NIGK13017U Land Use Transitions in the Global South

The aim of the course is to provide an overview of the dominant contemporary land use transitions taking place in developing countries. Using case studies from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific, it explores physical, socio-economic as well as institutional aspects of land use and land use change, and links these to ongoing international debates such as economic globalization, global food crises, biofuel production, land grab and nature conservation. The course discusses (national) land use planning, including rural-urban fringe/peri-urban land use aspects, and issues related to the management of land and natural resources in the Global South. Satellite based land use change monitoring and scenarios will also be introduced and discussed. Overall the course aims at analyzing land use change through a range of analytical lenses and the possibilities and constraints of different analytical and methodological approaches will be assessed. Topics of particular interest to the participating students will be identified at the beginning of the course and will receive more in depth attention.

The first few sessions aim to provide an in depth understanding of the theoretical aspects of land use and land use transitions in the Global South. The next few sessions will focus more on the topics identified by the students. Emphasis will be on active participation in the form of plenary discussions, presentations and group work.