Geography Commons^™

No. 45: Internal Migration, Climate Adaptation, And Food System Resilience In Namibia, Lawrence N. Kazembe, Ndeyapo Nickanor

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

As one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most arid countries, Namibia serves as a crucial example for studying the interactions between climate vulnerability, migration, and food systems. This study investigates how internal migration flows to Windhoek and northern towns (Oshakati, Ongwediva, Ondangwa) transform urban food networks while creating new patterns of risk and adaptation. Through household surveys, policy analysis, and stakeholder interviews, we uncover a paradox: despite escaping rural climate stressors, migrants often encounter new vulnerabilities such as precarious employment, inadequate housing, and unstable food access. However, they develop sophisticated adaptive strategies that span urban-rural divides: maintaining rural agricultural production through family …

What Are The Limits To Smart Innovation? The Digital Underground Initiative And New Frontiers Of “Smartness” In Singapore, Prerona Das, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This paper argues that the emergence of new frontiers of smart transformation, such as underground spaces, can pose significant challenges to the implementation of “smart” technological solutions. Exploring the case of Singapore’s Digital Underground initiative, we show that elements such as material complexity, co-ordination between stakeholders, and the availability of appropriate regulatory and administrative frameworks can problematize the implementation of subterranean smart initiatives. By considering multistake-holder perspectives on these “more-than-technological” factors, this paper offers lessons for urban planners, policymakers, and developers in cities around the world that are keen to leverage technology to unlock the potential of underground space.

Mapping Food Justice: Urban Farms And The Examination Of Equitable Food Access, Aaron Avila, Mark Ayiah, Jake Stavely, Marc T. Sager, Maximilian K. Sherard, Anthony J. Petrosino

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

In this project, we worked alongside members from an urban farm in South Dallas to learn about issues related to food justice, urban farming, and food deserts. Using participatory design research methods, we created data visualizations showing how society can reduce inequities relating to food access produced in historically underserved neighborhoods. The research goals guiding this study are: a) to identify food deserts and urban farms in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region (DFW) and b) to determine which urban farms service the needs of these food deserts. To identify food deserts, we took two steps: First, we used open-access data …

No. 44: Tracking Translocality: Food Remittance Narratives In The Africa-Gulf Migration Corridor, Bernard Owusu, Jonathan Crush

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper explores the overlooked practice of food-related remittances in the Ghana-Qatar migration corridor, emphasizing their social, emotional, and cultural significance within translocal households. While cash remittances are widely studied, food remitting remains under-researched despite its critical role in sustaining family ties and addressing food insecurity. Drawing on a mixed-methods study involving household surveys in Ghana and interviews with migrants in Qatar, the paper employs a tripartite conceptual framework incorporating gifting, caregiving, and moral economy to analyze migrant remittance narratives. The paper shows that remitting practices are shaped by cultural norms, kinship obligations, and emotional care, often at significant personal …

Constructing A State: Canals And The Transformation Of The Economy, Politics, And Finance In Nineteenth-Century New York, Youwei Xing

All Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays in economic history, unified by a focus on one of America's earliest transportation infrastructures, the canal system, in nineteenth-century New York. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the state's transformation: its economy, politics, and finance, each of which helped construct New York as the Empire State.

The first chapter studies the economic impact of canals on economic modernization from three aspects: sectoral transition, urbanization, and banking development. Contrary to much of the modern literature finds transportation infrastructure leads to decentralization, I find the opposite-evidence of centralization. Specially: (1) canal towns experienced a transition …

Central Halmahera In Power Relations, Development, And Environmental Crisis, Herman Usman

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Abstract This paper analyzes the relationship between power relations, development, and environmental crisis in Central Halmahera, North Maluku, a region that has undergone socio-ecological changes due to the expansion of extractive industries, especially nickel mining. Such development is controlled by state actors and corporations, creating unequal power relations in which local communities are often marginalized. This development model based on natural resource extraction resulting in ecosystem degradation, water pollution, and the loss of living space for indigenous peoples and coastal communities. This paper uses the approaches of political ecology and the sociology of development, to examine how the state facilitates …

3r-Stadte Furs Leben Gestalten [Designing 3r Cities For Life], Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

What does it mean for a city to be resilient in today’s world? In July this year, over 100 city leaders, scholars, and industry partners gathered at City Dialogues in Vienna, co-convened by Singapore Management University and Urban Innovation Vienna, to reflect on the critical question of urban resilience. Held alongside the Mayors Forum of the World Cities Summit 2025, the dialogue provided a timely opportunity to share how cities can navigate complexity—not only in response to disruption, but also in pursuit of sustainable and inclusive futures. Inspired by SMU City Dialogues, I explore here how cities can bounce back, …

Tackling Data Quality Challenges In Remote Sensing: Solutions For Reliable Urban Heat Island Analysis, Wei Xia, Aqil Tariq, Hesham El-Askary, Rana Waqar Aslam, Elgar Barboza, Dmitry E. Kucher, Youssef M. Youssef, Habib Kraiem

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Urban heat islands (UHIs) pose critical challenges to public health, energy demand, and environmental sustainability, particularly in rapidly expanding urban regions. This study examines the complex relationship between building configurations and integrated green spaces, as well as their combined impact on thermal regulation. It focuses on addressing data quality issues commonly encountered in remote sensing applications. Using high-resolution multispectral and thermal imagery, we developed an integrated modeling approach that captures the collective influence of built form and green infrastructure on urban microclimates. A key finding is the significant linear inverse relationship between green space coverage and land surface temperature, underscoring …

The Dynamics Of Urbanization And Changes In Ekistics Elements: A Case Study Of Surakarta City, Sarah Astita

Cities and Urban Development Journal

Urbanization has become a driving force behind significant spatial, environmental, and socio-economic transformations in urban areas, including Surakarta, the most densely populated city in Central Java. The rapid increase in population and urban expansion has led to drastic changes in land use and the structure of human settlements. This study aims to analyze the impact of urbanization on the ekistic elements of Surakarta (nature, humans, society, space/shells, and networks) and how these changes manifest spatially over time. A descriptive qualitative approach is employed using literature analysis and the interpretation of Landsat satellite imagery from 2011 and 2022. The findings show …

Community Based Development Analysis - Case Study Of Cap (Community Action Plan) In Kramat Ward, Irene Sondang Fitrinitia

Cities and Urban Development Journal

Background: The Community Action Plan (CAP) has been implemented as a participatory approach to improving settlement quality through collaboration between the community and the government.

Aims: This study aims to explore the CAP process in community-based development planning in Kramat Ward and to understand the role of citizen participation and synergy with government policies in enhancing settlement quality

Methods: A descriptive qualitative approach with a case study method was used to analyze the process of community-based development planning.

Results: The findings indicate that the Community Action Plan (CAP) enables residents to identify and propose solutions to settlement-related issues. Community-driven actions …

No. 43: Migration, Food Insecurity And Angolan Migrants In Namibia, Lawrence N. Kazembe, Ndeyapo Nickanor, Godfrey Tawodzera

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This study examines the food security challenges faced by Angolan migrants in Namibia, focusing on the interplay between migration, livelihoods, and food insecurity. Drawing on survey data from households in Northern towns and the capital city of Namibia, the research reveals high levels of food insecurity among Angolan migrants, characterized by limited dietary diversity and a reliance on coping strategies such as consuming less preferred foods and reducing meal portions. The findings highlight the marginalization of migrants, who primarily work in the informal sector with low incomes, exacerbating their vulnerability. The COVID-19 pandemic further worsened food insecurity by disrupting livelihoods …

Agricultural Extension In An Urban Informal Settlement During Covid-19: The Effectiveness Of The “Tanimang Bayan” Initiative In Sitio San Roque, North Triangle, Quezon City, Patrice Bianca R. Yapjoco

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep inequalities in food access, particularly in urban informal settlements. This study examines the effectiveness of the “Tanimang Bayan” initiative, an urban agriculture project implemented in Sitio San Roque, Quezon City, as a form of agricultural extension during the pandemic. The research adopts a qualitative approach, drawing on data from key informant interviews, participant observation, and secondary sources. Findings indicate that the initiative provided a localized response to food insecurity by enhancing access to fresh produce and promoting community-led production. It also supported collective action and self-organization among residents, strengthening their autonomy in navigating structural limitations. …

Elemental Analysis Of Sediments In Johnson County, Kansas: Applications In Fluvial Suspended Sediment Tracing, Kiena Campbell

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This exploratory study investigates whether bulk elemental analysis of sediment samples using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can reveal chemical signatures that identify anthropogenic contributions to sedimentation and increased fluvial suspended sediment loads, and whether these contribution sources can be identified. Human activity, urbanization, and changes in land use increase erosion, resulting in higher-than-natural suspended sediments (SS) in waterways and increasing sedimentation in reservoirs across the state of Kansas. These threats to freshwater storage capacity are especially urgent given the projected rise in freshwater demand in the Great Plains region driven by climate change. Understanding the origin of anthropogenic SS …

A Spatial Analysis Of Residential Photovoltaic Adoption In New Jersey: Focusing On 2020 With Trends Through 2025, Brandon Mcalister

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This capstone project seeks to find the relationship between socioeconomic and demographic variables and their relationship to residential photovoltaic installations across New Jersey. The study consists of Geographic Weighted Regression Analyses to construct and socioeconomic index indicating the likelihood of photovoltaic adoption in New Jersey zip codes. Then using the index to predict future photovoltaic adoption across the state. The study found that socioeconomic and demographic variables can predict photovoltaic adoption within one year, but when placed in an index and used to predict future adoption trends, the model under predicts and extremely over predicts. While socioeconomic status is a …

Political Ecologies Of The Livestock Industry, Jecca Bowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States today, livestock production is dominated by an intensified, industrialized production paradigm whose growth in recent decades has utterly transformed the logistical realities and community impacts of animal agriculture. This dissertation investigates the effects of this production paradigm on livestock producers—whose decision-making is shaped by multi-scalar and often contradictory forces—as well as residents living near these large operations. To do so, I draw upon mixed-methods fieldwork, including in-depth interviews, spatial analysis, and field odor measurements in Weld and Morgan Counties in northern Colorado. I also use political ecologies of emotion, embodiment, and health to examine the complex …

No. 42: Remittance Practices, Digital Technologies And The Ghana-Canada Migration Corridor, Naomi Sunu, Sujata Ramachandran

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Migrant remittances have been recognized as vital resources for the well-being of recipient households and communities, as well as for sustainable development in the Global South. However, these flows can be impeded by limitations in the infrastructure, financial systems, and regulatory environments of both sending and receiving countries, as exemplified by the high costs associated with remitting to sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, the use of less secure but more affordable informal remittance channels persists. Driven by the rapid growth of fintech technologies in recent years, including mobile money and web-based platforms, the digitalization of remittance-sending and receiving processes has the potential …

Infrastructure From Below: Mediasi Dan Politik Pembangunan Infrastruktur Air Di Kota Balikpapan, Muhammad Althaf Nandiati Yusfid

Antropologi Indonesia

The city of Balikpapan is experiencing a water crisis. The discrepancy between the city's water supply and Balikpapan's demography put pressure towards the city's capability of supporting its own citizens. This issue is exacerbated by the development of Indonesia's New Capital (IKN) which is located just outside Balikpapan. Therefore, the development of water infrastructure is imperative for the city. Yet, there's no recent visible development of water infrastructure in the city. However, I argue that water infrastructure development actually exists, though in a subtle form. The informal water suppliers that are prevalent in the city is tied with how the …

Assessing Equity In Heat Mitigation Ecosystem Services Of Urban Green Space In Singapore, Ronghua Xu, Perrine Hamel, Youu Ming, Aikeen Lim, Tingting He

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Urban green space provides ecosystem services such as heat mitigation, which are associated with improved resident health and welfare. While estimating the disparity in ecosystem services is essential to improve equity, little guidance is available as to which indices and indicators should be used. Here, we assess the distributional equity in heat mitigation benefits as measured by two indicators – land surface temperature reduction and wet-bulb temperature reduction – in the city-state of Singapore, and compare three inequality indices: Gini coefficient (GC), Atkinson index (AI), and Theil entropy index (TE). We include scenarios with and without migrant construction workers to …

The Industrial Hemp Supply Chain Solution, Honovi C. Trudell Sir

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Realistically solving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals utilizing an Industrial Hemp supply chain with economy to scale to replace petroleum based plastics and permanently offset carbon emissions produced from other continuously produced hazardous waste.

No. 41: Crisis, Pandemic Precarity And Food Insecurity Among Migrant Households During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Quito, Ecuador, Mercedes Eguiguren, Taymi Milán, Cheryl Martens

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This study examines the food insecurity experiences of Venezuelan migrants in Quito, Ecuador, within the broader context of the Venezuelan crisis, regional migration responses, and the structural precarity migrants face. Moving beyond the dominant “migration crisis” narrative, this paper adopts a crisis-living framework to analyze how protracted instability and pandemic precarity shape migrants’ experiences. Based on a 2023 survey of migrants and refugees who lived in Quito throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings reveal that food insecurity is a persistent challenge, disproportionately affecting female-led and extended households. Key factors influencing food insecurity include job instability and deteriorating employment conditions, limited …

Passive Envelope Retrofits As Climate Justice Infrastructure Against Extreme Heat: A Gis-Guided Approach For Outdated Single-Family Homes In Urban California, Mert Oztekin Mr.

Master's Projects and Capstones

I examined the opportunities to enhance equity in energy performance, climate resilience, and environmental adaptation through climate-resilient envelope retrofitting and spatially guided implementation strategies (via mappings of the Urban Heat Island -UHI- and socio-economic vulnerability indicators). Passive envelope retrofits of attic insulation; high-performance windows; cool roofs; and green roofs / walls, are examined across multiple climate zones of California' aged single-family housing stock, focusing on the Disadvantaged Communities (DACs). Through spatial analysis, strong overlap between Urban Heat Island(UHI) exposure; pre-1980 housing; socioeconomic disadvantage, and thus the need for spatially-directed action is underlined. The policy landscape analysis provides confirmation of the …

Vienna In The New Century: From Public Housing Haven To Neoliberalized Mega Projects, Connery R. Ritter

Geography Honors Projects

While Vienna is often presented as a utopia for social sustainability, the urban developments after the turn of the century have revealed the variegated nature of Neoliberalization. Since the fall of the USSR, Vienna has privatized municipal bodies and engaged with financialized urban development projects. While this Neoliberalized urban governance approach has met with resistance, the resistance ironically has also enabled the city to capitalize on its social-welfarist past. Vienna nowadays brands itself as a sustainable and livable city for corporations, which leads to land assetization and new economic segregation.

No. 40: Migrant Shelters And Food Insecurity In Mexico City And Its Metropolitan Area During The Covid-19 Lockdown, Fernanda Vázquez-Vela, Guénola Capron

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically exacerbated vulnerabilities among migrant populations globally, and Mexico was no exception. This paper examines the experiences of four migrant shelters in Mexico City and its metropolitan area during the pandemic lockdown, highlighting how these institutions responded to the twin challenges of public health and food insecurity. The study draws on ethnographic and documentary research to analyse the coping strategies developed by managers and volunteers at the four shelters. These shelters serve diverse and particularly vulnerable groups, including undocumented migrants, women and children fleeing violence, and members of the LGBTTIQ+ community. Despite facing increased demand, reduced donations, …

School Choice And Spatial Equity: A Comparative Analysis Of Public And Private K-12 School Enrollment In Three American Metropolitan Areas, John A. Schumacher

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the factors influencing school choice and enrollment patterns in three Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs): Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI; Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN; and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell. It explores the role of socioeconomic and spatial variables, including income levels, racial composition, and educational attainment, political fragmentation, and urbanicity in shaping enrollment decisions across public and private schools. Using spatial analysis and multiple regression techniques, the study examines how these factors contribute to variations in school enrollment within the selected MSAs. The results reveal that income level and racial composition significantly affect enrollment patterns while other factors such as urbanicity had minimal impact. …

Considerations And Techniques For Producing Urban Tree Canopy Maps Using Freely Available And Accessible Methods, Hugh Reed Ellerman

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Urban forests are valued as green infrastructure for the variety of benefits they provide across ecological, social, public health, and economic domains. To understand the distribution of trees, maps are required. Many methods of mapping tree cover use expensive and data-intensive datasets such as hyperspectral and LiDAR imagery, making these methods inaccessible to municipal forest managers. Variations in the modelling approaches of existing, freely available methods are not addressed in sufficient enough detail to understand the trade-offs implicit in these variations. Further, characteristics of urban tree canopy mapping (high spatial resolution imagery, heterogeneous urban environments, the importance of the tree …

The Impact Of Religiosity And Violence Prevention Programs On Violence Amongst Adolescents In The U.S., Ngoc Nguyen, John Paulson, Quentin Maynard, Thu T. Ha

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Youth violence is a societal concern in the United States due to its negative consequences on individuals and communities. The current study aimed to examine the potential mitigating factors of violence prevention programs and religiosity in reducing youth violence among African American, White, Hispanic, and Asian American adolescents in the United States. It also tested the moderation effects of sex on religiosity and violence prevention programs with youth violence. Results of the main effects revealed that adolescents who attended violence prevention programs were generally less likely to engage in violence than those who did not; and that adolescents who were …

Editorial History

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 27, Issue 2 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Statement From The Indiana Academy Of The Social Sciences And Board Of Directors

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Editor-In-Chief's Note, Surekha Rao

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.