Land, Custom and Practice in the South Pacific

Klappentext Land tenure arrangements are intimately linked with the organization of society! the economy! political structures and geography. In the South Pacific Islands the majority of land is held by community groups under ‘customary’ or ‘traditional’ forms of tenure. This book argues that land formerly held in common is now often controlled and used exclusively by individuals or nuclear families - it is being privatized. Detailed case studies demonstrate these trends in Western Samoa! Tonga! Vanuatu and Fiji. Parallels are noted from Asia! Europe and Africa! where comparable forces of commercialization! individualization and socio-political change have brought comparable results. The denial of these trends by policy makers in the region reflects an interest in maintaining the image of traditionalism and its associated status and power. The divergence between rhetoric and reality creates dilemmas for many Pacific Islanders and their leaders. Zusammenfassung This book argues that in the South Pacific Islands! land formerly held by community groups under traditional forms of tenure is now often being privatized. The authors present case studies from four countries! and examine parallels from other regions experiencing comparable socio-economic forces. Inhaltsverzeichnis List of figures; List of tables; Contributors; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Land use and tenure: some comparisons R. Gerard Ward and Elizabeth Kingdon; 2. Land tenure in the Pacific Islands R. Gerard Ward and Elizabeth Kingdon; 3. Breathing spaces: customary land tenure in Vanuatu Margaret Rodman; 4. From corporate to individual land tenure in Western Samoa J. Tim O'Meara; 5. Right and privilege in Tongan land tenure Kerry James; 6. Land, law and custom: diverging realities in Fiji R. Gerard Ward; 7. Beyond the breathing space Antony Hooper and R. Gerard Ward; Bibliography; Index.

Product details

• Authors: R. Gerard Ward, R. Gerard (Australian National University Ward, R.gerard Kingdon Ward
• Assisted by: Elizabeth Kingdon (Editor), Kingdon Elizabeth (Editor), R. Gerard Ward (Editor)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 18.01.2007
• EAN: 9780521030717
• ISBN: 978-0-521-03071-7
• No. of pages: 308
• Series: Cambridge Asia-Pacific Studies; Cambridge Asia-Pacific Studies
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; Social sciences, law, business > Ethnology > Ethnology; Sociology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Human Geography, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Economics / General, Social and cultural anthropology, Human rights, civil rights, Human Geography, Cultural studies: customs and traditions, Oceania