Regional Analysis, Volume II: Social Systems consists of studies on the general applications of the regional framework for analyzing socioeconomic systems as they exist and develop in territorial-environmental systems. This volume is concerned with social systems, emphasizing the interrelationships among the institutional components of complex societies. Marriage and kinship, political organization, formation of ethnic and cultural-territorial groups, and stratification systems that are affected by regional-environmental variables are also covered. This publication is beneficial to social and regional scientists, geographers, economists, social anthropologists, archeologists, sociologists, and political scientists intending to acquire knowledge of the implications of rural-urban relations and regional settlement patterns.

Throughout the world, a sense of crisis has settled in like a nightmare that refuses to leave. We look towards the horizon with apprehension. Major changes are afoot. Older industrial regions, once rich and powerful, stand by helplessly as factories close down. Poor countries are sliding into bankruptcy, unable even to feed their populations. In a few scattered enclaves, called ex port platforms, new manufacturing plants spring up overnight: they employ predominantly young, unmarried women and ship their products to unknown destinations overseas. Small companies are eaten up by bigger ones which, in turn, are absorbed by still larger conglomerates. Some industrial sectors are wiped out altogether. Tensions between states are increasing. More and more countries are coming under military rule. Torture and terrorism are turned into tools of official state policy. Civil wars are fought in Central America, Northern Africa, and Southeast Asia. International conflict flares up be tween Britain and Argentina, Iraq and Iran, Ethiopia and Somalia. Economic growth has slowed to a crawl. Inflation undercuts the livelihood of the poor. The small producer is ruined. It appears that we are involved in a major restructuring of the capitalist world. The problems are profits, capital accumulation, and efficiency in pro duction. To make the indicators point up, whole regions are sacrificed, new technologies are put in place, and new locational patterns are created as the world is carved up into a new international division oflabor.

This book explores different approaches to defining the concept of region depending on the specific question that needs to be answered. While the typical administrative spatial data division fits certain research questions well, in many cases, defining regions in a different way is fundamental in order to obtain significant empirical evidence. The book is divided into three parts: The first part is dedicated to a methodological discussion of the concept of region and the different potential approaches from different perspectives. The problem of having sufficient information to define different regional units is always present. This justifies the second part of the book, which focuses on the techniques of ecological inference applied to estimating disaggregated data from observable aggregates. Finally, the book closes by presenting several applications that are in line with the functional areas definition in regional analysis.

Regional development is attracting the attention of policy makers and scientists again, as regions, urban centers and rural areas, experience substantial pressures, particularly in Europe, as a consequence of globalization and geopolitical changes which lead to changes in spatial structures and dynamics. This book is based on the contributions of Greek regional science research presented at the 2006 Congress of the European Regional Science Association at Volos, Greece. The contributions selected to be presented in this book address these changes offering a fresh look into regional development. They provide an overview of regional development concerns from Greek regional scientists but the issues discussed pervade Greek particularities and stimulate thinking about regional science, regional development and regional policy in the early twenty-first century.

This report provides a unique, sector-specific synthesis of the agriculture, water and land use sectors in the nationally determined contributions from Near East and North Africa. It summarizes the substantial contributions already put forward by countries, opportunities for further action and the gaps, barriers and needs that will need to be addressed if the region is to raise mitigation and adaptation ambitions. The findings of this report will help member countries to reflect on their progress in advancing toward nationally determined contributions priorities for agriculture, water and land use, and associated national climate goals including related targets under the Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis also helps to make clear the links between the nationally determined contributions from the region and the ongoing work of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in support of the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA). Finally, the report serves as a guide to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as well as other international actors, of the support that will be required to help countries in the region move forward to implement agriculture, water and land use priorities in their NDCs and ensure that future commitments from the sector are quantifiable, verifiable and sufficiently ambitious.