Uncovering land tenure insecurities: tips for tenure responsive land-use planning in Ethiopia

Land-use planning, although a mechanism for development, can also generate insecurity during its implementation. This article argues that tenure security and land-use planning should not be implemented in isolation from each other. It posits that land-use planning – rather than restricting the security of people's tenure – has the potential to serve as a means of securing tenure. The article explores tenure (in)security elements in land-use planning as a crucial challenge in the urban town of Gelan Sidama Awash, Ethiopia. Using data collected through stakeholders’ interviews, it uncovers their tenure security challenges, and outlines a set of measures for enhancing tenure security through land-use planning.     

Ruralisation: a tool for rural transformation

There is a concept that development practitioners have either not heard of or not read, or have chosen to ignore – ruralisation. Unlike urbanisation in urban studies, ruralisation is rarely used as a concept in rural research. It remains a poorly explored concept. By challenging existing notions about the use of the concept, this article attempts to (re)introduce ruralisation as a fundamental concept in rural studies. What is ruralisation? Why do we need it? How can we use it for rural transformations? The article addresses these critical questions. It defines ruralisation and presents its conceptual framework for rural transformation.     

Fostering rural sense of place: the missing piece in Uturu,Nigeria

This article argues that the absence of a sense of place in rural Nigeria impedes development. It uses the case of Uturu to show that understanding the relationships people share with natural features and phenomena around them is important in their development. It proposes a framework constituted of rural mind, rural life, and rural character; and argues that strengthening one or the other pillar of this framework will likely lead to strengthening sense of place. Using in-depth interviews and historically informed observation, the authors show that a weak sense of place leads to poor development, and provide suggestions for improvement.

Encourager le sentiment d'appartenance en milieu rural : la pièce manquante à Uturu, au Nigéria

Cet article soutient que l'absence d'un sentiment d'appartenance dans le Nigéria rural entrave le développement. Il se sert du cas d'Uturu pour montrer que la compréhension des relations que les personnes ont avec les caractéristiques et phénomènes naturels les entourant est importante pour leur développement. Il propose un cadre constitué de l'esprit rural, de la vie en milieu rural et du caractère rural, et soutient que le renforcement d'un ou plusieurs piliers de ce cadre donnera lieu au renforcement du sentiment d'appartenance à un lieu. À l'aide d'entretiens approfondis et de l'observation à la lumière de l'histoire, les auteurs montrent qu'un sentiment faible d'appartenance donne lieu à un développement faible et proposent des suggestions pour améliorer la situation.

Fomentando un sentido de lugar en el ámbito rural: la pieza faltante en Uturu, Nigeria

El presente artículo sostiene que la falta del sentido de lugar en la Nigeria rural impide el desarrollo. A partir del caso de Uturu, se demuestra que un elemento importante para lograr el desarrollo de las personas es comprender las relaciones que establecen con los elementos naturales y con los fenómenos que las rodean. El artículo propone un marco analítico integrado por la mente rural, la vida rural y el carácter rural, sosteniendo que al fortalecer uno u otro de los pilares de este marco, probablemente se fortalezca también el sentido de lugar. Apoyados en entrevistas a profundidad y en observaciones respaldadas por la historiografía, los autores demuestran que un sentido de lugar débil conduce a un pobre desarrollo, formulando sugerencias para mejorar la situación.

Promovendo o senso de pertencimento rural: a peça que falta em Uturu, Nigéria

Este artigo argumenta que a ausência de um senso de pertencimento na zona rural da Nigéria impede o desenvolvimento. O autor utiliza o caso de Uturu para mostrar que compreender as relações que as pessoas compartilham com características e fenômenos naturais que as cercam é importante para o seu desenvolvimento. O artigo propõe uma estrutura constituída de mentalidade rural, vida rural e caráter rural e argumenta que fortalecer um ou outro pilar desta estrutura levará provavelmente ao fortalecimento do senso de pertencimento. Utilizando entrevistas aprofundadas e observações com bases históricas, os autores mostram que um senso de pertencimento fraco leva a um desenvolvimento ruim e oferecem sugestões para melhoria.