Livestock trade network: potential for disease transmission and implications for risk-based surveillance on the island of Mayotte

The island of Mayotte is a department of France, an outermost region of the European Union located in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the coast of Eastern Africa. Due to its close connection to the African mainland and neighbouring islands, the island is under constant threat of introduction of infectious diseases of both human and animal origin. Here, using social network analysis and mathematical modelling, we assessed potential implications of livestock movements between communes in Mayotte for risk-based surveillance. Our analyses showed that communes in the central region of Mayotte acted as a hub in the livestock movement network. The majority of livestock movements occurred between communes in the central region and from communes in the central region to those in the outer region. Also, communes in the central region were more likely to be infected earlier than those in the outer region when the spread of an exotic infectious disease was simulated on the livestock movement network. The findings of this study, therefore, suggest that communes in the central region would play a major role in the spread of infectious diseases via livestock movements, which needs to be considered in the design of risk-based surveillance systems in Mayotte

A livelihoods study of fishers and farmers in Quang Tri Province

This is the report of a livelihoods study team working together with villagers from two communes in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam: Ta Long Commune in Dakrong District and A Tuc Commune in Huong Hoa District. The study is based on information provided by members of the communes, who shared their knowledge and spoke about real problems they face with their livelihoods. This study was conducted from 10-22 October 2001. The team worked with key informants in two communes who volunteered to participate and represented the households in the village. (PDF contains 31 pages

Decentralization in Africa and the nature of local governments' competition: evidence from Benin

Without denying particular dimensions of the decentralisation in Sub-Saharan countries, this paper applies standard reasoning from the fiscal federalism literature to a developing country and tests the existence of strategic interactions among local Beninese governments, called 'communes'. We first propose a two-jurisdiction model of public expenditure interactions, considering a constrained Nash equilibrium to capture the extreme poverty of some communes. We show that spillovers among jurisdictions involve strategic behaviours of local officials who have sufficient levels of fiscal resources. Second, by estimating a spatial lag model, our analysis provides evidence for the presence of strategic interactions in Benin, contingent on 'communes fiscal autonomy. Such interactions arise among communes which are geographically or ethnically close. We also highlight both an opportunistic behaviour of local governments before local elections and an effect of partisan affiliations. This African democracy appears to be as concerned as developed democracies with strategic fiscal interactions.Fiscal interactions, benin, decentralisation, local government, dynamic panel data

Internal Migration and Regional Population Dynamics in Europe: Romanian Case Study

The report analyses population migration and change in Romania over the period 1984-1994. The analysis of population change is conducted for 2948 communes and towns, the finest administrative division for which population data are available. The lack of migration data on the level of communes and towns makes in-depth analysis of the migration for small spatial units impossible. For that reason analysis of the patterns of migration is conducted for 40 Judete (also referred to as counties or regions) and the capital city of Bucharest, i.e. 41 units altogether. Council of Europe Publishing, F-67075 Strasbourg - Cedex, France

Decentralization in Africa and the nature of local governments' competition: evidence from Benin

Without denying particular dimensions of the decentralisation in Sub-Saharan countries, this paper applies standard reasoning from the fiscal federalism literature to a developing country and tests the existence of strategic interactions among local Beninese governments, called 'communes'. We first propose a two-jurisdiction model of public expenditure interactions, considering a constrained Nash equilibrium to capture the extreme poverty of some communes. We show that spillovers among jurisdictions involve strategic behaviours of local officials who have sufficient levels of fiscal resources. Second, by estimating a spatial lag model, our analysis provides evidence for the presence of strategic interactions in Benin, contingent on 'communes fiscal autonomy. Such interactions arise among communes which are geographically or ethnically close. We also highlight both an opportunistic behaviour of local governments before local elections and an effect of partisan affiliations. This African democracy appears to be as concerned as developed democracies with strategic fiscal interactions.Fiscal interactions;benin;decentralisation;local government;dynamic panel data

The Use of Geographical Information Systems in the Urban Communes of Łódź Metropolitan Area

The article presents the results of pilot studies carried out in the cities of Łódź Metropolitan Area. The study concerned the use of geographical information system by the employees of offices of these cities. The interest in the subject of GIS in Polish urban communes results from the assumptions of the EU INSPIRE Directive and the necessity of its implementation in the basic units of territorial division of Poland. The aim of the research was the analysis of the impact of GIS on the sphere of the public participation in the process of local management and the possible use of GIS in the decision making in communes. Research showed what kind of software was used in analyzed communes

Les communes périurbaines face à la métropole : sécession ou intégration fonctionnelle ?

International audienc

Problems and prospects of local finance in Italy

Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Internal Migration and Regional Population Dynamics in Europe: Denmark Case Study

This report analyses the patterns of internal migration and population change across the communes of Denmark as part of a multi-country study of regional population dynamics in Europe, comparing the 1980s and 1990s. Section 2 of the report reviews the recent history of internal migration and regional/local population change in Denmark. Section 3 documents data sources and structure. Section 4 provides a detailed cartographic analysis of the patterns of in-migration, out-migration and net-migration at commune level for 1985 and 1998 (the years selected for study), while section 5 reviews population change between 1985 and 1998. Overall net migration shifts have decreased between the two years. The spatial pattern combines losses from peripheral regions (western Jutland, Bornholm) and Copehagen suburbs with gains to commuting belts centred on Copenhagen and the other large towns. As many other high income European countries, there is a profound contrast between the migration behaviour of young people and other adults (families, older workers and the retired). Young people move strongly towards the centre of the capital region and other large towns, while the other groups deconcentrate. Section 6 analyses the relationships between net migration/population change and the settlement system, to calibrate more precisely the patterns observed on the maps, while sections 7 and 8 look at the relationships between internal migration and economic/functional classifications of the communes. The former relationships are stronger than the latter, but are not as well clearly structured with respect to the urban hierarchy or population density as in many other countries studied. Denmark has reached a system state beyond simple counterurbanisation to be characterised by periurbanisation in the Copenhagen region, reurbanisation in Copenhagen itself and moderate outflows from rural regions

Internal Migration and Regional Population Dynamics in Europe: Switzerland Case Study

This paper reports on internal migration and regional population dynamics in Switzerland. It examines briefly the main population trends in the last century and then turns to more detailed examination of internal migration patterns and trends in three years, 1984, 1994 and 1996 and compares them. First, inter-cantonal migration is investigated in the context of the life course. On the communal level population change patterns and underlying in-, out- and net migration are examined. An attempt is made to link migration with such variables as population density, level of unemployment, prevailing language and with a functional classification of the urban system. The methodology used is the same as in a number of other studies, making the results as comparable as possible with the results of other studies of migration in European states (Rees and Kupiszewski 1999)