RSS 1.0Geography and International Development
Our research focuses on the UK, dryland regions, and developing areas of the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean. The department maintains close links with colleagues in a number of overseas institutions (particularly in Spain, the Caribbean, Egypt and Vietnam). Research facilities include a postgraduate office and new soils and geomatics laboratories with a range of analytical equipment and high level GIS and Image Processing systems.
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Retracing Footsteps: An Exhibition of Landscape, Text and ImageThis article reflects on an interdisciplinary research project between a cultural geographer and practising artists in documenting the changing landscape of the mountain Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Wales. The project draws on archival materials in the form of 19th-century visitors’ books housed in summit ‘hotel’ huts. The visitor books provide a point of departure for research which references the historic insights of the varying tourist encounters of the mountain landscape. By physically retracing the footsteps of 19th-century tourists, the team employed image-making practices to (re)imagine how the mountain is experienced today. This led to a curated exhibition that juxtaposed 19c. visitor book extracts and photographs to communicate the historical and contemporary social-spatial and environmental changes and tensions within the landscape. This paper critically reflects on the retrieval, selection and exhibition of text and image and argues how this process offers new geographical interpretations and forms of dissemination of past and present understandings of human encounters with landscapes.
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Bringing a Social Justice Lens to Matthews’ Five Propositions for Genuine Students-as-Partners Practice: A Narrative ReviewIn 2017, in the second issue of the International Journal for Students as Partners (IJSaP), Matthews presented five propositions for genuine students-as-partners practice. Whilst these propositions did not focus directly on social justice, a social justice ethos (seeking to achieve parity of partici-pation for all in higher education) was implicit within the discussion. Working with students as partners (SaP) can contribute to social justice, and a social justice perspective can contribute to the practice and conceptualization of students-as-partners work. From this perspective, I present a narrative literature review that brings a social justice lens to Matthews’ five propositions by ex-amining 26 publications (research articles, case studies, reflective essays, and opinion pieces) in IJSaP concerning students-as-partners work. These are identified using the search terms “justice”, “equity”, “inclusion”, and “ethical”. The review provides clear examples of how the practice of working with students as partners can promote equity and inclusion in higher education, thereby striving toward social justice.
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Government and Politics in the Gambia, 1816–1866This paper explores the key features of government and politics in the Gambia from Bathurst’s foundation in 1816 to the establishment of the British West African Settlements in 1866. Drawing on both contemporary and more recent primary and secondary sources, as well as on information provided by family members of officials and merchants who worked in the Gambia, the paper focuses on two main issues. First, it builds on and develops the work of Anthony Kirk-Greene by exploring the overall characteristics of the three key groups of political actors: senior Gambian government officials; British and Eurafrican merchants and traders; and the local African community. Second, it examines the relations between these groups and how these changed over time. In the case of government officials, it also considers their relations with the Colonial Office and between one another. Where possible, comparisons are made with the other British West African colonies of the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone.
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Big Data for flood management: Realising the benefits for developing countriesAgenda 2030 goal 11 commits towards making disaster risk reduction an integral part of sustainable social and economic development. Flooding poses some of the most serious challenges in front of developing nations by hitting hardest to the most vulnerable. Focussing on the urban poor, frequently at highest risk are characterised by inadequate housing, lack of services and infrastructure with high population growth and spatial expansion in dense, lower quality urban structures. Use of big data from within these low-quality urban settlement areas can be a useful step forward in generating information to have a better understanding of their vulnerabilities. Big data for resilience is a recent field of research which offers tremendous potential for increasing disaster resilience especially in the context of social resilience. This research focusses to unleash the unrealised opportunities of big data through the differential social and economic frames that can contribute towards better-targeted information generation in disaster management. The scoping study aims to contribute to the understanding of the potential of big data in developing particularly in low-income countries to empower the vulnerable population against natural hazards such as floods. Recognising the potential of providing real-time and long-term information for emergency management in flood-affected large urban settlements this research concentrates on flood hazard and use of remotely sensed data (NASA, TRMM, LANDSAT) as the big data source for quick disaster response (and recovery) in targeted areas. The research question for the scoping study is: Can big data source provide real-time and long- term information to improve emergency disaster management in urban settlements against floods in developing countries?  Previous research has identified several potentials that big data has on faster response to the affected population but few attempts have been made to integrate the factors to develop an aggregated conceptual output . An international review of multi-discipline research, grey literature, grass-root projects, and emerging online social discourse will appraise the concepts and scope of big data to highlight the four objectives of the research and answer the specific questions around existing and future potentials of big data, operationalising and capacity building by agencies, risk associated and prospects of maximising impact. The research proposes a concept design for undertaking a thematic review of existing secondary data sources which will  be used to provide a holistic picture of how big data can support in resilience through technological change within the specific scope of social and environmental contexts of developing countries. The implications of the study lie in the system integration and understanding of the socio-economics, political, legal and ethical contexts essential for investment decision making for strategic impact and resilience-building in developing nations.
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Preparedness and management of (flood) disaster amid a pandemic in a developing country: Lessons from Cyclone Amphan in southwestern BangladeshIn the wake of worldwide health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, preparedness for disasters can be seriously challenging, especially for already-struggling developing nations. Evidence shows that investigating the dynamic balance between preparedness, communication and response helps in understanding the management systems of two very different forms of disasters happening together. One such case was investigated in Bangladesh, one of the countries with the highest level of vulnerability to changing climate. Bangladesh is prone to frequent cyclones, and more than 80% of the population is potentially at risk of flooding. The country is renowned for its Cyclone Preparedness Programme; however, managing the risk of Cyclone Amphan (May 2020) was hampered, as the country had never previously prepared for a cyclone during a global pandemic. This chapter examines the preparedness of the coastal population for dealing with the ‘dual disasters’ of Amphan and COVID-19. Two sets of participants (affected community, expert group) were interviewed using a snowball method to elucidate the adequacy of their preparedness levels. The outcome of the exercise revealed that due to inefficient institutional support and limited personal capacity, participants were not effectively prepared for the disasters. Their responses echoed some fundamental flaws in disaster management in the context of preparedness and response in tackling dual disasters for developing nations. Policy makers in Bangladesh and elsewhere need to stop normalising vulnerability.
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Research Handbook on Flood Risk ManagementPushing the boundaries of flood risk management research, this comprehensive Research Handbook presents pragmatic insights into all areas relating to flood risk. Through its use of dynamic and people-centred paradigms, it explores urban flood management within localities, properties, neighbourhoods and cities. Structured around the flood risk management cycle, chapters explore the critical importance of managing the consequences of flooding whilst examining key concepts such as mitigation, preparedness, emergency management and recovery. An international range of expert contributors from an array of disciplines recognize the inadequacies of existing governance approaches and mechanisms when it comes to addressing urban flooding, and identify the ways in which these can be strengthened in order to create an integrated flood and water management framework. Adopting a forward-thinking approach, the Research Handbook also investigates future directions of flood risk management research. The Research Handbook on Flood Risk Management will be an indispensable resource for academics, researchers and students interested in environmental geography, environmental governance and regulation, urban studies, politics and public policy, and the management of natural resources.
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Evolution of social engagement in flood risk assessment: new approaches and emerging concerns using case studies from BrazilCase studies from Brazil explore the evolution of engagement of citizens and society in flood risk assessment through three frameworks that include social aspects of risk. Such assessment requires in-depth multifaceted understanding of the complexity associated with physical factors such as depth, intensity and frequency coupled with societal interaction with reference to social memory, perception, management and adaptation. It is proposed that despite increased complexity, these assessments may be more accurate and promote risk reduction. The case studies (for events in 2015, 2018 and 2022) used different methods of interpretation. They highlight the importance of experience, of social memory and of full participation on risk response, including research around citizen science using social media data to fill gaps in hydrological datasets. The case studies exemplify some of the innovative and non-traditional complementary ways of data collection, analysis and interpretation for including human dimension of flood risk assessment.
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Community Resilience to Socio-Environmental Disasters in Itajaí Valley, BrazilThe Itajaí Valley (Brazil) is historically hit by disasters characterized by landslides and floods. Despite some level of preparedness, the changing rainfall regimes which became less predictable and more severe, is exacerbated by uncertainties of climate change challenging the state of resilience in the area. Community perception in disaster risk areas is one of the key components for identifying the state of resilience to disasters. Hence, to better understand the nature of changing resilience, this research aims to identify and compare the state of resilience of communities (SC) in the Itajaí Valley by analyzing risk perception of local communities. A descriptive-evaluative methodology is used through a quantitative survey approach in the at-risk areas in two distinct phases. Data collection in the first phase took place between March and July 2023, a period temporally distant from the last major disaster, which occurred in 2008. The second phase of data collection took place between the floods of October and November 2023. The results of the research indicate that exposure to the October 2023 floods had a substantial impact on the population's perception of risk, in which changes were observed in all the aspects of community resilience analyzed. In this sense, there was a significant increase in resilience during the reorganization phase, strengthening the consensus with studies related to adaptive cycles. The results enable a more precise understanding of vulnerable areas, allowing decision-makers to pinpoint where resources and efforts should be directed with greater accuracy.
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Virtual Reality and GeographyChapter on virtual reality and geography
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Toward Greater Transparency and Inclusion in Manuscript Review Processes: A Relational ModelPeer review is widely accepted as critical to legitimating scholarly publication, and yet, it runs the risk of reproducing inequities in publishing processes and products. Acknowledging at once the historical need to legitimize SoTL publications, the current danger of reproducing exclusive practices, and the aspirational goal to “‘practice what we preach’”’ as SoTL practitioners regarding effective feedback to students, we argue for rethinking “rigor,” developing more inclusive practices, and engaging in greater transparency in relation to peer review. To situate our discussion, we revisit foundational work in the development of SoTL and then offer an analytical framework informed by recent scholarship on redefining rigor and on the emotional experience of receiving feedback. Using this framework, we propose a relational model of peer review and present two examples of efforts in which we have been involved as founding co-editors of the International Journal for Students as Partners to move toward greater transparency and inclusion in manuscript review processes.
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Geographical information systems (GIS) applied to landslide hazard mapping and evaluation in North-East WalesAbstract available in hard copy
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Controls on landcover patterns in two adjacent stream catchments, South-East SpainAbstract available in hard copy
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The sedimentology of Late Devensian glacial deposits in Anglesey, North-West WalesAbstract available in hard copy
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Stable carbon isotopes and bulk-sediment geochemistry as indicators of relative sea-level change in tidal marshes, mangroves and isolation basins: application and developmentsBulk organic stable carbon isotope (δ13C) and accompanying bulk organic geochemical measurements have been increasingly used as a relative sea-level (RSL) indicator over the last two decades. Their utility as a RSL indicator is premised on the ability of bulk organic δ13C and bulk organic geochemistry to distinguish between organic matter (OM) sources in coastal environments, and to identify changes in OM source contributions in sediment sequences in response to RSL change. We evaluate the performance of bulk δ13C and bulk organic geochemistry as a RSL indicator in tidal marsh, mangrove and isolation basin environments. The interpretation of isotope measurements from these environments requires knowledge of the processes controlling contemporary OM δ13C, and the influence of decomposition on bulk values. We review in detail the controls on the δ13C composition of OM in tidal marshes, mangroves and isolation basins, and advocate wherever possible for the collection of contemporary geochemical datasets corrected for the 13C Suess effect to help inform interpretations. From the wide range of case studies considered, an emerging principle is that the degree of isotopic distinctiveness between OM sources is key in determining how the technique can be deployed as a RSL indicator. This can range in use from the provision of qualitative information on changes in marine influence over time, to the identification of sea-level index points at lithostratigraphic contacts, and most powerfully to the recognition of inter-tidal sub-environments with isotopically well-constrained vertical limits.
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The role of academic developers in initiating, developing, and supporting student-staff partnerships in learning and teaching in higher education: A systematic narrative literature review and a new frameworkThere has been a rapidly growing interest in student-staff partnerships (SSPs) in learning and teaching in higher education in the last decade and a half. It is timely to synthesise what we have learnt about the role of academic developers (ADs) in initiating, developing, and supporting SSPs in learning and teaching in higher education. We therefore offer a systematic narrative literature review that draws on 35 papers on SSPs published in the International Journal for Academic Development (IJAD). We argue that to reimagine students as actors in and agents of academic development there is a need to step back from the specifics of these projects and discuss the varying roles that ADs may play in championing SSPs. We end by drawing on a selected wider literature to discuss the contextual factors that underpin SSPs and propose a new framework for examining the variety of ways that ADs may initiate, develop, and support SSPs. We hope that this review will stimulate significant conversations between ADs, students and staff that will contribute to a more holistic approach to academic development and will be relevant not only for ADs working on SSPs but for all ADs.
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Spatial analysis of urban agriculture in the utilization of open spaces in NigeriaGrowing food in upper- and lower-income countries commands different connotations and dimensions. Urban agriculture (UA) is increasingly an essential urban fabric and a critical enabler of sustainable development goals (SDGs) 1 and 2. However, this study analyses the practice of UA in open spaces within the Ilorin metropolis. The study employed the use of primary and secondary data. Questionnaire administration, interview guide, digital cameras, UA survey form, and GPS all sufficed for the instrumentation of the study. The main findings showed that in Ilorin city, 14.34Ha (31.4 percent in the core) of land was dedicated to UA, which could at least help 1500 families escape poverty. Through Average Nearest Neighbour Analysis (ANNA), the spatial analysis revealed that UA sites were clustered and not randomly distributed. Secondly, this study affirmed through mean analysis that vegetables (3.09), maise (2.86), cassava (2.64), millet/sorghum (2.46), and yam (2.31) were the dominant food staples grown in Ilorin UA sites. Lastly, access to land, failed harvest due to pest/disease, price collapse, and adverse weather events were the leading challenges affecting the practice of UA in the Ilorin metropolis. The study then affirms the need for city-level integration of UA to recognise the rights of the urban poor and UA into the land-use plan within the Ilorin metropolis.
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Exploring local perspectives on flood risk: A participatory GIS approach for bridging the gap between modelled and perceived flood risk zonesAs cities continue to expand and climate change exacerbates flooding, development within flood risk zones becomes an increasingly pressing concern. Engineered solutions alone cannot fully address the risks to individuals and communities, especially when local officials and residents have conflicting understanding of the risk. Participatory GIS (PGIS) offers a unique opportunity to bridge this gap by engaging with communities to better understand their perceptions of flood risk. While PGIS has traditionally been used in developing nations as an alternative to numerical flood models, its potential for use in developed nations is largely unexplored. This paper presents a case study of survey-based PGIS conducted in Reading, a large town in Berkshire, UK. Findings suggest that local residents possess a surprisingly accurate understanding of flood risk zones, but discrepancies with modelled flood risk were also identified. These discrepancies may be due to issues with cartographic representation, but also raise concerns about the accuracy of numerical flood models. By examining local perceptions of flood risk, this study highlights the importance of considering community perspectives in flood risk management and offers valuable insights for practitioners seeking to bridge the gap between modelled and perceived flood risk zones.
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The Intimate Socialities of Going Carbon NeutralThis paper argues that the generation of social intimacy is critical to enabling acts of environmental care. By interrogating the intimate socialities of a group of young people who grew up in a village community committed to carbon reduction, I untangle the influence of everyday intimacies on everyday (un)sustainabilities, particularly in relation to the popular but uncritical positioning of young people as ’sustainability saviours’. I problematise assumptions that young people’s social intimacies are a straight-forward enabler of lifestyle change aligned with sustainability by highlighting the fluidity of intimacies and associated senses of trust throughout young adulthood. I argue further that capitalising on this fluidity might in fact amplify bottom-up environmental care if young people can move readily between networked spaces of trust and support. Drawing from scholarship on friendship, family and community intimacies and the substantial literature on households as crucibles for more sustainable living, I suggest there is considerable reconciliation work demanded at a personal level in order to live comfortably within the everyday intimacies of social life at the same time as committing to individual environmental action. These arguments advance debates around the optimal social drivers of more sustainable lifestyles, at the same time as sounding a cautionary note in relation to the too-easy emplacement of responsibility for driving change at the feet of young people.
