Thesis (master's)--Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, 2003. / Title from PDF image of title page (viewed Oct. 3, 2005). "October 2003." Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-102).

This thesis explores the political ecology of resource use and common property among pastoralists in the Porong region of Central Tibet.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2005. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, 1999. / Thesis submitted for the degree of doctor of philosophy. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 341-369).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alberta, 1997. / Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Anthropology. Also available online.

Oorspr. proefschrift Bayreuth, 2007. / Bibliogr.: p. 251-268. Met lit. opg.

Pastoralism on the Mongolian steppe encompasses limited physical resources and evolving anthropogenic influences. Little-studied, the Inner Asian region encounters changing climates, evolving land use practices, and socio-economic transition that impact the natural and human geography. This thesis investigates how bio-physical factors and herder action determine the pastoral environment in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia. Research, focusing on drought, degradation and the extreme winter conditions that define pastoralism in Mongolia, examines pastoralists' perception of and interaction with their environment. This approach highlights steppe ecological and social processes within the global dryland debate. Fieldwork in Omnogovi and Ovorhangai Province established that drought is endemic in the region. However, drought events were independent of extreme winter conditions and did not exacerbate their impact. Degradation was not found at water points as vegetation cover decreased with distance from water. While remote sensing showed a decline in vegetation cover over time, it did not establish desertification on the steppe. Changing physical, socio-economic, and political conditions since 1990 continue to impact Mongolian pastoralism. Environmental conditions, particularly water resources and pasture quality, were paramount herder concerns. This research showed that pastoralists are economically motivated, differentiate on multiple dimensions, and value communal land stewardship. On the steppe, traditional mobile livestock practices improve livelihoods and remain an effective management approach. However, the future of pastoralism is uncertain as herders settle, the population ages, and children become educated. Thesis results emphasize the interaction of physical and social environments will define pastoralism's role in the Gobi Desert

The study focuses on the relationships between nomads, the government and the natural resource base of Iran as a problematical situation. The research approach adopted was action-oriented with an emphasis on the process of development through the integration of theory with practice in a critical learning system designed to improve the situation and emphasising the significance of systemic thinking and acting.The underlying rationale for the approach is that the relatively limited achievements in nomadic development and natural conservation to date stem from the fact that policies are: (a) based on a reductionist view point and analysis, which separates theory from practice, and neglects the diversity, complexity and recursiveness of the different dimensions of nomadic life; and (b) developed on the basis of government perceptions of the nature of the issues confronting nomads rather than on the basis of shared concerns with the nomads themselves. There were three phases of fieldwork which, when taken together, represent what might be termed a system of systemic research methodologies. The first phase of the fieldwork was an attempt to explore the problematic situation from the point of view of particular group of nomads and government agents. The second phase of research turned to an action-oriented approach to establish the process of conversation and mutual recognition and accommodation of change among ‘clients’ and the researcher as facilitator to help each group of participants (nomads and government) to understand their own position and worldviews, to help each group of participants to recognise and appreciate differences in their positions, perceptions, and to establish a framework for action and improving the situation within each group could benefit in a reciprocal manner. The third phase of research focused on the learning organisation as a strategy to improve relationships. The recursive nature of the research, both in terms of relationship between theory and practice and also its three phases, is reflected in the structure of the thesis. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, 1995. / PnD thesis, School of Agriculture and Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, 1995. Bibliography : leaves 324-337.

Diss. Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2006.