The relationship between environmental change and migration has generated considerable scholarly debate. In part the literature suggests that climate change in the Sahel is 'forcing' pastoralist groups (mainly Fulani) to migrate to semi-arid West African countries, including Ghana, due to resource scarcity and climatic conditions. Using interviews, focus-group discussions and observations, this article argues that beyond theoretical postulations on resource scarcity and environmentally induced migration, there are multiple drivers that affect diverse migration patterns among Fulani pastoralists in Ghana. This study finds and discusses a range of important drivers of migration, including labour demand for pastoralists, access to pasture, conflict, social networks and peaceful relations.
{"title":"Diversity and Multiple Drivers of Pastoral Fulani Migration to Ghana","authors":"K. Bukari, Shaibu Bukari, P. Sow, J. Scheffran","doi":"10.3197/np.2020.240102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2020.240102","url":null,"abstract":"The relationship between environmental change and migration has generated considerable scholarly debate. In part the literature suggests that climate change in the Sahel is 'forcing' pastoralist groups (mainly Fulani) to migrate to semi-arid West African countries, including Ghana,\u0000 due to resource scarcity and climatic conditions. Using interviews, focus-group discussions and observations, this article argues that beyond theoretical postulations on resource scarcity and environmentally induced migration, there are multiple drivers that affect diverse migration patterns\u0000 among Fulani pastoralists in Ghana. This study finds and discusses a range of important drivers of migration, including labour demand for pastoralists, access to pasture, conflict, social networks and peaceful relations.","PeriodicalId":19318,"journal":{"name":"Nomadic Peoples","volume":"24 1","pages":"4-31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45307950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research on milk, meat, fur, bone and animal power predominates in theories of livestock resources. However, research on livestock dung, an important livestock resource that is produced regardless of the age and sex of the animal, and is a continuous and stable resource in terms of quantity, has been neglected. From the perspective of cultural anthropology, based on archival and ethnographic research, this paper examines livestock dung culture in terms of dung gathering, utilisation, and naming systems. It is argued that a theory of dung culture will provide an insight into the forma- tion of pastoralism and the origin of domestication.
{"title":"Towards a Theory of Dung Culture: An Inner Asian Case Study","authors":"Haiyan Bao","doi":"10.3197/np.2020.240107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2020.240107","url":null,"abstract":"Research on milk, meat, fur, bone and animal power predominates in theories of livestock resources. However, research on livestock dung, an important livestock resource that is produced regardless of the age and sex of the animal, and is a continuous and stable resource in terms of\u0000 quantity, has been neglected. From the perspective of cultural anthropology, based on archival and ethnographic research, this paper examines livestock dung culture in terms of dung gathering, utilisation, and naming systems. It is argued that a theory of dung culture will provide an insight\u0000 into the forma- tion of pastoralism and the origin of domestication.","PeriodicalId":19318,"journal":{"name":"Nomadic Peoples","volume":"24 1","pages":"143-166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45432364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Jennifer Lander. Transnational Law and State Transformation: The Case of Extractive Development in Mongolia.","authors":"Stephen Lezek","doi":"10.3197/np.2020.240109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2020.240109","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19318,"journal":{"name":"Nomadic Peoples","volume":"24 1","pages":"171-174"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44656121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The nomadic technologies of reindeer herders from Yamal Peninsula, in their multidimensional complexity – from the space-time continuity of mobile camps on the open tundra to multi-functionality of material things – enable and facilitate mobility in the extreme environment of the Arctic. The nomadic tradition contains a whole array of concepts (or principles), which, on the one hand, are ultimately practical and, on the other, deserve a theoretical projection. These include: nomadic transformer, mobile module, movement effect, techno-animation, material austerity, space-time continuity, arctic aesthetics. A study of nomadic design implies the usage of new methods of movement recording – MTA (mapping–tracking–acting), including visual data such as UAV mapping, GPS-tracking and 3D-modelling.
{"title":"Arctic Nomadic Design (The Nenets Case)","authors":"A. Golovnev","doi":"10.3197/np.2020.240106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2020.240106","url":null,"abstract":"The nomadic technologies of reindeer herders from Yamal Peninsula, in their multidimensional complexity – from the space-time continuity of mobile camps on the open tundra to multi-functionality of material things – enable and facilitate mobility in the extreme environment\u0000 of the Arctic. The nomadic tradition contains a whole array of concepts (or principles), which, on the one hand, are ultimately practical and, on the other, deserve a theoretical projection. These include: nomadic transformer, mobile module, movement effect, techno-animation, material austerity,\u0000 space-time continuity, arctic aesthetics. A study of nomadic design implies the usage of new methods of movement recording – MTA (mapping–tracking–acting), including visual data such as UAV mapping, GPS-tracking and 3D-modelling.","PeriodicalId":19318,"journal":{"name":"Nomadic Peoples","volume":"24 1","pages":"111-142"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41709259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Towns in northern Karamoja, Uganda, are growing due to an expanding commercial sector, shifts in livestock-based rural livelihoods, and the economic and social appeal of urban life. This article presents qualitative data from 83 individual migrants to Abim, Kaabong and Kotido, the three largest towns in northern Karamoja. The research aimed to better understand the factors behind migration, the livelihood strategies pursued by those moving to towns and the opportunities and challenges associated with urban life. The data show that the majority of respondents in urban centres retained links to their rural communities: these connections allowed migrants to access key assets such as land, social networks and food, and allowed rural residents to receive remittances and other forms of support. Those who were not able to maintain ties to their rural homes or families were frequently the most vulnerable; most were widowed or abandoned women. Reasons for migration included household-level shocks, such as the loss of livestock or the death of a family member, as well as food insecurity or 'hunger'. Towns are attractive destinations because of their economic opportunities and potential for a better life. However, many respondents struggled with the cost of living in towns and worked multiple ad hoc and low-skilled jobs in order to get by. While rural linkages were important for populations in both areas, most respondents did not envision returning to their rural areas. Urban planning and services have not kept pace with migratory patterns.
{"title":"'The Only Place to Do This is in Town': Experiences Of Rural–Urban Migration in Northern Karamoja, Uganda","authors":"E. Stites","doi":"10.3197/np.2020.240103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2020.240103","url":null,"abstract":"Towns in northern Karamoja, Uganda, are growing due to an expanding commercial sector, shifts in livestock-based rural livelihoods, and the economic and social appeal of urban life. This article presents qualitative data from 83 individual migrants to Abim, Kaabong and Kotido, the three\u0000 largest towns in northern Karamoja. The research aimed to better understand the factors behind migration, the livelihood strategies pursued by those moving to towns and the opportunities and challenges associated with urban life. The data show that the majority of respondents in urban centres\u0000 retained links to their rural communities: these connections allowed migrants to access key assets such as land, social networks and food, and allowed rural residents to receive remittances and other forms of support. Those who were not able to maintain ties to their rural homes or families\u0000 were frequently the most vulnerable; most were widowed or abandoned women. Reasons for migration included household-level shocks, such as the loss of livestock or the death of a family member, as well as food insecurity or 'hunger'. Towns are attractive destinations because of their economic\u0000 opportunities and potential for a better life. However, many respondents struggled with the cost of living in towns and worked multiple ad hoc and low-skilled jobs in order to get by. While rural linkages were important for populations in both areas, most respondents did not envision returning\u0000 to their rural areas. Urban planning and services have not kept pace with migratory patterns.","PeriodicalId":19318,"journal":{"name":"Nomadic Peoples","volume":"24 1","pages":"32-55"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42427439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Timothy Clack and Marcus Brittain (eds): The River. Peoples and Histories of the Omo-Turkana Area.","authors":"E. C. Gabbert","doi":"10.3197/np.2020.240108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2020.240108","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19318,"journal":{"name":"Nomadic Peoples","volume":"24 1","pages":"167-170"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3197/np.2020.240108","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44232301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article, based on ethnographic research in a Gobi district in Mongolia, focuses on herders 'wintering away' from customary winter campsites to access better pasture elsewhere. Because of the drawbacks associated with wintering at non-customary as opposed to 'home' pastures, many herders consider 'wintering away' to be a last resort. In the 2009–10 dzud (winter disaster), in Bayanlig soum, most households that wintered away were hit by unusually heavy snowfall and suffered higher livestock losses than those households that stayed at their customary campsites. While herders' migration decisions are guided by expert knowledge of the environment, complicating factors and high uncertainty can contribute to livestock losses despite their best efforts. Mobility is essential to herders' success in a variable environment, but not all forms and instances of migration are equally beneficial. This article draws on herders' accounts to explore a migration dilemma in the Gobi that may become more common.
{"title":"The Limitations of Wintering Away From Customary Pastures in Relation to Dzud in Mongolia's Gobi Region","authors":"A. Ericksen","doi":"10.3197/np.2020.240105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2020.240105","url":null,"abstract":"This article, based on ethnographic research in a Gobi district in Mongolia, focuses on herders 'wintering away' from customary winter campsites to access better pasture elsewhere. Because of the drawbacks associated with wintering at non-customary as opposed to 'home' pastures, many\u0000 herders consider 'wintering away' to be a last resort. In the 2009–10 dzud (winter disaster), in Bayanlig soum, most households that wintered away were hit by unusually heavy snowfall and suffered higher livestock losses than those households that stayed at their customary\u0000 campsites. While herders' migration decisions are guided by expert knowledge of the environment, complicating factors and high uncertainty can contribute to livestock losses despite their best efforts. Mobility is essential to herders' success in a variable environment, but not all forms and\u0000 instances of migration are equally beneficial. This article draws on herders' accounts to explore a migration dilemma in the Gobi that may become more common.","PeriodicalId":19318,"journal":{"name":"Nomadic Peoples","volume":"24 1","pages":"86-110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41659061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}