Healthier Geographies: Mediating the Gaps between the Needs of People Living with HIV and AIDS and Health Care in Chiang Mai,Thailand

In this article, I contribute to our understanding of the plurality of approaches that construct the geographies of health care through an examination of the distribution of health care services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. In particular, I focus on the development of a network of support groups for PLWHA in order to examine the differences in the sociospatial organization of these groups, the practices of social actors participating in the groups' activities, and how these activities are mediated through place-based social relations. The first section of the article analyzes the spatial distribution of PLWHA support groups in relation to the distribution of AIDS cases over two time periods, 1994 and 1997. The second section goes below the surface of the spatial distribution, examining similarities and differences in PLWHA support groups through an analysis of survey data collected on thirty-five groups in 1997. The final section deepens this examination through an analysis of ethnographic data collected on the outreach efforts of one nongovernmental organization (NGO) and one PLWHA support group with which it worked. Each section offers opportunities for the extension of our understanding of the development of PLWHA support groups, their distribution in relation to the spread of AIDS cases, and their place-based meanings.     

Healthier Geographies: Mediating the Gaps between the Needs of People Living with HIV and AIDS and Health Care in Chiang Mai,Thailand

In this article, I contribute to our understanding of the plurality of approaches that construct the geographies of health care through an examination of the distribution of health care services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. In particular, I focus on the development of a network of support groups for PLWHA in order to examine the differences in the sociospatial organization of these groups, the practices of social actors participating in the groups' activities, and how these activities are mediated through place‐based social relations. The first section of the article analyzes the spatial distribution of PLWHA support groups in relation to the distribution of AIDS cases over two time periods, 1994 and 1997. The second section goes below the surface of the spatial distribution, examining similarities and differences in PLWHA support groups through an analysis of survey data collected on thirty‐five groups in 1997. The final section deepens this examination through an analysis of ethnographic data collected on the outreach efforts of one nongovernmental organization (NGO) and one PLWHA support group with which it worked. Each section offers opportunities for the extension of our understanding of the development of PLWHA support groups, their distribution in relation to the spread of AIDS cases, and their place‐based meanings.     

Application of enhanced satellite-borne images to the relationships between fractures and mineralization in the nam Mae moei-nam Mae Ping area,northern Thailand

The study area is located in the Chiang Mai, Tak, and Mae Hong Son provinces of northern Thailand. Digitally enhanced Landsat TM5 and SPOT images and data on economic minerals deposits were used in the investigation. High-pass filtering and principal component analyses were determined to be the most appropriate enhancement methods.Space-borne image interpretation indicates two major faults: the north-trending Mae Hong Son and the northwest-trending Mae Ping. Both large-scale faults are inferred to be closely related to substantial, nearly parallel folds and thrusts. The four main sets of lineaments observed (north-south, northeast-southwest, northwest-southeast, and east-west) are considered to have an essential role in the occurrences of various mineral deposits. Mineral exploration has emphasized areas where several sets of lineaments cross-cut each other, since the possibility of finding concealed ore bodies or potential target areas is considered quite high. Some sets of lineaments probably control post-Triassic granitoid emplacements both directly and indirectly. Three major granitoid series are recognized in the study area: the Mae Lama (ca. 70 Ma), the Tae Song Yang (ca. 45 Ma), and the Mae Sariang (205–210 Ma) Granites. These peraluminous, S-type granites are closely related to tin, tungsten, and fluorite deposits. Fluorite, barite, manganese, and antimony deposits may be related to the northtrending lineaments. Stibnite deposits may be related to the northeast-trending lineaments. The tin/tungsten deposits are likely related to the east- and northwest-trending lineaments. Ovoid-shaped lineaments, found only at a few locations, are interpreted to indicate the granitoid emplacement and are thought to be important in the generation of concealed mineral deposits. We conclude that the existence of such lineaments is related to the post-Triassic abutment and collision of the Shan-Thai, Indochina, and Western Burma microcontinental blocks.     

The demonstration effect: Natural resources, ethnonationalism and the Aceh conflict

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami brought Aceh's long-drawn separatist conflict back to international attention. Yet, the precise way in which the different aspects of the conflict entangled with resource-related grievances have remained poorly understood. Taking a political ecology approach, this paper sets out to understand the role of natural resource grievances within the complex and shifting set of mutually implicated factors leading to and sustaining the conflict from the early days of Indonesia's independence. The paper argues that the management of Aceh's natural resources – especially the rich gas and oil reserves – was not the sole or primary causal factor. Rather, state managed exploitation of natural resources had a demonstration effect, exemplifying other grievances and supporting the articulation of a separatist discourse naturalizing 'Acehnese' conceptualizations of resource entitlement. Comparing Aceh with other separatist conflicts, the paper suggests that, as conflict unfolds at the intersection of a shifting set of concerns, it is increasingly difficult to separate the underlying issues of identity, resource entitlements and human rights.     

Settlement and resettlement on marginal land: a case study from Thailand

Spontaneous land settlement has received less attention than planned schemes, and state policy on spontaneously cleared land is likewise neglected. A case study of a Thai resettlement scheme on land settled spontaneously illustrates the wider concern of heightened competition for marginal land. State policy and practice as revealed in the Tab Salao case shows the state as one of a number of actors in the local political economy of resource competition. The main resource in question is marginal land. Ambiguous tenure underlies the immediate problem of resettlement, but it also reflects the problematic role of the state as arbiter and manager of resources hitherto under vernacular forms of tenure.     

Management of transboundary water resources: lessons from international cooperation for conflict prevention

Tensions over freshwater resources may become more frequent as pressures on water resources grow due to increased demand and variability of rainfall. Conflicts may take place between or within countries or between competing sectoral users. This paper focuses on institutional approaches for enhancing cooperation between countries for sustainable development of transboundary freshwater bodies and contributing basins. It is assumed that instead of being zones of conflict, shared water resources can provide a basis for cooperation and benefit–sharing provided that threats to the international waters are recognized and collaborative structures are created. The paper draws upon experiences gained within the international waters focal area of the Global Environment Facility, the main funding mechanism for countries to support the environmental management of transboundary water resources. Lessons for promoting peaceful cooperation for environmental management, benefit–sharing and sustainable use of transboundary freshwater resources are highlighted through examples from Africa, Central Asia and Latin America. Experience shows the importance of processes that bring together all sectors and actors whose actions affect the transboundary waterbody at regional, national and local levels. The development of a science–based diagnostic analysis is essential to identify the threats to the transboundary ecosystem and to break down the issues into manageable parts with the aim of developing a strategic action programme. Ensuring political commitment that can result in institutional, policy and legal reforms in the countries concerned is the key to sustainable development of the transboundary resource.     

Recurring natural fire hazards : a case study of the Blue Mountains,Wew South Wales,Australia

Many regions of the world have climatic and vegetation regimes conducive to wildfires which damage urban property, but south eastern Australia is foremost in terms of such hazards. The Blue Mountains Region near Sydney has experienced 25 fire seasons since 1875 in 11 of which damage occurred to urban property. On four occasions since 1951 a single fire run has destroyed more than 50 dwellings. While fire cycles themselves are unpredictable, degree of fuel accumulation, annual and monthly rainfall and daily weather charts can signal various degrees of hazard and need for protective action to well informed householders. Knowledge of fire history in fire-prone regions is essential not only for professional firefighters but for all households.     

Asking the right questions: environmental conflict in the case of Azerbaijan

This paper contributes an empirical test of key themes of the literature on natural resource conflict. Survey and interview data from an ongoing project in Azerbaijan provide insights into an unexpected lack of conflict in Azerbaijan related to the environment, resources and energy despite the predictions of resource conflict literature. We contend that questions about public perceptions about the environment and other daily concerns are critical if we are to understand who is likely (or unlikely) to be involved in conflict and why. The data presented in this paper demonstrate that Azerbaijani citizens rank environmental and resource issues among their immediate concerns and their top concerns for the country. However, compared to other day-to-day concerns such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and economic concerns, environment-related concerns do not appear to be sufficient to motivate widespread violent conflict or citizen dissent related to environmental or natural resource conditions.     

区域煤炭资源流动及其宏观经济效应初探——以内蒙古为例

从流量、流向以及流动通道三方面,探讨了内蒙古煤炭资源流动平衡现状,采用向量自回归模型解析了内蒙古煤炭资源流动与其宏观经济发展的相互作用关系,结果表明:(1)内蒙古已成长为中国最大的能源输出基地,煤炭交流活动主要集中在其周边地区,尤以华北和东北地区为主。(2)内蒙古铁路煤炭运能不足,缺乏独立、完善的运输网络。(3)内蒙古煤炭资源流动与区内经济发展水平的提高、重工业的发展、第三产业发展以及税收增长均存在着长期稳定的均衡关系,且对区内重工业发展和税收增长具有明显的单向推动作用,但对区内人均GDP和第三产业发展的促进作用相对比较微弱。(4)建立独立、完善的煤炭运输网络;重视发展煤炭运输及其相关服务业;转变能源输出战略,提高输出资源附加值,带动区内煤炭工业以及整体经济发展水平提高的政策建议。     

The state and its agencies in coastal resources management: The political ecology of fisheries management in Pattani, southern Thailand

Various stakeholders contribute to the current state of resource management in the inshore fisheries of Pattani, southern Thailand. Taking the state, empowered by national legislation, as the main agent of enforcement, this paper uses an actor-oriented approach derived from political ecology to evaluate how key agents in state agencies at provincial and district levels translate Thai political and legal systems at the local level; more specifically, how cross-scalar institutional linkages and translations affect coastal resources management and the access of village-based, small-scale fishermen to coastal resources. The paper shows that trans-scalar interpretations have created a space of contestation and negotiation in resource governance at the local level that reveals intrastate tensions. Based on extensive fieldwork, the paper demonstrates that access to environmental resources at the local level is highly influenced or regulated by the unequal power relations between different actors at various levels.     

Opportunistic natural experiments using digital telemetry: a transit disruption case study

ABSTRACT

In the past decade society has entered a technological period characterized by handheld computing that supports input and processing from numerous sensors. Today’s mobile phones offer the ability to integrate input from sensors monitoring various external and internal sources (e.g., accelerometer, magnetometer, microphone, GPS, wireless Internet, and Bluetooth). Furthermore, these raw inputs can be integrated and processed in ways that can offer novel representations of human behaviour. As a result, new opportunities to examine and better understand human spatial behaviour are available; one such application is the constant monitoring of a group of people over an extended period of time. Such a research setting lends itself to natural experiments that emerge as a result of regular and on-going observations. We report here on the observation of a natural experiment that took place in the context of a month-long monitoring study of 28 participants using mobile phone-based ubiquitous sensor monitoring. The implications for public health and transportation planning are discussed.     

Electromagnetic induction over the edge of a perfectly conducting ocean: theH-polarization case

Summary. Using the Wiener—Hopf technique, a solution is obtained for the problem of H -polarization electromagnetic induction at an ocean edge. The ocean is represented by a perfectly conducting thin sheet. The implications of the solution for magnetotelluric and geomagnetic sounding are discussed.     

灌区中居民点与水土资源邻近关系——以张掖绿洲为例

干旱区内陆河流域的核心在于水,核心区域在于绿洲。灌区是构成绿洲的最基本单元。论文应用最邻近距离指数(NNI),分析了张掖绿洲灌区中居民点与水浇地及渠系之间的空间耦合关系,结果表明:在张掖大小共39个灌区中,有22个灌区的NNI值<0.5,灌区中居民点总体表现为聚集分布态势,但空间差异明显,沿山灌区居民点聚集程度明显高于绿洲中腹灌区,映射出不同灌区水资源的基本约束力。从微观角度考察,居民点与水浇地、渠系、道路之间的平均临近距离从沿山独立灌区-绿洲边缘灌区-绿洲中腹灌区逐步增加,说明沿山灌区水浇地、渠系与居民点的关系更密切。灌区中居民点与渠系、水浇地表现出显著的"亲水型"和"亲地型","质点"(居民点)-"廊道"(渠系和路网)-"域面"(土地)之间存在非常密切的相互依存关系。     

休闲旅游资源的内涵、分类与评价——以江苏省常州市为例

休闲旅游是旅游消费的热点和发展方向,休闲旅游资源的分类与评价有其特殊性。本文界定了休闲与休闲旅游资源的概念,探讨了休闲旅游资源的构成要素和资源特性,提出了基于资源性质与休闲方式相结合的休闲旅游资源的分类方案,将其分为自然游憩类、文化休闲类、康娱游憩类、专项休闲类四个主要类型,构建了由资源要素价值、资源影响力、开发条件与...     

Evaluation of ontological value of regional tourism resources:A case study of Hainan Island,China

Evaluation of tourism resources is necessary for tourism regionalization and plan-ning and for the development of tourism destinations.Furthermore,the scientific evaluation of the status of existing tourism resources is important for optimally combining and rationally developing regional tourism resources.In this study,a conceptual model for estimating the ontological value of tourism resources was developed and an evaluation indicator system was designed for the ontological value.On the basis of the quantitative and spatial characteristics of regional tourism resources,six indicators were constructed:quantitative density,richness,dominance,combination,aggregation,and accessibility.Furthermore,spatial differentiation characteristics of the ontological value indicators of county-level tourism resources on Hainan Island were analyzed,and the ontological value of the tourism resources was comprehen-sively evaluated and ranked by using a fuzzy clustering evaluation method.Finally,the evaluation results were verified on the basis of the quantity,quality,and accessibility of re-gional tourism resources by using an expert scoring method.The results showed that the test results were consistent with the inferences drawn from the ontological value,indicating that the evaluation indicator system is scientific and reliable and that it is an effective alternative to existing evaluation indexes of regional tourism resources,which are inconsistent.The fuzzy clustering evaluation method overcomes the subjectivity in the evaluation process and is practical for the quantitative evaluation of regional tourism resources.The evaluation indicator system for regional tourism resources designed in this study can provide a reference for the evaluation of the tourism resource development value on a regional scale,and the evaluation results can facilitate informed policymaking for the rational development of regional tourism resources.     

Community cooperation with natural flood management: a case study in the Scottish Borders

The cooperation of communities and landowners in the upper catchment is vital for the successful implementation of natural flood management (NFM) projects as few incentives are in place to reward them to host such projects. The aim of this paper is to initiate an exploration of the issues that affect a community's decision to cooperate. The results of a case study in Scotland show that willingness to cooperate is affected by concern about alternative flood management techniques, a sense of responsibility to help connected communities at risk of flooding and the expectation of beneficial impacts from the project. Indeed, these issues appeared to over-ride the hostility generated towards the project as a result of poor communication and engagement with the community from organisations associated with the proposed project. The results of the research suggest that if NFM projects are to proliferate, close attention must be paid to community attitudes towards flood management and related communities at risk, and that NFM projects must be developed and implemented according to well-established principles of public participation.     

Families,jobs and mobility: a comparison of migration streams in Thailand and Colombia

An analysis of migration in developing countries is presented. The analysis concentrates on change at the individual level and the extent to which factors such as age, education, and length of residence can account for changes experienced by migrants in various migrant streams. The data concern Colombia and Thailand. The differences among migration streams between similar urban places, to large towns, and away from larger towns are considered.     

张掖地区水资源承载力多目标情景决策

本文以黑河流域中游张掖地区为例,基于水-生态环境-社会经济耦合系统的原理建立了水资源承载力的动态整合模型—投入产出多目标情景决策分析模型,对开放系统环境下的水资源承载力及与之相关的土地资源开发利用、虚拟水贸易与社会经济问题进行了深入分析,就产业结构调整、人口和城市化发展、节水技术进步、生态环境保护、分水、虚拟水战略等政策情景对水资源承载力的影响进行了定量分析评价。     

Forced migration,natural resource use and environmental change: the case of the Senegal River Valley

This study examined the environmental consequences of forced migration in the Matam and Podor regions of the Middle Senegal River Valley, Senegal. The analysis was based on a framework offered by Black (1994) and Leach (1992). This framework posits that: 1) refugees in a zone increase population/resource ratios and that resource accounting must consider the extent of renewable resources, the use of stocks of fixed capital, the extent to which resource use generates technological or socioeconomic changes which influence the ratios, and geographic area; 2) refugees tend to be "exceptional resource degraders"; and 3) refugees may ignore or be excluded from sustainable resource use regulations. The study area in the Senegal River Valley had Mauritanian refugees in 1989. The number of refugees was an estimated 67,800 in 1995, of which 47,000 were in the study area. The study region had experienced severe drought during the 1970s and early 1980s, had experienced acute pressure on the land and forest resources, and was experiencing conflicts between farmers and pastoralists. The Mauritanian migrants were not exceptional, but were a third wave of movements in the Middle Valley. The negative environmental impacts of forced migration were minimized by the scattered sites of settlement and the long history of contact between the two sides of the border. Refugees did not use resources in a more destructive or wasteful way than local populations and were not exceptional resource degraders. Environmental degradation is attributed to prior drought, actions by governmental and nongovernmental agencies, and actions by strangers from the south.