Showing papers in "Territory, Politics, Governance in 2019"
TL;DR: The authors adopts a discursive-cum-material approach to China's new "One Belt One Road" (OBOR) geostrategic imaginary and its development through the intertwining of geopolitics and geoeconomics.
Abstract: This paper adopts a discursive-cum-material approach to China’s new ‘One Belt One Road’ (OBOR) geostrategic imaginary and its development through the intertwining of geopolitics and geoeconomics of...
74 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that the transition to post-fossil urbanization is hampered by the lack of socio-geographical arrangements, and propose a re-thinking of existing socio-Geographical arrangements.
Abstract: The phenomenon of climate change requires a rethinking of existing socio-geographical arrangements. This paper argues that the transition to ‘post-fossil urbanization’ is hampered by the lack of po...
67 citations
TL;DR: The authors reframes the ocean-grabbing literature by moving beyond accounts where small-scale producers and communities are portrayed as only victims of states and capital, while state and corporat...
Abstract: This paper reframes the ocean-grabbing literature by moving beyond accounts where small-scale producers and communities are portrayed as only victims of states and capital. While state and corporat...
49 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the New Geographies of Development: Grounding China's Global Integration (NGOD) issue, the authors contribute to the ongoing reconceptualization of research approaches to China's global integration.
Abstract: The introduction to this themed issue, ‘New Geographies of Development: Grounding China’s Global Integration’, contributes to ongoing reconceptualization of research approaches to China’s global in...
46 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate seven Chinese agribusiness concessions in Laos and find that these areas rarely come under full Chinese company control, and that the gap between how much land the Lao government grants and what investors actually obtain is large.
Abstract: In land grab narratives, foreign investors are portrayed as predatory resource grabbers and host states as weak victims or colluders. But foreign land investments are often forged through fragmented relations of state power which investors struggle to navigate. For example, over the last decade, Chinese companies have been granted contracts to develop vast agribusiness concessions in Laos. These areas, however, rarely come under full Chinese company control. To understand this gap between how much land the Lao government grants and what investors actually obtain, this article investigates seven Chinese agribusiness concessions. In each case, tropes of Laos as having abundant ‘empty’ lands ripe for investment were used by the Lao government to attract investors, and by investors to justify their projects. These tropes reflect the territorial sensibilities of states and investors alike, while erasing existing users and land use systems, and masking the complex politics behind land regulations of whi...
43 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that China's contemporary cross-border investments in northern Myanmar have confronted by, and in turn have re-animated, the region's post-Cold War geographies and associated illicit drug economy.
Abstract: China’s contemporary cross-border investments in northern Myanmar have been confronted by, and in turn have re-animated, the region’s post-Cold War geographies and associated illicit drug economy. ...
42 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the crucial work of property in land in enforcing and sustaining relationships of power between people is analysed, which is necessary to understand the particular manner in which property became terri...
Abstract: To understand the crucial work of property in land in enforcing and sustaining relationships of power between people, it is necessary to analyse the particular manner in which property became terri...
41 citations
TL;DR: The East Asian developmental state model and the Anglo-American entrepreneurial state model profile varied ways in which the state continues to intervene in economic development as mentioned in this paper, and both models are well suited for economic development.
Abstract: The East Asian developmental state model and the Anglo-American entrepreneurial state model profile varied ways in which the state continues to intervene in economic development. These models are d...
38 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that the single-minded focus on state delivery of mass housing has been unable to keep pace with the rising level of need and is proving to be financially unsustainable.
Abstract: The ‘right to the city’ has influenced the New Urban Agenda and other global and national urban policies. In the process, the meaning has narrowed towards realizing human rights in cities. Pursuing the right to housing in South Africa has established an important duty on the state to ensure universal access to decent accommodation. This has enabled millions of the poorest households to obtain improved habitation, and others to gain protection against forced evictions. However, the single-minded focus on state delivery of mass housing has been unable to keep pace with the rising level of need. It has also neglected the economic requirements of households and is proving to be financially unsustainable. Consequently, the housing right has not lifted many people out of income poverty or created more inclusive cities. A rights-based approach needs to be complemented by collective action and strengthened capabilities to drive progress across a broader agenda than just housing, particularly at the local ...
30 citations
TL;DR: The rise in transnational land deals has brought nationally inflected concerns about foreign land acquisition into uneasy tension with longstanding scholarly and popular concerns about dispossessio... as mentioned in this paper...
Abstract: The rise in transnational land deals has brought nationally inflected concerns about foreign land acquisition into uneasy tension with longstanding scholarly and popular concerns about dispossessio...
27 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the co-mingling of border dynamics in the San Diego-Tijuana cross-border metropolis is studied, focusing on the processes of "debordering" and "reborderin...
Abstract: The co-mingling of bordering dynamics in the San Diego–Tijuana cross-border metropolis. Territory, Politics, Governance. The focus of this paper is on the processes of ‘debordering’ and ‘reborderin...
TL;DR: In the past decade, advanced capitalist states have increasingly used digital technologies to deliver state services and restructure public sector institutions as discussed by the authors, and this practice has had a positive impact on public sector performance.
Abstract: Over the past decades, advanced capitalist states have increasingly used digital technologies to deliver state services and restructure public sector institutions. This practice has had pro...
TL;DR: The authors proposes a relational heritage sovereignty measured by two axes: the power of an expert apparatus of rulemaking and territorialization, and examines the heritage nomination process of Chang'an-Tianshan Section.
Abstract: Relational heritage sovereignty: authorization, territorialization and the making of the Silk Roads Territory, Politics, Governance The gaze towards the Silk Roads was first initiated by UNESCO’s heritage project in tandem with its new category of cultural routes The idea of a cultural route as a form of heritage, as well as the associated procedures of nomination, registration and conservation, entails rulemaking by international organizations A route that transcends national boundaries triggers concerns about state sovereignty and international knowledge Drawing insights from critical heritage studies and political geography, this study proposes a relational heritage sovereignty measured by two axes: the power of an expert apparatus of rulemaking and territorialization By examining the heritage nomination process of ‘Silk Roads: Chang’an-Tianshan Section’, the paper interrogates the politics of assemblage, knowledge and territory In particular, it explores how a cultural route offers spac
TL;DR: In this article, the formation of a transnational capitalist class, by utilizing Chinese foreign investments in Brazilian agribusiness, is discussed. But the authors do not discuss the impact of Chinese foreign investment on Brazilian agri-business.
Abstract: My purpose in this paper is to deepen the literature on Chinese foreign investments (particularly in Brazilian agribusiness), and the formation of a transnational capitalist class, by utilizing pra...
TL;DR: In this paper, the political implications of Chinese investment in Montenegro and the geopolitical background of Chinese involvement in the country are considered, and a new academic contribution to geopolitics and Sino-Balkan studies is made.
Abstract: This article considers the political implications of Chinese investment in Montenegro and the geopolitical background of Chinese involvement in the country. Montenegro initiated construction of the highway connecting its port city of Bar to the border with Serbia. The ‘biggest project in Montenegrin history’ was dismissed by Western financial institutions as unfeasible and almost abandoned due to lack of finance. Finally, the Export-Import Bank of China (CHEXIM) offered generous financial resources while the Montenegrin government conceded strong state guarantees and gave the project to Chinese construction company CRBC. This article demystifies the political context of the project and Chinese involvement in Montenegro, offering a new academic contribution to geopolitics and Sino-Balkan studies. The paper also questions if Chinese loans offer something new to Montenegro and their potential conflict with the European Union, the most powerful stakeholder in the region. I use interviews with experts,...
TL;DR: The One Village One Product (OVOP) movement was implemented in 1980 in Oita Prefecture, Japan It was used as a basis for crafting the One Tambon One Product policy in Thailand In as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The One Village One Product (OVOP) movement was a policy implemented in 1980 in Oita Prefecture, Japan It was used as a basis for crafting the One Tambon One Product (OTOP) policy in Thailand In
TL;DR: Indigenous communities have enjoyed varied success in challenging the authority and colonial nature of countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States as mentioned in this paper. But they have not yet been able to make sense of these challenges.
Abstract: Indigenous communities have enjoyed varied success in challenging the authority and colonial nature of countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. To make sense of these...
TL;DR: A recent symposium on Regional Authority and the Postfunctionalist Theory of Governance as mentioned in this paper was the first to explore the relationship between functional and communal pressures in regional governance, arguing that community and efficiency have tangible and contrasting effects that explain how jurisdictions are designed, why regional governance has become differentiated and how multilevel governance has deepened over the past several decades.
Abstract: This symposium Regional Authority and the Postfunctionalist Theory of Governance engages two recent books on regional governance. The first sets out a measure of regional authority for 81 countries in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific between 1950 and 2010. The second theorizes how regional governance is shaped by functional and communal pressures. These pressures are detected in many historical episodes of jurisdictional reform. These books seek to pin them down empirically. Community and efficiency appear to have tangible and contrasting effects that explain how jurisdictions are designed, why regional governance has become differentiated and how multilevel governance has deepened over the past several decades. The symposium consists of contributions by Kent Eaton, Jean-Paul Faguet and Imke Harbers followed by a response from the authors: Liesbet Hooghe, Gary Marks, Arjan H. Schakel, Sara Niedzwiecki, Sandra Chapman Osterkatz and Sarah Shair-Rosenfield, Measuring Regional Authority: A Postfunctionalist Theory of Governance, Vol. I. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016; and Liesbet Hooghe and Gary Marks, with Arjan H. Schakel, Sara Niedzwiecki, Sandra Chapman Osterkatz and Sarah Shair-Rosenfield, Community, Scale, and Regional Governance: A Postfunctionalist Theory of Governance, Vol. II. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore how topological thinking may be a useful heuristic offering increased conceptual flexibility for those interested in urban studies and thinking topologically, and propose a heuristic for urban planning.
Abstract: Urban studies and thinking topologically. Territory, Politics, Governance. This paper explores how topological thinking may be a useful heuristic offering increased conceptual flexibility for those...
TL;DR: Austerity policies and the bankruptcy of the welfare state in Spain since the crisis of 2008 have mobilized the population to demand new models of urban governance, an improvement of basic services.
Abstract: Austerity policies and the bankruptcy of the welfare state in Spain since the crisis of 2008 have mobilized the population to demand new models of urban governance, an improvement of basic services...
TL;DR: In this article, a strategic-relational approach to the analysis of subnational meta-governance is introduced, where the role of territorial actors in cross-border regions is explored.
Abstract: Exploring the role of territorial actors in cross-border regions. Territory, Politics, Governance. This paper introduces a strategic-relational approach to the analysis of subnational meta-governan...
TL;DR: Socio-environmental conditions influence party organizations and political behavior in the different ecological zones of Africa as mentioned in this paper. And party-branded sheds serve as a lens for understanding electoral poli c...
Abstract: Socio-environmental conditions influence party organizations and political behaviour in the different ecological zones of Africa. Party-branded sheds serve as a lens for understanding electoral pol...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the recent debate about the basis for claiming jurisdictional rights over territory and argue that the debate as a whole misses a crucial feature of what makes territorial claims legitimate.
Abstract: This article examines the recent debate about the basis for claiming jurisdictional rights over territory. It contends that the debate as a whole misses a crucial feature of what makes territorial ...
TL;DR: In the context of statecraft, Scalecraft, as a particular form of state-craft, can be seen as a form of "statecraft" that invokes statecraft by multiple tiers of government centered on tackling problems, appearing competent and winning elections.
Abstract: Uneven development invokes statecraft by multiple tiers of government centred on tackling problems, appearing competent and winning elections. Scalecraft, as a particular form of statecraft, can in...
TL;DR: In this article, Riegl et al. make a zealous attempt to snuff out the concept of partially independent territories by attacking illusory semblances and misrepresentations.
Abstract: In Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), First Order supreme leader Kilo Ren exhibits an enraged determination to crush the rebels once and for all. He orders ‘every gun we have to fire’ at Luke Skywalker as soon as he catches sight of him. But the First Order guns have no effect because the image of Skywalker is merely a projection cast from a distant planet. Similar to the First Order forces, in their paper ‘Independent territories revisited? The concept of partially independent territories and the role of such territories in the international system’, Riegl, Doboš, and Bečka (2019) make a zealous attempt to snuff out the concept of partially independent territories. Rather than trying to build upon or adjust the concept, they (surprisingly) assert that it does not exist. They say that it does ‘not produce any discernible pattern’ (p. 13). They also emphasize ‘the flaws of the PIT concept’. Riegl et al. base their conclusions on their reading of my 2016 paper in Territory, Politics, Governance entitled ‘Partial independence beats full independence’. But similar to the First Order forces in Star Wars, they are not able to engage effectively with their target. Instead, their approach leads them to attack illusory semblances and misrepresentations. Before elaborating, it is important that I convey from the outset that I very much welcome this effort by Riegl et al. In fact, it is long overdue that naysayers against partial independence come out into the open and clarify some of their views. Partially independent territories are not supposed to exist according to a variety of theories of international politics. The idea that a political form that is comparable to sovereign states, like partially independent territories, exists and has discernable economic, political, and security advantages, is a disruptive development in the analysis of politics, law, sociology, and economics. So naturally there will be those that oppose the idea. Many of us who have written on partial independence (including those who use related terms like regional autonomy, sub-national jurisdictions, and federacy) have been waiting to see the countervailing arguments of proponents of full independence and have been curious how they might attempt to discount partial independence and its advantages. Regrettably, however, Riegl et al. fail to present anything close to this vaunted, strong and long-awaited critique. Ideally, when offering a critique, scholars would present alternative points of view that can be discussed and debated. Unfortunately, however, in spite of the fervour of their points, the commentators make missteps that sadly prevent a proper scholarly discussion. I nevertheless do not believe that they have wasted their time and effort. Instead, their paper presents a good opportunity to spell out what an appropriate critique might look like. I will therefore attempt to spell this out below to help Riegl et al. with their approach so that if or when they (or others)
TL;DR: The notion of the existence of "the economy" as a separate domain of social life and an apparently self-evident spatial entity is very much imagined as mentioned in this paper, and this paper addresses a specific aspect of this notion.
Abstract: The notion of the existence of ‘the economy’ as a separate domain of social life and an apparently self-evident spatial entity is very much imagined. This paper addresses a specific aspect ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors react to the development of the concept of Partially Independent Territories in previous works, even though they clearly agree with the need to study territories diverging from each other.
Abstract: The text reacts to the development of the concept of Partially Independent Territories in previous works. Even though the authors clearly agree with the need to study territories diverging ...
TL;DR: In his critically acclaimed monograph The Birth of Territory, geographer Elden (2013a, p. 18) seeks to demonstrate that territory is far from the straightforward concept that people imagine it to be.
Abstract: In his critically acclaimed monograph The Birth of Territory, geographer Elden (2013a, p. 18) seeks to demonstrate that territory is far from the straightforward concept that people imagine it to b...
TL;DR: The authors argues that territory is more than a simple concept, and that William Shakespeare is a valuable guide to understand its complexities, arguing that Shakespeare's plays explore many aspects of geogr...
Abstract: This paper argues that territory is more than a simple concept, and that William Shakespeare is a valuable guide to understanding its complexities. Shakespeare’s plays explore many aspects of geogr...
TL;DR: In this paper, a commentary on Maarten Hajer and Wytske Versteeg's 'Imagining the post-fossil city' (2018) discusses some of the assumptions and implications of the authors' two key formulations: 'techniques o...
Abstract: This commentary on Maarten Hajer and Wytske Versteeg's ‘Imagining the post-fossil city’ (2018) discusses some of the assumptions and implications of the authors’ two key formulations: ‘techniques o...