The current obsession of social and natural scientists with globalisation has not been matched by equal interest in the study of the consequences of local environmental change on society. As a result, our attention has been drawn away from community and locality to global processes often indifferent to the reality of those at the receiving end of the social, economic, and political problems globalisation creates. Larger (global) synthesis obscures local reality, and imposes conditions often insensitive to local needs, resource management institutions, and production systems, even distorting them. The case studies presented in this book illustrate how environmental degradation has contributed to the distortion of local institutions and economies, thus denying local communities the right to eke out their living in a productive and healthy environment. The contributors highlight the seriousness of the difficulties involved in conflating national policies and local reality, and imposing global policy instruments on local communities. Understandably, the case studies demonstrate that local communities resist putting their faith in environmental policies and plans imposed on them by global or national institutions that often deprive them of access to and control over their local environment.

Analysis of North African revolt against authoritarianism, known as the 'Arab Spring', embraced reductionist explanations such as the social media, youth unemployment and citizens' agitations to regain dignity in societies humiliated by oppressive regimes. This book illustrates that reductionist approaches can only elucidate some symptoms of a social problem while leaving unexplained the economic and political structures which contributed to it. One outcome of quiescence, resource-based ethnic and sectarian conflicts and faulty development paradigm is deepened inequality and a wedge between winners and losers or affluence, wealth and power vis-a-vis poverty and hunger among humiliated jobless and hope-less masses. The book blends theories of development and transition to explain the complex factors which contributed to North Africans' revolt against authoritarianism and its long-term consequences for political development in the Arab World. This timely book is of great interest to researchers and students in Development Studies, Economics and Middle Eastern Studies as well as policy makers and democracy, human rights and social justice activists in the Arab world.

Caught between underdevelopment, poverty and environmental degradation, and the need for exploiting their natural resources for development, Africa has, during the last two decades, been engaged in a serious effort to integrate environment and development. The nine case studies (Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Sudan, Uganda and Zambia) presented in this book explore the complexity involved in environmental planning and policy in one of the World's poorest regions. The authors articulate an informed debate, with new conclusions and alternative policy recommendations.

This unique book provides cutting-edge knowledge and analyses of the consequences that climate change will have for sustainable development and poverty reduction within the context of global development. Exploring alternative resource management approaches including federal resource management governance, ecosystem services, digital dematerialization, ecological cities, biofuels versus food, and children and climate change, this innovative volume provides fresh insights on the human condition with regards to the current debates on climate change. The distinguished contributors examine climate change induced processes that present profound challenges to sustainable development and poverty reduction at the local, national and global levels. This groundbreaking study will be a welcome addition for graduate and post-graduate students in development and environmental studies. It will also have great appeal to scientists, policy-makers and researchers in these fields.

Although the impacts of climate change are certainly global, its manifestations and subsequent consequences begin locally. Local Climate Change and Society examines how climate change has altered society's relationship with the environment and particularly local communities to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The book analyses the principles, practices and local responses to micro-level climate policies and interrogates the increasing role of local governments and local climate social movements induced by transnational corporations' activities both above and below the equator. This book contains country and cross-country case studies and inter-disciplinary contributions written by academics, researchers and policy makers at the cutting edge of climate change knowledge. It aimed at students of environmental and climate change in the social sciences, academics, climate change public. Local climate change and society has direct appeal to professional staff concerned with environmental management, and policy makers supporting communities and municipalities in climate change adaptation and mitigation processes and activities at the at local level.

The authors of this collection interrogate the political health of African political parties and evaluate the theory and practice of party functions, ideology and structure. Through fresh analysis using a variety of case studies, they question the democratic credentials of African political parties and propose new methods for achieving inclusive, broad-based representation. Themes include the evolution and institutionalisation of African political parties; the unique historical, political and social circumstances that shaped their structures and functions. In the governance trajectory, the authors question the relationship between African political parties and government; political parties and representation; political parties and electoral systems; and political parties and parliament. Case studies include Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and many others.

Challenging orthodox views on contemporary African politics and democracy, M.A. Mohamed Salih offers a fresh approach to the topic, emphasising the role of ethnicity and religion, in particular that of minorities. His central theme is that government donors from Western nations have imposed Western style democracy in Africa, ignoring the indigenous politics of the region, often resulting in chaos. As a consequence many African societies are divided by ethnicity. Revealing how minorities are inevitably marginalised in all aspects of development and education, Salih shows how, in many instances, they are treated as enemies of the state, as are the opposition parties. He examines democracy and authoritarian development in a pan-African context and the democratic potential of political education, and provides a range of country-specific case-studies, including multi-party democracy in Sudan; democratising anarchy in Sierra Leone; religious violence in Obasanjo's Nigeria and ethnic federalism in Ethiopia.

Analysis of North African revolt against authoritarianism, known as the 'Arab Spring', embraced reductionist explanations such as the social media, youth unemployment and citizens' agitations to regain dignity in societies humiliated by oppressive regimes. This book illustrates that reductionist approaches can only elucidate some symptoms of a social problem while leaving unexplained the economic and political structures which contributed to it. One outcome of quiescence, resource-based ethnic and sectarian conflicts and faulty development paradigm is deepened inequality and a wedge between winners and losers or affluence, wealth and power vis-a-vis poverty and hunger among humiliated jobless and hope-less masses. The book blends theories of development and transition to explain the complex factors which contributed to North Africans' revolt against authoritarianism and its long-term consequences for political development in the Arab World. This timely book is of great interest to researchers and students in Development Studies, Economics and Middle Eastern Studies as well as policy makers and democracy, human rights and social justice activists in the Arab world.

Although the impacts of climate change are certainly global, its manifestations and subsequent consequences begin locally. Local Climate Change and Society examines how climate change has altered society s relationship with the environment and particularly local communities to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The book analyzes the principles, practices and local responses to micro-level climate policies and interrogates the increasing role of local governments and local climate social movements induced by transnational corporations activities both above and below the equator.

This book contains country and cross-country case studies and inter-disciplinary contributions written by academics, researchers and policy makers at the cutting edge of climate change knowledge. It aimed at students of environmental and climate change in the social sciences, academics, climate change public.

Local climate change and society has direct appeal to professional staff concerned with environmental management, and policy makers supporting communities and municipalities in climate change adaptation and mitigation processes and activities at the at local level.

Comprising both extremely rich and very poor countries the Arab region is of unique variety. This book explores the relations between rich and poor Arab countries, presenting papers on Arab integration efforts, the impact of oil prices on the South and least developed Arab countries in particular, the co-operation of poor Arabs with the EEC, basic needs, agricultural policies, intra-Arab migration, differences in ideologies and health systems, Islamic banking, and the unsuitability of IMF policies for poor Arab countries.

Written by a select group of African academics, policy makers, researchers, and experts from various social and economic science disciplines, this study provides provocative insights and case studies on the role information plays in African development. Up-to-date research and analysis on the impact of various forms of information on the development process is presented, including e-economic development and its impact on economic growth. Calling for greater attention to be paid to information as a key player in national economic development, this exploration of African economics cites the advantages of better statistical data and geographic information for more effective economic planning, management, and forecasting in a digital era.