本論文的研究主題，在於探討中國大陸自鄧小平南巡後，尤其自一九九五年之後，所呈現的城鄉居民收入差距再度經歷的「縮小－擴大」之現象，其形成的背景，現況，以及造成的因素等等，是否對於中國大陸未來的經濟發展產生重大影響？另外，大陸各區域之間城鄉居民收入差距的變遷情況，以及形成的因素為何？均是本文所要研究的重點。 在研究方法的選擇上，本文運用「文獻分析法」以及「實證分析法」，首先對於國內外有關於研究大陸城鄉居民收入差距的相關文獻進行整理與分析，比較其重點與異同，並針對不足之處加以延伸及補充。接著運用中國統計年鑑等中國官方所提供的大陸29個地區的統計數據資料，以一九九五年至二００一年作為主要的研究的時期，由於研究的資料是為追蹤資料，在經過Lagrange Multiplier（LM）Test 檢驗後，發現運用「固定效果模型」，將較傳統的OLS模型更為合適。因此以固定效果模型，對影響大陸城鄉居民收入差距的因素進行實證分析。 本研究的主要發現為，隨著時間的遞移，大陸城鄉居民收入差距是呈現擴大的趨勢。而對於大陸整體地區而言，長期以來導致大陸城鄉分隔的二元經濟結構因素，以及政策面的因素，諸如財政支援農業發展的比重，以及一胎化政策實行之後，城鄉家庭在人口負擔上所造成的差異等等，均會對大陸整體地區城鄉居民收入差距產生影響。 此外，本文針對中國大陸東、中、西部所呈現的不同特質，分別研究其各自影響城鄉居民收入差距的因素，並比較其間的差異。結果發現，城鄉從業人員在工資上的差距，將會擴大中部地區城鄉居民收入差距；而大陸近年致力推動的吸引外資政策，也對平衡東部及中部地區城鄉居民收入差距具有顯著效果。另外，國有部門比重增加將會加大西部地區城鄉居民收入差距，但鄉鎮企業比重的增加，除了加大中部地區城鄉居民收入差距以外，對於大陸整體地區，以及東、西部地區的影響並不確定。 最後，本文依據上述的研究結果提出政策建議。本文認為，現階段大陸城鄉居民收入差距的擴大，除了時間趨勢的影響之外，也受到其他諸多因素的影響。是以就長期而言，中國在平衡城鄉居民收入差距的各項政策執行上，要獲致效果，仍須致力克服結構面、經濟發展面、以及政策面因素的影響，並適時對執行政策作修正與調整。因此，未來中國在政策的選擇上，除了重視農業發展，加速產業結構調整，保持工業及農業的平衡之外，消除二元結構所造成的城鄉分隔，促進城鄉經濟協調發展，將對於平衡大陸城鄉居民收入差距具有最大的正面助益。 / This thesis aims to investigate the changes in mainland China’s regional urban-rural income differential and its determinants during the period of 1995 to 2001. After we estimate the fixed-effects model of the urban-rural income differential equation, the empirical results show an upward trend in the differential that is different from data observation. In addition, it is found that the change in mainland China’s regional urban-rural income differential is primarily affected by dual-system of the economic structure, as well as the policy factor such as the government expenditure for supporting agriculture production and the change in average size of family households after the one-child policy has been taken in practice. Although the different between the wages of urban-rural employed persons has been proved to be an important determinant in many previous studies in the literature, this conclusion can be supported only in the central part of mainland China during the refereed period in this study. Beside, instead of taking contribution to the mitigation of China’s regional urban-rural income differential, the increasing of the proportion on Township and Village Enterprises has been proved to intensify the urban-rural income differential on the central part of China. Finally, according to this study, the best way to mitigate the China’s regional urban-rural income differential is to allocate more resources to modify the industrial structure, placing important on both agriculture and industry. What is more, to terminate the dual-system of the economic structure factor, and to balance the development of cities and countries of China, will also contribute to the mitigation of the China’s regional urban-rural income differential.

Thesis (M.A.(Afrikaans))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Until recently it was fashionable to describe Durban as one of the fastest growing cities in the world. For those who held this view, the proliferation of informal settlements in and around the city pointed to massive rural-urban in-migration from the rural areas. Migration, itself, it was conceived, was typically the outcome of a direct move from the rural areas, whereby the migrant simply arrived in the city and took to squatting on any available land he or she could find. In actuality, while research has pointed out that substantial rural-urban in-migration is indeed a feature of the urban landscape, little light has been shed on the extent and nature of such migration. The aim of this dissertation is therefore to elucidate on these two features of the migration phenomenon. Through the application of the Todaro model of migration it is hoped that an understanding of the driving force behind migration to and within the Durban Functional Region could also be achieved. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

As we celebrate all the dynamic and dramatic improvements in human health care in the 21st century, life in much of Africa begins with and is sustained with the support of traditional medicinal knowledge. Research on traditional medicinal knowledge (TMK) is extensive, but rather few studies have been written about Traditional Healers' (THs') own perceptions about TMK and practices in relation to changing societal dynamics. The aim of this thesis is to examine how THs perceive on going socio-spatial transformation, including contemporary processes of urbanization, migration, commercialization and commodification of TMK, as well as changing dynamics of learning and knowledge systems between generations and genders and how these affect their medicinal healing practices in time and space. The thesis consists of four main empirical chapters, which derive from different data sources including literature, documentation review and qualitative interview material. The findings in this thesis can be summarised as follows: First that TMK today exists side by side with modern health systems, in what are seen as complex patterns of medical pluralism that provide evidence of an evolving role the TH plays in primary health care, in the rural and urban space. Youthful migrating population dynamics that are linked to historical processes, have effectively carved an emerging cross-sectoral role of the TH in the formal space. Secondly the developing legislation on IPR and ABS in parallel with the representation of an earlier official formal governance around TMK in Tanzania; and the difference in the sectors where TMK is anchored in the two contexts, could have paved way to some earlier collaborative mechanisms, that today provide space to enable a more natural engagement between formal and informal organizations involved in the governance of TMK in Tanzania. Thirdly, the practical ways in which TMK learning processes, which are characterized by learning systems in place, being sent and visiting sacred places that are lived by an apprentice over a number of years, have increasingly come under pressure. Fourthly the thesis shows approaches by THs, encouraging the youth to access conventional medicinal education followed by, or in parallel with TMK learned through traditional pedagogies employed by the THs themselves. The youth’s keen interest in learning TMK is seen to increase when they view improved livelihood possibilities due to the commercialization of medicinal plants. The future of TMK learning processes may be limited unless incentives are put in place for the youth regarding their future livelihoods. Fifth, gendered and generational dimensions suggest that older and some younger female THs reemphasize the values of the gift and TMK in a climate of increased commodification and commercialization of TMK, where TMK increasingly meets neoliberal processes, engaging an alternative paradigm than the gift economy, where a predominance of male TH’s in the urban space and places, increasingly define the diversification of the TMK livelihoods. The gift provided by a higher power and which is embedded in a particular cosmological view, to be used as a social service to help the community, is increasingly evolving as an emerging tested force in a changing ideological climate, with an increasing awareness of commodification, commercialization, IPR and ABS issues surrounding TMK. It implies awareness in relation to the increased benefits of commoditized and commercialized medicinal plant knowledge (which THs hold) for other individuals and institutions. The TH profession and TMK is seen as entering a contested IPR/ABS arena at a time when increasingly socio-spatial transformations are modifying its role from that of a gift to an owned commodity. However while the practice of TMK has changed over time and space, presenting new challenges as well as opportunities, it is also seen as a threat that anyone today can sell and market TMK products.

This dissertation explores the real world problem of rural youth out-migration and finds that the central problem is one of persistent class difference in this rural Oregon town. The research that informs this dissertation was conducted in a rural community of approximately 2300 residents in Eastern Oregon, here called Talltown. Data was collected through participant observation, photovoice (n = 8) and semi- structured interview (n = 63) among adolescents, emerging adults, and adults, specifically those working with local youth. The dissertation explores the ways in which Talltown youth encounter, internalize, and strategically enact dominant and counter norms of the local and larger fields. The primary finding of this dissertation is that as rural communities vie for position in the era of global neoliberalism, they discursively impose a similar competitive logic upon their youth, which reinforces the myth of meritocracy yet supports persistent class difference. Using the themes of "going somewhere" and "getting stuck," this dissertation aims to make visible, and thus challenge the hierarchical system with which class and other forms of socially constructed difference persist. / Graduation date: 2012

Bibliography: leaves 339-372. / 372 leaves : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Maintains, and substantiates in the ethnographic context, that cultural identity is both a conscious and symbolic construction. The ethnography is situated in the Shepherd (Central) Region of the Republic of Vanuatu, a Y-shaped archipelago in the south west Pacific Ocean. Fieldwork was conducted between July 1995 and February 1997 on two islands - Mataso and Efate. Mataso and Matah Keru communities have gradually become distinct, each possessing particular structural organizations, customs (kastom) and histories. Yet, the two groups remain united. Credence in historical ancestors, indigenous mythologies and territorial places continually cement an ethnic commitment between urban and rural dwellers, a bond that is forever reinforced through the movement of persons between places. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Anthropology, 2000?

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Univ., 2004. / S. 1-35: Introduction; sammanbunden med 8 uppsatser.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Osnabrück, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [417]-439) and glossary.

Den här uppsatsen fokuserar på hur dagens planeringspraktik klarar hanteringen av den komplexitet som planering utanför staden kan medföra. Med områden utanför staden koncentreras studien till den peri-urbana zonen, en zon av både rural och urban karaktär i anslutning till tätorter och som ofta pekas ut för exploatering och andra stadsmässiga funktioner när städer växer. Det blir uppenbart i studien att sådana zoner är svårdefinierade och därmed omöjliga att avgränsa och urskilja i kartor. Många forskare menar att zonerna kan studeras genom dess multifunktionalitet och genom att de ses som en process eftersom den peri-urbana zonen förändras i betydligt större skala än den mer konstanta staden och landsbygden. Men studiens syfte är inte att definiera och avgränsa det peri-urbana landskapet. Studien ämnar istället att sätta denna zon i en kontext av styrning, det vill säga hur den kommunala planeringen klarar av att styra sådana multifunktionella och föränderliga områden i takt med att kommuner utvecklas. Det har framgått i tidigare forskning att det saknas styrning av det peri-urbana landskapet och denna studie är ett sätt att undersöka sådana påståenden ur ett svenskt planeringsperspektiv.

Denna uppsats ämnar belysa hur planeringen av land och stad framstår vara ett till synes stabilt system där vissa förhållanden tas för självklarheter. Vidare är syftet att undersöka hur planeringen hanterar områden som faller utanför kategorierna land och stad. Detta med bakgrund av diskussioner om att ”god” planering i samtiden förespråkar täta städer och utveckling av orter i kollektivtrafikstråk – en tanke som bygger på, och legitimeras av, en dikotomi om å ena sidan ett land och å andra sidan en stad vilka ska hållas separerade. Samtidigt erkänns det komplexa och intrikata förhållande som kategorierna har till varandra. Uppsatsen ställer sig således frågorna hur denna dikotomi om land och stad produceras i planeringen, samt hur den kommer till användning. Studien grundar sig på ett perspektiv om världens beskaffenhet så som aktör-nätverksteorin (ANT) förordar. ANT ser världen som ständiga processer och ett ständigt görande i en värld bestående av både människor och ickemänniskor, aktörer, som alla kan spela roll. Studien får låta uppvisa hur förhållandet mellan aktörer ter sig, och hur en dikotomi produceras och byggs upp. För studien har Linköping kommuns initierade arbete med en ny ytterstadsplan, ett tillägg till deras Översiktsplan för staden Linköping, varit föremål där dokument, miljöer och workshopar i det tidiga samrådsskedet observerats. Ytterstaden befinner sig på gränsen mellan Linköpings innerstad och dess landsbygd. När denna nu är föremål för ett planarbete har vedertagna sanningar om land och stad öppnats upp för diskussion. Detta kan bidra till förståelse för hur planeringen konstruerar och bygger upp kategorierna land och stad och vidare använder dessa som aktörer för att värva ytterstaden till de befintliga planeringsstrukturerna – att planera det som antingen landsbygd eller stad, inte något som faller där emellan. För att planeringen ska uppträda som ett stabilt system visar det sig att denna behöver alliera sig med ytterligare aktörer för att driva igenom sina agendor. Planeringen är inte i sig en stark kraft utan tillsammans med ytterligare aktörer, som kategorierna land och stad, gränser, tidningsartiklar och översiktsplaner skapas det vi betraktar som ett stabilt system – och vidare till vilken planeringen söker värva nya aktörer, som ytterstaden, för att passa in. Dikotomin mellan land och stad konstrueras i planeringen genom att värva vissa aktörer och etablera dessa i positioner som håller över tid och rum – i översiktsplanekartor och i dokument. På så sätt etableras nya aktörer med vilken förmågan kommer att motivera och legitimera utvecklingsområden som något som faller inom på förhand etablerade kategorier. Uppträder planeringsföremål utanför kategorierna passar planeringen in dem i de redan existerande.