more balanced and integrated approach, founded on the guiding principles of sustainable development, is essential to maximize the benefits and minimize the negative impacts of ecotourism in Costa Rica.
- Ecotourism: Are current practices delivering desired outcomes? A comparative case study analysisMatthews, Elizabeth Joy (Virginia Tech, 2002-04-30)Ecotourism has emerged as one of the fastest- growing sectors of the tourism market, influenced primarily by public demand for more environmentally responsible tourism. When planned properly, it has been asserted that ecotourism can integrate conservation of biodiversity with socio-economic development of local communities. For this reason, many governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are eager to develop ecotourism in protected areas in order to maximize these benefits. However, ecotourism can have significant negative impacts when poorly planned and managed including severe environmental degradation, negative cultural changes and decreased welfare of individuals or communities. Ecotourism should not be regarded as a panacea for harmonizing rural development with environmental conservation until the industryâ s influence on developing countries has been thoroughly analyzed. This paper shall explore whether ecotourism has proven to be an effective tool for integrating conservation and development. Through the examination of existing literature pertaining to ecotourism, I investigate the environmental, economic and social impacts of 14 ecotourism development projects in seven developing countries: Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, Indonesia, Nepal and Peru. The case study analysis reveals that local communities adjacent to protected areas are often not fully involved in the tourism development planning process. Ecotourism as a mechanism for achieving local conservation and development goals is more successful when projects prioritize local involvement and control. Through the identification of trends emerging from the case studies, this paper contributes to the ongoing discussion of ecotourism as a development strategy and suggests that local participation should be encouraged in ecotourism development.
- An Emerging Partnership in Regional Economic Development: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Local State and the World Bank. A Case Study of Planafloro, Rondônia, BrazilPedlowski, Marcos A. (Virginia Tech, 1997-05-07)There is a growing body of literature arguing that NGOs are an important tool in the efforts of civil society to influence the actions of the State, especially in the process of economic development. NGOs are primarily seen as effective advocates for the less privileged sectors of civil society. This study examines the influence of local NGOs participation in the implementation of PLANAFLORO, a regional economic development program partially funded by the World Bank in the Brazilian state of Rondônia. This study focuses on four issues that are commonly used to justify the inclusion of NGOs in the development process: representativeness, accountability, autonomy and effectiveness. This study relies on three basic methods of data gathering: focused interviews of key informants, questionnaire-based surveys of different stake-holder groups, and information from secondary sources. This study’s results challenge the common wisdom regarding the positive impacts of NGO participation in economic development programs, and on their contribution to democratic governance. NGOs participating in PLANAFLORO faced great institutional and political difficulties in the process of participation. Many NGOs did not have either the institutional capabilities or the financial autonomy to influence the process of policy-making in PLANAFLORO effectively. Moreover, most NGOs did not have mechanisms of accountability to inform the program’s intended beneficiaries of the state of PLANAFLORO’s implementation. Finally, both the local State and the World Bank only reluctantly accepted the participation of NGOs in PLANAFLORO. This fact served to greatly limit the contribution of NGOs in PLANAFLORO.
- Endangered Species and Safe Harbor Agreements: How Should They Be Used?Housein, John Gabriel (Virginia Tech, 2002-04-24)In its original format, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 was a classic example of the â command and controlâ model of environmental management. The â command and controlâ model creates unintended effects opposite to the stated purpose of the Endangered Species Act such as clandestine destruction of endangered species and their habitat. In order to resolve this issue the Endangered Species Act has moved away from the â command and controlâ model towards a more collaborative contractual model that allows for flexibility and creates enforceable agreements between Federal and nonfederal entities that protect the interests of all parties involved. This paper examines the most recent type of contractual agreement included in the Endangered Species Act, Safe Harbor Agreements, and how Safe Harbor Agreements should be used with respect to endangered species. The paper begins with a description of the creation of the endangered species legislation and continues by defining the steps leading to the development of Safe Harbor Agreements. The following portions of the paper include case studies and a description of weaknesses and strengths of Safe Harbor Agreements. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for utilization of Safe Harbor Agreements.
- Environmental Impacts of Foreign Direct Investment in the Pearl River DeltaHuang, Wei (Virginia Tech, 2002-04-23)The paper is aimed to trace and explain the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and local natural environment changes in the Pearl River Delta (PRD). The purpose is threefold: to make a connection between the environmental problems and global economic forces; develop a model to identify if FDI is one of the major cause of the environmental changes in the PRD; and identify how FDI interacts with the local environmental policy-making process. The study reviews a wide range of literature on China¡¯s and international economic and environmental development. A tentative model is built based on existing theoretical frameworks to present the complex relationship between FDI and environment, followed by two case studies on Guangzhou and Dongguan, two cities in the PRD of different development patterns. Although FDI acts as the major economic catalyst in the region, my analysis does not show a linear relationship of FDI and environmental pollution. However, positive relationship among government regulations, FDI, and environment can be established to achieve sustainable development.
- Evaluation of Conservation Planning in Mexico: A Stakeholder Analysis ApproachGuzman-Aranda, Juan Carlos (Virginia Tech, 2004-06-03)A conservation planning protocol based on components from successful conservation projects in Mexico and other countries was developed to evaluate conservation planning practices and to serve as a template to guide future conservation planning efforts in Mexico. My research specifically explored stakeholder analysis and performance measurement as currently applied to conservation planning. Twenty-seven natural protected area (NPA) management plans and 6 plans from modified rural landscape projects (MDRL), all within Mexico, were evaluated. Additionally, 38 planning team members from 8 selected case studies were interviewed. I used the Laguna de Babicora Watershed planning process and management plan as the focus of my examination of stakeholder analysis. Seventy-four individuals who represented 5 major stakeholder categories were identified and interviewed. Examples of process-, outcome-, output-, and input-related performance measures (PMs) were developed for the Babicora project using information collected from my interviews, the existing management plan, and my conservation planning protocol. The approaches used and products generated from NPA and MDRL plans differed substantially. NPA plans often used pre-established planning guidelines dictated by the overseeing or authorizing agency. Institutional rigidity was a limiting factor to development of NPA management plans. NPA plan content suggested that planners focused more attention on inventory and strategic planning than on other planning components, yet recommended operational strategies in NPA management plans still were comprehensive. MDRL planning processes were more sensitive to local conditions, but less comprehensive than NPA plans. With MDRL plans, on-the-ground pilot projects often were initiated concurrent with inventory and strategic planning efforts. As a result, MDRL planning teams often did not complete management plans due to demands imposed by these concurrent projects. Performance measurement systems for both plan implementation and monitoring of planning processes largely were absent in all NPA and most MDRL projects. Only one MDRL case study addressed process-related performance measures. NPA and MDRL plans both suffered from poor issue identification and problem definition, offering only generic strategic statements that lacked indicators of spatial scale, geographic location, and causative agents. Management plans overall, but NPA in particular, also lacked clear links among identified problems, other key stages of the planning process, and desired or stated outcomes. Unfamiliarity with or failure to use effective diagnostic tools, coupled with a need to comply with existing planning protocols, produced management recommendations that frequently were not justified or related to identified management problems, particularly among NPA plans. MDRL case studies, which typically targeted smaller geographic areas, were not as comprehensive as NPA plans. However, MDRL case studies more often incorporated stronger participatory components. Demands from participatory processes often delayed final development of MDRL management plans. Although NPAs and MDRLs currently follow different planning processes, ultimate success in conservation management may best be served by blending complementary components from each approach. Stakeholders who participate in conservation planning fundamentally are issue specific. Current environmental literature on stakeholder methodologies endorses use of general categories. Although cross-category stakeholder analysis is useful during inventory and strategic planning, within-stakeholder analysis is necessary for successful plan implementation. My findings suggest that within-stakeholder analysis helps (1) identify problems or needs important to particular stakeholders, (2) identify stakeholders with contrasting behavior within categories, and (3) establish areas for potential collaboration. Stakeholder involvement, tailored to local conditions, should occur in all planning stages. Successful conservation planning in Mexico currently should be addressed more as a question of human organization. Suggested performance measures to help monitor and evaluate both the planning process and plan implementation were developed. Process-related PMs focused on the 4 major planning stages. Process-related PMs allow planners to analyze and reassess the direction of the planning process; they are not prescriptive, rather statements that recognize planning as a social exercise likely to face areas where trade-offs are likely to occur (e.g., problem identification, sharing decision-making, public involvement). Performance measures for plan implementation should be hierarchical, nested, and include input-, output-, and outcome-related assessment attributes.
- An Examination of China's Three Gorges Dam Project Based on the Framework Presented in the Report of The World Commission on DamsAllin, Samuel Robert Fishleigh (Virginia Tech, 2004-11-30)This paper views China's Three Gorges Dam (TGD) Project in light of The World Commission on Dams (WCD) Report, Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision Making (2000). A brief overview is given on the current state of dambuilding, the process used by the WCD in writing Dams and Development, and general technical aspects of China's TGD. I then examine the major social, environmental and economic factors associated with the TGD Project as they relate to relevant sections of the WCD report, government documents and other sources. Analysis of the TGD based on the World Commission on Dams' Seven Strategic Priorities and Five Key Decision Points shows that an insufficient and improper process was used for planning China's Three Gorges Dam. The primary finding of this paper is that the TGD was planned with a non-participatory approach. The proposal for a dam at the Three Gorges site took shape 80 years ago and has since been in the plans of the Chinese government. When construction of the dam finally became technologically and economically feasible, the political momentum behind the project made participatory needs assessment and thorough consideration of social and environmental issues secondary. This paper serves as an example of using the WCD Report as a basis for evaluating a large-scale water resource project. This analysis may also serve as a comparison for similar evaluations of large-scale water resource projects in other areas of the world and in the future to assess possible changes in China's water resource policies over time.
- An examination of the role orientation of planners in TaipeiHuang, Hsien Wen (Virginia Tech, 1989-05-05)This research project explores the professional ideology of planners in a new industrialized setting - Taipei,Taiwan. This study seeks to establish whether urban planners in a newly industrializing country (NIC) exhibit consistent sets of values, attitudes and role orientations that parallel those of Western planners. In addition, in an authoritarian party-state such as Taiwan, planning is a top-down process. Development goals are set at the top of the political bureaucracy; therefore, plans are formulated to meet predesigned objectives, especially in terms of economic development. Since economic growth is seen by some as a legitimation device for the existing authoritarian regime in Taiwan, the role of planning vis a vis the partnership between the state and capitalists is worth examining. The data used in this study are drawn from questionnaire surveys of public-sector urban planners working in Taipei city. The survey was conducted between May and August 1988. The sample size of 128 planners was determined based on estimates provided by each departmental head within Taipei Municipal Government. An overall response rate of 69%, and a valid response rate of 66% was achieved. A prominent pattern that emerged in examining the results of the survey is the strong rational and apolitical orientation of Taipei's planners. The pervasiveness of rational and apolitical leanings among planners is partly a reflection of an authoritarian state the protects its own legitimacy while promoting economic development. The prevalence of apolitical attitudes among planners in top-down decision making environments exacerbates difficulties in the implementation of plans and programs. Hence, planners working with implementation units, and carrying out plans formulated by planning units are more cognizant of the importance of public participation. In addition, they are more skeptical about planning activities in Taipei city than their counterparts working in planning units. In conclusion, it is suggested that although most planners believe in the apolitical and rational nature of planning, planners with formal planning educations tend to recognize the inherently political nature of planning to a greater extent than those without planning educations. Since planning education is obviously one of the determinants in shaping the role and value orientations of planners, especially with respect to their recognition of political influences, planning curricula that better focus on those aspects may be emphasized.
- From craft to flexibility: linkages and industrial governance systems in the development of a capital-goods industry in Mendoza, Argentina, 1895-1990Borello, José Antonio (Virginia Tech, 1993-04-01)This thesis examines the development of a capital goods industry in Mendoza Argentina through an analysis of linkages and industrial governance systems. Linkages are material, informational, and financial flows among firms. Industrial governance systems are the social practices that cement linkages. Hence, linkages are understood as socially embedded and not as market transactions governed solely by price considerations. The study has two major arguments. First, it claims that contrary to conventional industrial location theory firms do not locate in view of the previous existence of certain favorable factors, but rather construct these factors as they grow. This argument is operationalized by asking how firms generate in time their own linkages. Examples taken from the 1895-1990 period include labor and subcontractors, clientele, services, and the emergence of economic groups. Second, this study argues that the capital-goods industry in Mendoza is undergoing a Substantial (and unprecedented) transition in the way production is organized. The transition is part of the larger shift taking place at both the national and global scales. The analysis focuses on the historical pattern of linkages and governance systems in the industry, and contrasts that pattern with that of the recent decade. Implicit in the previous two arguments are two territorial dimensions. First, the development of “industry produces regions" (Storper and Walker 1989). Second, at the intra-city level this means that the evolution of the industry (and specifically its linkage structure and governance systems) has a direct bearing on the direction and nature of the city’s growth. These two arguments are illustrated through empirical work in Mendoza, a city of close to a million people in western Argentina. Over 100 interviews gathered over ten months reveal the origins, evolution, and current form of linkages in the capital-goods industry. These interviews are complemented by data from a variety of sources. The main conclusions of the study are three. First, the study illustrates the richness and depth that emerges from a project based on substantial fieldwork. Second, it shows the advantages of conceiving industrialization not as the location of plants in response to favorable conditions, but as a process initiated by the firms themselves. Third, the dissertation shows that the capital-goods industry of Mendoza iS in a transitional phase towards new ways of organizing production. The transition is expressed in new linkage structures, new governance systems, and the emergence of new types of firms and institutional arrangements.
- Globalization and Urban Structure in Latin America: The Case of Export Processing Zones in El SalvadorFerrufino, Carlos E. (Virginia Tech, 2000-04-17)This research explores the relationship between economic transformations, as part of the process of globalization of the economy in Latin America and the restructuring of urban space. The study reviews two main bodies of the literature. The first one, concerned with the economic evolution of the region in the last two decades especially the trend toward export promotion. The second is related to the changes in the urbanization process arising form globalization. Drawing from these sources, a new model for the Globalized Latin American City is introduced. The empirical part of the research focuses on the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador (MASS), El Salvador, particularly in the relationship between the establishment of new Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and the emergence of new post suburban residential developments occurring nearby, thirty kilometers away from the city. A random sample household survey was conducted in two sites in order to get information about the processes of spatial movement of these populations and their hypothetical direct connection with the EPZs. The results contrast with the theoretical assumptions of the model. There is no evidence of strong direct connections between the neighborhoods and the EPZs. However, there is significant evidence that these linkages occur at a regional level, since the corridors where export-oriented industries have tended to locate appear to be increasingly connected to the metropolitan dynamic, as suppliers of work force and potential areas for new development. Therefore, economic globalization appears to act as a catalyst of a new pattern of urbanization, with profound social, administrative, and environmental consequences.
- The growth and characteristics of peri-urban communities: a case study in Jakarta, IndonesiaBasaib, Ridhwan (Virginia Tech, 1991)This study attempts to examine the major socioeconomic characteristics and the composition of peri-urban communities, and explains the determinants of intrametropolitan mobility associated with peri-urban growth in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the first part of the analysis, the findings suggest that most of peri-urban residents are migrants involved in intra-metropolitan mobility. Peri-urban migrants are usually selected from the better socioeconomic status than peri-urban nonmigrants and urban in-migrants in general. Among the six socioeconomic variables examined in this study, education, occupational status, and income seem to have had significant influence on the different orientation between peri-urban migrants and urban in-migrants in general. In the second part of the analysis, the findings suggest that the classical pull-push hypotheses and the concepts of income differentials between places provide inadequate explanation to the process of intra-metropolitan mobility. This study has shown that in the process of intra-metropolitan mobility associated with peri-urban growth, economic explanations in terms of labor movement are less explanatory than social and behavioral explanations. From the distinction between strategies adopted by households in their moving decisions, a conclusion was drawn that intra-metropolitan mobility is largely a process of social status enhancements or upward mobility. The analysis also conclude that the process of intra-metropolitan mobility associated with peri-urban growth in Jakarta may be partially explained by the macro structural changes in the metropolitan economy as the result of larger changes in the global economy over the last ten years. Dramatic changes in land utilization and values in Jakarta may reflect advanced capitalist system that characterizes the recent urban development process in Jakarta. Finally, this paper suggest that further research on peri-urban growth in Jakarta is needed. The research should be designed and directed toward a larger coverage and a more comprehensive analysis of micro as well as macro data on social, political, economic, and behavioral aspects of the population. This research is essential in order to formulate appropriate policies aimed at obtaining balanced distribution between resources and investments, on the one hand, and the population on the other.