The research activities of the REL department are directly linked to three of the four main research topics of the Faculty of Spatial Planning. The recently concluded research project „Anthropogenic Risk Factors and Management of Biodiversity for Rural Livelihood around East African Rain Forests (East Africa, E14)”, in short BIOTA, has contributed to the main focus Spatial Development and Environment. Through the example of the region Kakamega Forest in Kenya, the project has analyzed possibilities of land use in view of the double goal of protecting biodiversity and securing livelihoods of the people living adjacent to the forest. The research activities on transnational social networks, e.g. a joint conference with the Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development (ILS Dortmund) form part of the main focus Spatial Development and Society. This involves analyzing international migration patterns and transnational migrant networks, their meaning for development in migrants’ home countries and implications for the urban and neighbourhood policies in receiving areas.Ongoing research activities on urban-rural linkages and migration, as well as informal urban and housing development can be attributed to the focal area “International Comparative Research on Spatial Development”. In this context, the Department has organised a conference on “urban-rural linkages and migration and is preparing a research project on rural-urban migration and multilocality in Ghana.
The following research was or will be done at the department:
