Indigenous land rights and dynamics of the land market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This paper raises a number of important issues relating to legal and economic development concepts. It concentrates on the supply constraints affecting land development decisions of both private and public landowners in releasing land for development purposes. With reference to the indigenous land rights in Kuala Lumpur, this paper focuses on the restrictions in interest, which may limit the land from being transferred in the open market. With a limited market, the indigenous land achieves a lower value in the market place because transactions are limited within a particular group of people only. As a result, the market forces are restricted and the land development process for urban regeneration often comes to a halt. In examining the role of the indigenous land market in the redevelopment process of Kuala Lumpur, the study uses an institutional analysis to show the way in which these restrictions in interest affect landowners’ decisions and, thus, restrict the supply of land to real estate redevelopment. In conclusion, the paper shows various causes for land supply constraints and ways to improve these with the aim to undertake urban redevelopment initiatives considering pressure for more land in the market.     

论我国城市规划法的理论基础 ——从平衡论视角出发

城市规划是以改善城市人居物质环境状况为目的,对城市土地合理利用实行恰当控制的社会技术。城市规划既是公权力对土地使用者设定义务的过程,也是对土地使用者权利确定的过程,客观上存在着规划行政权力与土地使用者权利的冲突。以“平衡论”作为城市规划法的基本理论,能够妥当解决二者之间的紧张关系,协调在土地利用过程中个人利益与公共利益的冲突。城市规划法的平衡机制应做如下构建:设定公正的规划制定与实施程序;建立和强化权利救济制度;引入规划公开制度;合理配置权力;强化责任分配。     

An Urban Monitor as support for a participative management of developing cities

Urban management is a complex process, which requires a sizeable information base and a large coordination between the actors who are managing the city. In developing countries, this management is made even more difficult by a lack of financial means and technical skills. For this reason among others, the classical instruments for planning are inefficient. Starting from this fact, this paper proposes a participative planning and management tool, developed through a concrete case study: the city of Thiès, in Senegal.Participation, individual capacities and coordination have been identified as key factors for improving the efficiency of the system of actors in charge of the urban management. Therefore, the proposed method focuses on information, communication and training. In parallel, an Urban Monitor (participative system of geographical information and indicators) has been developed and implemented, for an improvement of the information and communication structuring.This original approach allows combining the concepts of Research Action Training with participative methods and the new information and communication technologies. Based on a dynamic and geographical view of the urban planning, it integrates tools adapted to the contextual specificities. Through these original aspects, it opens great perspectives in the fields of participative urban management and the implementation of good governance.     

Urban growth management-the Saudi experience

Saudi Arabia experienced a high rate of urbanization during the period 1970–1986 resulting in accelerated annual growth rates for Saudi cities averaging more than 6.4%. Higher than usual growth rates created demand for the opening up of huge areas to meet housing, commercial, industrial and other land uses. Government's land grant policy and liberal interest free loans resulted in massive expansion of cities and towns all over the country with major cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam having the biggest share. Lack of planning frameworks and weak city institutions could not direct the growth properly leading to sprawl and lop-sided development. This meant rapid extension of road network and utilities with high financial outlays. The slow-down in the economy and ever-increasing demand for infrastructure provision forced the government to initiate growth boundaries to tackle these problems in 1986. The paper discusses the methodology adopted and the process of devising urban limits and evaluates their impact on urban structures of Saudi cities. The paper draws some conclusions in the realization of objectives of the exercise with respect to, (a) control urban sprawl by encouraging infill development where utilities were generally available; (b) reduce cost of provision of infrastructure through better coordination tied to commonly agreed phasing; (c) maintain natural environment around the cities.     

关于构建推进城乡和谐配套制度的思考

随着市场经济体制的逐步建立,我国原有计划经济体制下的社会二元结构已不适应社会发展要求,更与构建和谐社会的理想格格不入.针对这一问题,从"赋予全体国民以平等待遇"的观念层面和"赋予农民更完善权利"的权利层面阐述了打破城乡结构性矛盾的思路,并围绕构建新型土地制度、变革户籍制度和建立新型的农村金融制度,展开了对构建推进城乡和谐的配套制度的思考.     

Habitat structure: A fundamental concept and framework for urban soil ecology

Habitat structure is defined as the composition and arrangement of physical matter at a location. Although habitat structure is the physical template underlying ecological patterns and processes, the concept is relatively unappreciated and underdeveloped in ecology. However, it provides a fundamental concept for urban ecology because human activities in urban ecosystems are often targeted toward management of habitat structure. In addition, the concept emphasizes the fine-scale, on-the-ground perspective needed in the study of urban soil ecology. To illustrate this, urban soil ecology research is summarized from the perspective of habitat structure effects. Among the key conclusions emerging from the literature review are: (1) habitat structure provides a unifying theme for multivariate research about urban soil ecology; (2) heterogeneous urban habitat structures influence soil ecological variables in different ways; (3) more research is needed to understand relationships among sociological variables, habitat structure patterns and urban soil ecology. To stimulate urban soil ecology research, a conceptual framework is presented to show the direct and indirect relationships among habitat structure and ecological variables. Because habitat structure serves as a physical link between sociocultural and ecological systems, it can be used as a focus for interdisciplinary and applied research (e.g., pest management) about the multiple, interactive effects of urbanization on the ecology of soils.     

Culture,place and urban growth in the U.S. South

People’s connection to land is an important contributor to identity in traditional southern society. In small southern communities, to know where someone lives is to know who someone is because place assigns biography. Studies have investigated the physical and economic implications of landscape change in the South, but comparatively little research focuses on the impacts to culture of urban growth. We consider how sense of place (as an indicator of culture) may be impacted, over time, by physical and structural changes in a locale. This point of departure examines the temporal dimension of sense of place, or how place perceptions may vary as familiar places and practices are altered by landscape moderations. We review the literature on sense of place and changing Southern landscapes and also offer a conceptual framework for analyzing sense of place over the long-term.

北方少数民族原生性文化形态与多元转型

自然地理具有地带特征,又齐备生物气候因素,它主要受其水源条件支配,呈现呈带状分布。北方广阔草原地带地形错综复杂,有戈壁沙漠、河川湖泊、绿洲草原、山地森林,是典型的内陆型干旱气候。据相关史料记载和考古发掘资料,由于自然气候,在这片土地上从中古至中世纪时期以来生存的诸种人群生业方式不断发生变化,局部地区从规模农耕或城镇聚落文明出现另种文化态势,逐渐转型为与自然生态相应的游牧经济经营以及兼营采集、渔猎、粗放型农耕等多种生产生计方式,原生性文化转型为多元融合的地域文化形态。     

Priority: Home! A True Priority? An Analysis of the Federal Plan to Break the Cycle of Homelessness

Homelessness pelVades every fabric of American society: it has plagued individuals and families, young and old, males and females. This paper analyzes and discusses the feasibility of a current proposal, Priority: Home! The Federal Plan to Break the Cycle ofHomelessness, and the intended effects of its policies pel1aining to the homeless. Specifically, the plan outlines the need for a continuum of care, a concept which promotes three stages to attain self-sufficiency: emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent housing. Providing suppol1 selVices and follow-up care are contingent on the success of the continuum. The plan therefore describes a comprehensive solution to address homelessness and requires that all levels ofgovernment participate in the process.     

《福乐智慧》艺术形式之别致：独创与兼收并蓄?

《福乐智慧》作为维吾尔古典文学的典范，不仅著称于其“质”的包罗万象，亦以其“文”的别致与兼收并蓄为人称道。这凸显在其体式的对话体、韵律的玛斯纳维体与四行诗柔巴依的创造性使用三个方面，某一程度上这一“文”的兼收并蓄，恰反映出其“质”的多元文化积淀。