Land Use Conflicts in the Developing Countries: Proximate Driving Forces and Preventive Measures

Abstract

This research aims to analyse land use conflicts mainly caused by infrastructural development projects in the developing countries. For this purpose, qualitative data is gathered which is frequently published on land use conflicts against the development related infrastructure projects in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and Pakistan. It identifies and defines land use conflicts, their dynamic features and contestations. The results reveal as to how the conflicts have been germinated by the property and human right violators? Further, it also focuses on the governance roles and responsibilities, the institutional inconsistency towards justice, and the local population’s mistrust in the respective case study areas. The analysis concludes with an overview of the root causes and consequences of land use conflicts, by indicating as to how land use decisions for infrastructural settings have changed rural economy, and induced local population to displace and oppose the projects. Finally, the study proposes some preventive measures to manage such conflicts. JEL Classification: D74, O16, H54 Keywords: Conflict, Proximity Relations, Infrastructure, Developing Countries