The debate between classical empiricists and those who favour deductive and theoretical research methods is a feature of modern geography. This thesis aims to show that these approaches are complementary rather than mutually exclusive. It also hopes to demonstrate new methods and applications of location analysis in an underdeveloped area where base line information is uneven in quality. The dissertation is divided into four main parts. In the first, a model settlement pattern for Sierra Leone is devised. This model is based on a stylised subsistence village and the arguments of central place theory. The second part deals with the uses made of aerial photographs, topographical maps, pilot surveys and random sampling procedures in constructing an accurate base map of rural settlement distribution for the whole country, the first of its kind for any West African state. The third part of the work uses purely qualitative and empirical methods, A system of settlement regions is devised and described, and the settlement model is compared with the actual pattern, and with overall changes in settlement structures between 1927 and 1964. An account of rural settlement evolution using historical sources and comparative mapping is also presented. In the fourth part, a range of parametric and nonparametric tests and techniques of location analysis (e. g. set theory and nearest-neighbour analysis) is used to establish indices of settlement density and nucleation and to test the hypotheses presented in earlier sections of the work.

This ethnographic case study explores understandings of international and local development, and of personal and community wellbeing, in a rural mixed-caste community of Far West Nepal. Taking an ethnographic, interpretive, discourse-oriented and dialogic approach, the thesis uses data collected during eight months of fieldwork, through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, informal conversations and documentary analysis. The case study community includes three main sites; village, school and administrative/’bazaar’ area. Seven individuals and two events are explored as bounded yet interrelated ‘embedded cases’ (Stake, 2006), their foci informed by a life history approach. Arguing that development and wellbeing are social constructs and relational processes, the thesis draws on theories of Perri 6 (2012) and Zittoun et al (2003) to explore the interplay of institutional structures and human agency in shaping understandings of development and of wellbeing. This involves considering: the community’s most prominent institutions, the school and the Hindu religion; and recent political changes and globalisation processes. My exploration reveals a close connection between understandings of development and of personal wellbeing, and shows the mediating role of multiple identities, including mine, in shaping these understandings. The thesis argues that key to how development is carried out, and the wellbeing of individuals and communities promoted, is the tendency for understandings of development and personal wellbeing to be concomitant with ideas for community wellbeing only amongst individuals whose personal wellbeing is dependent upon that of their community. Literature on wellbeing in developing countries usually considers wellbeing in terms of its capacity to inform development interventions, the need for the latter going unquestioned. This thesis contends that wellbeing should be explored not merely as a development criterion but in its own right, potentially leading to a positive shift in attitudes and approaches to development, to the benefit of communities and the individuals who comprise them.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine changes in rural settlement in eastern Suffolk over the period of study. England became a largely urban nation in the second half of the nineteenth century, and although east Suffolk remained essentially rural, there was even here a trend towards the urban. In 1851 forty-three percent of the population lived in rural parishes; by 1931 it was nineteen per cent. The population, over the same period, rose from 121,652 to 231,295. Despite the slow decline in the importance of agriculture as an employer, exacerbated by severe agricultural depression from the late nineteenth century, this was population redistribution rather than depopulation. A range of influences and their impact on rural settlement are discussed, including the effects of soil type, land ownership patterns (particularly regarding ‘open’ and ‘close’ parishes) and developments in transport infrastructure - the railway in the second half of the nineteenth century, the motor car in the twentieth. Improved transport, together with other social and economic changes led to a significant expansion of coastal resorts, and, even in this essentially rural area, a degree of suburbanisation on the fringes of towns. Land ownership remained surprisingly important throughout the period, despite the gradual erosion of landowners’ power by increasing state intervention in the management of the rural landscape. The period following the First World War saw major changes in the character of housing provision, and thus in the population and appearance of many villages and hamlets. While the landscape of rural Suffolk has ancient roots, many of its key features were forged in the period between the mid nineteenth century, and the middle decades of the twentieth. Only by appreciating the complexity of relatively recent developments can the character of rural settlements, here and in other areas, be fully understood.

The main objective of this research study is to determine the extent to which mobile phone services are influencing the changes in people's activities in rural Tanzania. Tanzania, as with other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, has experienced an incredible increase in mobile phone usage from almost zero at the beginning of 2000 to some 13 million users by July 2009. Mobile phones are even in use in 'resource poor' areas, where many people struggle with their daily lives. However, there are questions as to whether mobile phones help rural people to achieve their daily rural activities. Therefore, this study contributes to the understanding of mobile phone usage in rural areas and of how mobile phones can empower people in developing countries, particularly rural Tanzania. In total 237 people were approached for the research design. These people were selected from the four main activities found in rural Tanzania; small-scale business, livestock, fishing and mixed crop farming. The researcher used a mixed methods approach known as 'triangulation' to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from Dodoma and Kagera regions. The data came from a mixture of semi-structured interviews, households, key informants, focus group discussions and individual interviews in all selected villages in both study regions and was recorded in paper diaries and audio and digital video recorders. The data was then transcribed into MS word files and analysed using NVivo 7 and SPSS-Software. This study noted changes in people's daily practice and use of mobile phone services in rural Tanzania. For instance, people can expand their social networks, save or spend less money by making arrangements using a mobile phone and are able to communicate and seek assistance more easily when emergencies happen. People are being exposed to a range of different opportunities by using mobile phones. The findings in this study not only show promising changes in people's general communication and transport arrangements, but also show that some people (in particularly women) are feeling more empowered through their access to mobile phone services. In addition, this research study found a higher proportion of those using mobile phone services spread evenly across the 16-21,22-27 and 34-39 age groups respectively. Following this were the 40-45 and 46 and above age groups, which both had average scores of those using mobile phone services. The research study also found that people involved in mixed crop farming activities had the least use for mobile phone services compared to the other farming categories. In addition to the benefits associated with mobile phones, this study also found some negative issues. These included an increase in the number of fake mobile phone handsets, the distribution of unsolicited materials, rumours about health concerns, mobile phone theft and the destruction of traditional norms. All these were perceived as the disadvantages of mobile phones. The findings also revealed the general rural hardships (low income, lack of farming, small business resources and lack of electricity), which undermine the perceived benefits of mobile phones. This study suggests that further investigation is needed into how the Government of Tanzania (and other developing countries) could use mobile phone services to establish two-way communication with people in rural areas, especially those who are seeking information that could empower them to develop their daily livelihood strategies.

No description available.

This thesis is somehow the story of my own passion to an incredible region where is the location of my home village. Working on rice fields with our parents,immigration to the mountain area during summer, having close interaction with the forest area, and playing in rural religious wooden buildings were favourable and memorable activities for children as well as me within this region. In these beautiful, mysterious, and symbolic traditional spaces and buildings, we had precious interaction with other children and specially environment. Skilful local carpenters played the main role of what we call them today as architects. They used to work based on communal public taste and knowledge of construction, which fortunately is still alive in this region. I remember how enthusiastic we were after school when my brothers and I were helping the carpenters to construct our new house. Influenced by these memories, I decided to pursue my education to be an architect in university. I believe construction, and creativity in relation to culture and life are appealing aspects of architecture. During the university courses, I was intrigued by the important values of rural architecture and the strong relationships between rural culture and life of the region where I grew up. Despite the complexity of this rural inhabitant’s life,surprisingly simplicity is the main course of the rural architecture. Due to the lower financial sources comparing to the cities, rural people need to do the best out of the available resources that they obtain from their natural environment. For this reason, they understand the context more and there are obligations to make the intelligent decision out of it. Nowadays lifestyle is unexpectedly transforming and simultaneously destroying vernacular architecture, local population do not know how to preserve their environment, and there is no appropriate methodology to deal with the new impact distinctively with new rural perception and outlook, and new form demands for houses. It has been my desire to find a solution for new houses within our region’s villages to be designed well suit to the original context, which the current ones have not provided yet. With my actively and persistently perusing these types of architectural issues, including conduction of researches and practices, I made up my mind to pursue my further study on this fascinating subject for Ph.D. through a research and finished by writing up this thesis. This thesis is composed of three distinct parts each of which is included of different chapters. This division is to help the reader to sensibly peruse the subject achieving better understand of the thesis. Some documents that their explanation would have broken the continuity of discussion or could help better understanding of a subject or support the discussion but not full relevant, have been added to the appendix. Some of words and concepts, which have been used many times within the research, have been defined within the section called ‘terms’ to make a common definition. Some local words refereeing to the name of some places and spaces, which there is no corresponding English word for them, are written in italic and in local language; however, they are defined and explained once they are mentioned.

This thesis aims to explore aspects of a largely intangible aspect of rural change: that of affiliation and affinity, to Rutland, a small county within the English East Midlands. It aims at an evaluation and possible explanation of the position that Rutland held as an iconic English rural community towards the end of the twentieth century. This thesis’s originality and contribution to knowledge lays in its conceptual framework and its holistic methodology bringing together two themes and various approaches to the study. Conceptually it uses the idea of the 'imagined community', originally used to explain forms of nationalism, along with the notion of a 'county community' developed to explain social cohesion within the provincial structure during the seventeenth century. It brings these two concepts together and translates them through to the modern age in the consideration of Rutland, famous for its tenacity in defending its county identity. Differing aspects of administration, culture and representation are studied using a range of sources to provide evidence to argue that concentrating on the dual elements of affiliation and participation, the county community concept can be extended from the seventeenth century and be a useful tool in studying modern rural society. In a parallel emphasis the roles of different forms of representation are used to give credence to the argument that they were different imagined communities of Rutland dependent upon the point of view of the cultural agent involved as much as the position of the viewer, the consumer of the product. A common factor in the majority of these representations is the consideration of Rutland as part of the rural idyll of the English countryside. Conclusions are drawn as to the veracity of this mythology and its role in sustaining community spirit and reinforcing a perceived distinct county identity in the modern era.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.