Skip to main content
Log in

Desertification and society: A question of territory

  • Published:
GeoJournal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The impact of desertification on society is analyzed through the territorial structures by which society itself is implementing its own reproduction. Three stages of impact are pointed out, marked by elementary, functional and structural stability/vulnerability thresholds. These thresholds are not consonant, and different strategies can simultaneously raise one of them and lower another one. In this frame, three “stability/vulnerability profiles” are depicted: the rootedness profile (traditional small sized and low technologized society); the strengthening profile (under the effects of the engineered reinforcement); the integration profile (when traditional society is integrated in a wider and more diversified one).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Faggi, P.: La desertificazione. Geografia di una crisi ambientale. Etaslibri, Milano 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holling, C.: Adaptive Environmental Assessment and Management. Wiley, Chichester 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • ID: Adapting to Uncertainty in an Unforgiving Society. The Lindbergh Lecture Series in Ecology, 1980.

  • Ibrahim, F.: Desertification in Nord-Darfur. Untersuchungen zur Gefährdung des Naturpotentials durch nicht angepasste Landnutzungsmethoden in der Sahelzone der Republik Sudan. Hamb. Geogr. Studien, 35, Hamburg 1980.

  • Johnson, K.: Disintegration of a Traditional Resource-Use Complex: The Otomì of the Mezquital Valley, Hidalgo, Mexico. Economic Geogr. 53, 364–367 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Laszlo, E.: L'evoluzione della complessità e l'ordine mondiale contemporaneo. In: Bocchi, G.; Ceruti, M. (eds.), La sfida della complessità. 362–400, III ed., Feltrinelli, Milano 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luhmann, N.: Politische Theorie im Wohlfahrtsstaat. G. Olzog V., München 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maturana, H. R.; Varela, F. J.: Autopoiesis and Cognition; The Realization of the Living. Reidel, Dordrecht 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Racine, J. B.; Reymond, H.: L'analyse quantitative en géographie. PUF, Paris 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rondinelli, D. A.: Development Projects as Policity Experiments. Methuen, London-New York 1983.

  • Turco, A.: Verso una teoria geografica della complessità. Unicopli, Milano 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warren, A.; Agnew, C.: An Assessment of Desertification and Land Degradation in Arid and Semi-arid Areas. A Report for Greenpeace International. Univ. College, London (mineo) 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Zenda; Liu Shu: Combating Desertification in Arid and Semiarid Zones in China. Inst. of Desert Research, Lanzhou 1983.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Faggi, P. Desertification and society: A question of territory. GeoJournal 31, 89–94 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00815907

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00815907

Keywords

Navigation