The Political Ecology of Drylands

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As climate change is becoming more severe, drought is threatening to disrupt agrarian societies. This book investigates the connections between drought and social conflict over land and water. It is a comparative study of eight dryland regions in Sub-saharan Africa, South and East Asia and South America. Sören Köpke looks at different agricultural production systems and analyses environmental conflicts linked to drought. Through the political ecology approach, the author highlights the power imbalances underpinning these conflicts. A central finding: Development strategies decide if a conflict escalates or not. The book contributes to the on-going debate on the link between climate change and conflict.