geography of conflict: territory and territoriality in the study of conflict
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Geography of Conflict: Territory and Territoriality in the Study of Conflict. Arthur “Gill” Green Department of Geography, McGill University Presentation 11 October 2006 for Research Group in International Security, Université de Montréal. Overview. Territory Territoriality Conflict - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Geography of Conflict:Territory and Territoriality in the
Study of Conflict
Arthur “Gill” Green
Department of Geography, McGill University
Presentation 11 October 2006 for
Research Group in International Security, Université de Montréal
Overview
1. Territory
2. Territoriality
3. Conflict
4. Geography (T&T) and the Study of Conflict
5. Aceh and Sierra Leone
What is Territory? Bounded, meaningful space Borders (communicative devices) Scale Territories are socially constructed and
should be considered as process and not just physical characters.
1
What is Territoriality?
“The attempt by an individual or group (x) to influence, affect, or control objects, people, and relationships (v) by delimiting and asserting control over a geographic area. This area is the territory.” Sack (1983: 56)
2
Essential Characteristics
Classification by area not by kind
Communication through boundary
Control of access, authority within space
2
Effects of Territoriality
Create social entities (identity - state)
Create conceptually empty spaces
Reifies authority/ complex hierarchies
2
What is Conflict? When two or more parties, with perceived
incompatible goals, seek to undermine each other's goal-seeking capability.
Scale? State? Militarized Interstate Disputes (MID)…
3
Overview
1. Territory
2. Territoriality
3. Conflict
4. Geography (T&T) and the Study of Conflict
5. Aceh and Sierra Leone
Conflict and Geography (testing)
State-level Onset and Escalation Causal or intervening variable Opportunity and willingness Trigger events?
Authors: Hensel, Vasquez, Holsti, Walters…4
Conflict and Geography (critical) Applies to state and non-state actors Role of identity and territory Weber (nation creates state through territory –
monopoly of violence) Foucault (state creates the national identity
through governmentality) Ethnicity…
4
Ethnicity and Territory Ethnicity?
Hypothesis-testing Critical
Identity linked to territory: Irredentism, secession, independence
4
Reconstruction Processes
5
Sierra Leone
Electoral Redistricting
Aceh, Indonesia
Land Titling
Tsunami 2004 GAM (Free Aceh
Movement)
Aceh: Post-disaster, Post-conflict
GAM (Free Aceh Movement)
Aceh: No land titles Economic
Transaction costs still to high to manage (even when title is free) plus no local threat to land currently
No market State authority reified State Functions
Taxes enforced Loss of resource autonomy
Worries of retribution Still a desire for a free state in Aceh
Sierra Leone
*4.9 million*71,140 sq. km.*Temne 30%, Mende
30%, Krio 1%, 15 other
*60% Muslim, 30% Christian, 10% Animist
*Conflict: 1991-2003*Bifurcated Land Regimes
Sierra Leone’s Electoral Redistricting:
Conclusion Territory and Territoriality Ways in which these are used in the study
of conflict Reconstruction and shifting use of territory
between state and other scales (sub- and supranational)
Thanks!
Land Tenure, LP, and Conflict (Unruh 2004)
Emerging Conflict: identity and grievances, evidence (legal validity), status of land tenure apparatus= Access to resources, tenure, and legitimacy
During Conflict: dislocation, loss of state power (formal tenure), loss of food security, increase identity (substate self determination)= Informal networks and systems strengthen
Post Conflict: evidence and legitimacy, time, donor agencies, capacity, food security, binding rights and obligations, state power, land issues in peace accord, restitution= Possible conflict