Vitality of Complex Water Governance Systems: Condition and Evolution

In this article the evolution of vitality of social systems in water governance processes, approached as social-ecological systems, is studied. Vitality as well as conditions for vitality are theorized and measured in two cases of the Dutch southwest Delta region. Different patterns and developments in the rise and fall of vitality are found in the two cases. We followed the developments of five conditions explaining the discovered changes in the levels of vitality throughout the years in the two cases. The first conclusion is that the conditions can be treated as clear enablers for increasing the level of vitality in both cases. Furthermore, a low score on (most of) the conditions are accompanied with low scores on vitality. The secon

Projeto Trilha dos Hollandeses. De geschiedenis van een soldatenpad en zijn bruggetje

[No abstract available

Twee Zeeuwse forten. Van der Dussen en Ghijsseling, de forten van twee Zeeuwse kooplieden op Brasielsche kust

In the seventeenth century European expansion extended to foreign coasts all over the world. From icy seas to palm-shaded beaches discoveries were made, settlements arose and military actions were undertaken, when necessary - and obviously this always seemed to be the case. The Dutch followed the trend of the times, exploring the Asian, African and American continents, even as far as Antarctic and Australian regions. After the rise and fall of a handful of private companies, the East India Company for trade and commerce in the Far East (VOC, 1602) and the West India Company for the same purpose in the Americas (WIC, 1621) were founded. By that time important aims were the defense of the Republic's international position during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and their own Eighty Years' War with Spain (1568-1648). In their battle against Portugal as part of the Spanish crown and a strong Roman Catholic ally opposing the revolting Calvinist Low Countries, the Dutch invaded the Northeast of Brazil in 1630, after a badly prepared adventure, which did not even last a year, in Sao Salvador da Bahia in 1624. If this rich sugar country could be conquered, this would greatly damage the Iberian nations. And in fact, the successfully accomplished invasion by the Dutch admiral Lonck and commander Van Waerdenburgh in Pernambuco near the capital Olinda turned out to be the start of a large strategic and economic power. Establishing their position, the Dutch built a fair amount of fortresses and military constructions all along the coast of 'Dutch Brazil'. In 1999 the Archaeological Identification Mission, consisting of drs O.F. Hefting and the author, reported to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences, on the then discovered remains of twelve locations, among which those of Fort van der Dussen and Fort Ghijsseling. This article deals with the history of these two fortresses, erected by two merchants from the Province of Zeeland, in the fertile region of sugar plantations and orchards south of Recife. The Chamber of Zeeland with Middelburg was considered to be the most powerful in the board of the WIC, after the Chamber of the City of Amsterdam. Although nowadays there is not much left of these fortresses, a visit to the original places appeals to the historian's imagination. By archaeological research a lot of the remains can still be found and conserved for later generations

Fortificaties in Hollantsch Brasil

To study the past, military buildings are as good a historic source as churches. Both types of architecture have been engineered a more permanent material than most of the contemporary houses. Thus to the colonial-historian fortifications possess a wealth of material on the history of military science, the history of architecture, on style and social economic history. After the Dutch invaded Pernambuco in february 1630 they adapted the Portuguese fortifications and started to build new forts to consolidate the acquired possessions. Available plans of these forts demonstrate well thoughtout schemes. As authority on the field of the highly influential Italian theories on fortifications the Dutch fortress engineer Simon Stevin adapted these theories to Dutch circumstances and needs. In the colonized regions fortress engineers from this School of Stevin were put to work by the Dutch West-lndian Company. Stones and suitable materials were imported from the Netherlands. No specific manuals have come down to us on form, strategic projection or materials but there exists a writing of Simon Stevin from 1594 with designs of the early Dutch-Brazilian fortifications, which can be reduced after the material as mentioned in this manual. Another source is the diary of the German mercenary Ambrosius Richshoffer, who signed on in Amsterdam in 1629. The most spectacular example of Dutch forts in Brasil was the pentagon In face of the devil. After a thorough restoration the fort at present houses the townmuseum of Recife with a varied selection of documents on the Dutch period (1630-1654). Fort Triangle was built on a shallow between the island António Vaz, the isthmus and the continent and played an important role during the siege of Recife in 1645. Fort De Bruyn was built in 1630 on the site of a small Portuguese entrenchment to the east of Recife. This square fort has been restored drastically by the Portuguese. Fort Orange (1633), situated on the island of Itamaraca, was designed and carried out by Pieter van Bueren, Andreas Drewisch and perhaps by Cristóvao Alvares. The square plan has been laid out in conformity with the classic Italian notion of a fort, which still was valid in the 17th century. This fort stands out by a remarkabie doublé entrance. This system after Caernavon (1283) has been introduced in Europe by the knights of the Cross. In 1645 the forts on Itamaraca were strengthened thoroughly. Fort Ernestus, built around a Franciscan monastery, this way was converted into a real fort directed against attacks from the interior. Thus in 1654 there were 39 forts and entrenchments along the Dutch-Brazilian coastal strip. This implies the importance of the Brazilian colony. The downfall of the region to the Dutch West-lndian Company is caused by the fact that military spending was too high with respect to the desired income. The form of the forts built by the Dutch outside of Europe often was pentagonal. In the ecclesiastical, military and civil architecture from the fifteenth and sixteenth century the pentagon carried a mystic meaning and was a symbol of the imperfection of man compared to God, who was symbolized with the numbers 7 and 8. In the 17th century the vision on the function of the fort was much more pragmatic and the number of bastions reduced from five to four. Still, in the habit of name-giving, calling forts after important places, beloved persons or dignitaries an element of symbolism remained connected with forts and fortifications

Understanding emergent participation practices in water governance.

This introductory article discusses the proliferation of different forms of participation in water governance. It is argued that creating public value through participation can only succeed when effective cocreation between public authorities and communities emerges. However, challenges to realizing co-creation are manifold, and differ among the various types of participation. In this respect, we introduce a typology of different forms of participation, based on the distinction between top-down (invited) and bottom-up (created) participation. We use this distinction to analyze different dynamics in participatory water governance and to delve deeper into the dilemmas and trade-offs. Lastly, the various contributions to this special issue are introduced

Mechanisms of Degradation and Identification of Connectivity and Erosion Hotspots

The context of processes and characteristics of soil erosion and land degradation in Mediterranean lands is outlined. The concept of connectivity is explained. The remainder of the chapter demonstrates development of methods of mapping, analysis and modelling of connectivity to produce a spatial framework for development of strategies of use of vegetation to reduce soil erosion and land degradation. The approach is applied in a range of typical land use types and at a hierarchy of scale from land unit to catchment. Patterns of connectivity and factors influencing the location and intensity of processes are identified, including the influence of topography, structures such as agricultural terraces and check dams, and past land uses. Functioning of connectivity pathways in various rainstorms is assessed. Modes of terrace construction and extent of maintenance, as well as presence of tracks and steep gradients are found to be of importance. A method of connectivity modelling that incorporates effects of structure and vegetation was developed and has been widely applied subsequently

Water Managers' Boundary Judgments and Adaptive Water Governance. An Analysis of the Dutch Haringvliet Sluices Case

__Abstract__ In this paper, we explore how managing actors' boundary judgments influence the adaptability of water governance. We approach this question by examining the relationship between the way water managers frame, and act in, complex water issues on the one hand and develop adaptive water governance strategies on the other. We define four categories of boundary judgments made by water managers in order to deal with the complexities in water governance issues. An in-depth case study analysis of an attempt to adjust the management of the water regime in the south-west Delta of the Netherlands is provided in order to reconstruct the water managers' boundary judgments and their impact upon governance strategies used. We found that, most of the time, the water managers involved predominantly made tight boundary judgments. These tight boundary judgments seemed to hamper the mutual learning process among a variety of stakeholders that is needed to realize adaptive water governance. We argue that wide boundary judgments enhance the chance of realizing adaptive practices and build upon exploration, learning, and connection

Assessing Internet addiction using the parsimonious Internet addiction components model - a preliminary study [forthcoming]

Internet usage has grown exponentially over the last decade. Research indicates that excessive Internet use can lead to symptoms associated with addiction. To date, assessment of potential Internet addiction has varied regarding populations studied and instruments used, making reliable prevalence estimations difficult. To overcome the present problems a preliminary study was conducted testing a parsimonious Internet addiction components model based on Griffiths’ addiction components (2005), including salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse. Two validated measures of Internet addiction were used (Compulsive Internet Use Scale [CIUS], Meerkerk et al., 2009, and Assessment for Internet and Computer Game Addiction Scale [AICA-S], Beutel et al., 2010) in two independent samples (ns = 3,105 and 2,257). The fit of the model was analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Results indicate that the Internet addiction components model fits the data in both samples well. The two sample/two instrument approach provides converging evidence concerning the degree to which the components model can organize the self-reported behavioural components of Internet addiction. Recommendations for future research include a more detailed assessment of tolerance as addiction component

Arabic validation of the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The popularity of using the Internet and related applications has grown in Arabic countries in recent years. Despite numerous advantages in terms of optimizing communications among individuals and social systems, the use of the Internet may in certain cases become problematic and engender negative consequences in daily life. As no instrument in the Arabic language is available, however, to measure excessive Internet use, the goal of the current study was to validate an Arabic version of the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The Arabic version of the CIUS was administered to a sample of 185 Internet users and exploratory and confirmatory analyses performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As found previously for the original version, a one-factor model of the CIUS had good psychometric properties and fit the data well. The total score on the CIUS was positively associated with time spent online.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Arabic version of the CIUS seems to be a valid self-report to measure problematic Internet use.</p