International Conference on Land Governance & Future Challenges

The conference will provide a platform to share current research findings, and enhance dialogue in the land governance community. We invite senior scholars and young academics to submit abstracts (max. 250 words) or panel sessions (max. 350 words + 4 paper abstracts) and a short bio by 1 December 2023. Submissions should be sent to tugofwar@projects.rptu.de.

The conference is organized by Anne Hennings and Christopher Rohles as part of the project "Tug of War - Customary and State Actors in Land Reform and their Impact on Human Security in Post-Conflict Societies“ at the Peace Academy Rhineland-Palatinate, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau.

We look forward to welcoming you in Landau and bringing together and advancing perspectives and innovative approaches to responsible and sustainable land governance. 

Inclusive and coordinated land governance plays a key role in addressing climate change-induced stress, providing sustainable livelihoods, and guaranteeing legal certainty over land for communities and investors. Land governance tends to be complex, contested, and is deeply entrenched in sociopolitical interrelations and power structures at national and local levels. This conference aims to critically look at land governance changes in customary and statutory land tenure, questions of inclusivity and sustainability, and related (future) challenges. Taking place from 4-5 June 2024 at the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau in Landau, Germany, we invite scholars and young academics from various disciplines, including political science, geography, peace and conflict studies, anthropology, agricultural studies, and related fields, to contribute their empirical and conceptual findings.

We welcome contributions on a range of topics related to land governance covering one or more of the following key questions:

• How can inclusive and sustainable land governance look like? What are the challenges of scaling up? Which dynamics do we see between state authorities and local elites, including chiefs and elders, and how do these impact the existing power relations?;

• Which role does land tenure play in climate change adaptation and mitigation? What are promising concepts and tools? How is land governance itself transformed, as it seeks to respond to changing circumstances?;

• Which challenges do (un)married or divorced women, daughters, and widows face in accessing and owning land?How far can joint land titles contribute to women’s empowerment and equality? What are alternative ways to strengthen women’s land tenure?;
• How can youths be better included in land governance policies? What are their perspectives and how can youths shape land governance practices and land use?;
• After 10+ years, what are the effects and lessons learned from the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT)?;
• In which ways, have large-scale land acquisitions (LSLA) shaped land governance and legislation? What are the long-term consequences of failed and successful land acquisitions (not only in the Global South) that were concluded over the last 15 years?;
• Which challenges face (agro-)pastoralist communities today with regard to land tenure insecurity, natural resource management, and sustainable livelihoods?;
• What are the current state and challenges of forest tenure and fisheries, i.e. concerning the recognition of customary practices, legal frameworks, and interests of domestic and international investors?;
• What are the latest findings on land-related conflicts and dispute settlement measures and their implications for security and social cohesion? 

We look for new takes and impulses in the field and particularly encourage submissions that offer innovative approaches, and cross-disciplinary perspectives.

The conference will provide a platform to share current research findings, and enhance dialogue in the land governance community. We invite senior scholars and young academics to submit abstracts (max. 250 words) or panel sessions (max. 350 words + 4 paper abstracts) and a short bio by 1 December 2023. Submissions should be sent totugofwar[at]projects.rptu.de.

The conference is organized by Anne Hennings and Christopher Rohles as part of the project "Tug of War - Customary and State Actors in Land Reform and their Impact on Human Security in Post-Conflict Societies“ at the Peace Academy Rhineland-Palatinate, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau.

We look forward to welcoming you in Landau and bringing together and advancing perspectives and innovative approaches to responsible and sustainable land governance. 

The Organizing Team

Anne Hennings and Christopher Rohles

University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau