Social changes and rural environmental history in mountain regions of southern Africa

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24710285
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUMOTO Miyo 京都大学, アジア・アフリカ地域研究研究科, 研究員 (50614111)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 地域生態論 / 南部アフリカ / 土地利用 / 出稼ぎ労働

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of the study was to examine rural land use changes from the viewpoint of political ecology. Present conditions of soil erosion in mountain region of southern Africa was taken into account, and it was discussed with connection to social changes in southern Africa but not attributing it to population pressure or over grazing as the cause. In concrete terms, surveyed region were two mountainous regions of Kingdom of Lesotho and Republic of South Africa, which locate in the middle of the Drakensberg mountains in southern Africa. There, surveys were conducted to explain the relationship between livelihood and natural environment within the rural villages. It was then examined with connection to social changes in the region.

Free Research Field

アフリカ地域研究