Urban development and urban geography in Romania: The contribution of Vintila Mihailescu

Urban development has been a dramatic consequence of modernisation in Romania over the last hundred years. Although there are some differences between the periods of capitalism and socialism — notably the socialist emphasis on the central planning of industrial growth rather than the development of a well-rounded urban society — the population resident in towns has increased inexorably from 2.08 million in 1912 (16.3% of the total population to the country) to 3.71 million (23.4%) in 1948 and 10.49 million (47.3%) in 1980. The scope of Romanian geography has plainly altered in response to the shift in the rural-urban balance, all the more so in view of the long-standing concentration of effort on domestic issues. The paper examines the relationship between urban development and urban geography during this century: urban geography has become an integral part of the discipline whereas in 1900 interest was negligible. The transition has not been entirely smooth but considerable coherence arises from the work of Vintila Mihailescu (1890–1978) : a complete geographer but one who always emphasised the importance of urban geography. Since his death new leaders have emerged to ensure a continued commitment to what is now a fundamental element of Romanian geography.     

Physical geography and law: The case of international river boundaries

The delimination of international boundaries in rivers and lakes are open to some unique questions. The natural, physical qualities of those geographical phenomena, which, as a part of state territory, in contrast to the definition of territory, is not immovable but movable and is even naturally a fluid element, gives it its unique characteristics. There are geographical, cartographical, even mathematical problems which the legal world had to deal with while dealing with boundaries in rivers and lakes. The two main problems are the exact location of the line and the changeable character of every river and lake, which could change the location of the line.Part of the Iraki-Iranian border runs along the Shatt al Arab river and its history reveals problems concerning the delimination of a boundary in rivers.     

The origins and use of theory in urban geography: Household mobility and filtering theory

The paper looks in detail at one particular interpenetration of academic theory and state policy making — filtering theory in urban geography. While household mobility and turnover are important processes in the housing system, they are extended in filtering theory to form a universal explanatory model embracing the entire housing system. In this model idealised concepts of the operation of the housing market—valid only under conditions that do not occur in practice — are used to legitimate a laissez-faire natural-market view of how the housing system should operate. Translated into government policy, used to justify the dominant private interests in housing, and supported by academic explanation, the theory then comes to legitimate the persistence of gross inequalities in housing provision and to maintain the allocation of resources away from those most in need. This paper reviews this use of filtering theory both in Britain and the United States, and makes a variety of empirical and theoretical criticism of its validity.     

Sustainable urban environments: The case of Alexandra

The long-term benefits of reconstruction and development in South Africa can succeed only if the environmental considerations are integrated into policy decisions. The proper management of the country's valuable renewable and non-renewable resources is essential for future prosperity. The environments of urban renewal projects need to be effectively managed. A case study of urban upgrading in Alexandra, Johannesburg illustrates the vital importance of integrating environmental components into reconstruction and development programmes in South Africa.     

An imbalance of power: The geography of electricity provision in urban areas of South Africa

Astract The geography of electricity provision in South Africa is examined, indicating intra- and inter-urban inequalities. The fractured electricity supply industry is identified as being responsible for such variations. Interim strategies and long-term proposals to rectify spatial differentiations in electricity provision are explored. A spatial reconstitution of the electricity supply industry, based at the regional level and including new partnerships and community control, is proposed to redress inequalities in electricity provision.     

Beyond geography: The geography of the beyond in ancient Japan

This paper is a review of the literature on the world-view of the ancient cosmography of Japan. It explores the structure of cosmographical space as it was conceived, through archaeological evidence, historical written records and comparative study of primitive religion. It then goes on to examine in some detail the landscape of that world-view, which reflected the actual physiography of Japan, only in mirror-image. It is argued that several aspects of the ancient world-view continue to influence not only some Japanese customs, but also play an underestimated role in determining some important aspects of land use in modern Japan, particularly that associated with mountains and Shint shrines.     

The urban role of a new university: a case study of Chieti-Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy

The results of the study on the urban role of the University by the Pescara School of Architecture show that a new approach for this subject is needed. A university should be considered not only as a culture-producing institution, but also as an income producer and distributor for the area. In other words it is possible to promote the university as a strategic investment for development; and as a modernization and requalification factor both of the local production and of the human settlement and territorial structures. In the Abruzzo Region, and particularly in the Chieti-Pescara area, the university as a strategic intervention and its possible interactions with the urban system, is closely related to the nature of the urban phenomenon in this particular geographical context. Funds invested by the State in the university flow directly to individuals through the economic behavior of the university users themselves, according to an only partially measurable process. At present, in the Pescara area, it can be assumed that such economic contribution to the local system development is greater that the proceedings of the tourism industry, in an area with a well established tourist appeal.     

The Influence of American geography on Korean geography

Korean modern geography emerged from the dark age of unfortunate Japanese colonial rule after liberation in 1945, and has grown rapidly since the 1960s. Modern geographical theories and methodologies were introduced to Korea by the Korean geographers who received PhD degrees in the United States and returned home to teach at universities in Korea, especially in the 1970s and early 1980s. American geography has influenced the progress of the modern geography in Korea in various ways — education systems, curricula for college students, training graduate students — and research methodologies in Korean geography during the last half-century have been directly and indirectly influenced by American geography. The influence has had, however, both positive and negative effects in the development of Korean geography. There is a tendency in recent years to reinterpret Western theories and concepts in the Korean context, considering distinctive regional and cultural characteristics.     

Farm fragmentation: a case study from Coventry's urban fringe

Empirical studies of farm fragmentation in Great Britain are rare, despite its increasing importance in the trend to fewer and larger holdings. This paper examines the extent and characteristics of farm fragmentation in the rural-urban fringe south of Coventry. Quite severe levels of fragmentation were recorded for some of the affected farms, with distances of over 32 km between isolated parcels and the main farmstead. Relationships were revealed between fragmentation and farm size, farm-size change, land tenure and enterprise structure. However, the anticipated distance-decay effect, from the edge of the city, was not apparent.     

Water resources and the political geography of development in Southern Africa: The case of Swaziland

In Africa, the development of water resources for irrigation is seen as crucial for the recovery from current crises. This paper examines two issues generated by the geography of river systems which pose political as well as technical and economic questions. First is the problem of inter-state cooperation, where river systems cross political boundaries. Second is the domestic debate that arises from the differential access to water supply through the pattern of water rights. These issues are illustrated with material from Swaziland, a small landlocked state in southern Africa. Here, regional political tensions exacerbate the problems of long-term water development.     

Defending apartheid: Armscor and the geography of military production in South Africa

Militarisation in South Africa is examined through a study of the development, organization and geography of military production. The rise of Armscor as a significant military-industrial enterprise is disclosed at the heart of the post-1960 growth of armaments production in South Africa. Despite intensifying arms embargoes, military industrialization in South Africa has attained a degree of self-sufficiency. Military production is analysed as a powerful implicit spatial policy shaping the South African space economy favouring in particular the development of the core metropolitan areas, most importantly the Johannesburg-Pretoria axis.     

GIS-based geo-environmental evaluation for urban land-use planning: a case study

A geo-environmental evaluation for urban land-use planning often requires a large amount of spatial information. Geographic information systems (GIS) are capable of managing large amounts of spatially related information, providing the ability to integrate multiple layers of information and to derive additional information. A GIS-aid to the geo-environmental evaluation for urban land-use planning is illustrated for the urban area of Lanzhou City and its vicinity in Northwest China. This evaluation incorporates topography, surficial and bedrock geology, groundwater conditions, and historic geologic hazards. Urban land-use is categorized according to the types of land-use and projects planned, such as high-rise building, multi-storey building, low-rise building, waste disposal, and natural conservation. Multi-criteria analysis is performed to evaluate development suitability of the geo-environment for each category, according to appropriately measured and weighted factors. A suitability map for each category is developed using an algorithm that combines factors in weighted linear combinations. It is demonstrated that the GIS methodology has high functionality for geo-environmental assessment.     

The structure of urban space, movement and co-presence: The case of Atlanta

Urban areas in Atlanta are analyzed using a computer based technique known as ‘space syntax’ to reveal an underlying systematic and consistent relationship between pedestrian or vehicular movement and spatial configuration. This provides a framework for discussing how far different urban morphologies are characterized by similar regular patterns; how design choices can affect the social use of space; and how methodological and theoretical issues, such as the study of the effects of scale, can be formulated with greater clarity.     

The future of geography

This paper is an attempt to assess the current state and future prospects of Geography especially but not only in Britain. It is quasi-polemical and should be read in that spirit. The paper looks first at the notable successes of physical and human geography. It then considers how these successes are being buttressed by current events taking place in the world. Next, the paper considers the main problems that beset geography. Finally, however, the paper ends on another positive note by considering some of the exciting new developments that are now taking place in the discipline which will allow it to relate to more of the many worlds that make up geography's vocation.     

The geography of modernisation: some unresolved issues

Within the last two decades or so, geographers have become increasingly interested in studying modernisation especially in the third world countries. Some remarkable results have been obtained concerning the spatial pattern of modernisation and the factors explaining this pattern. However, several issues remain unresolved, the most important of which is the definition and measurement of modernisation. This paper contends that the modernisation surface arrived at as well as the explanation depend critically on the variables used to measure modernisation in the first place. The paper then calls for a spatial theory of modernisation and certain conceptual clarifications which should provide a guide in the selection of appropriate indicators of modernisation. Until this is achieved, not only will geographical studies on modernisation continue to be value-loaded, but they will also not yield any meaningful insight into the process of modernisation in the third world countries.