The resource-conflict debate revisited: Untangling the case of farmer–herdsman clashes in the North Central region of Nigeria

The resource debate is easily discerned as part of the ongoing history of farmer–herdsman conflict in the North Central region of Nigeria. Scarcity theorists are adept at linking scarcity with the onset of livelihood conflict while on the other hand resource abundance pundits insist it is profusion and not scarcity that impels conflict. This article traverses these wrangles and proceeds to downplay the resource polemic altogether. It is proposed that the resource debate, despite its profoundness, presents a narrow reading of farmer–herdsman clashes in Nigeria’s North Central region. It is suggested that a number of other factors, including elite land grabbing, ethno-religious identity construction, weak state capabilities, the citizenship question, corrupt traditional institutions, the lack of an effective land tenure system and a widespread culture of impunity, make for better readings of the conflict. Owing to the negative impacts of the conflict on state and society, it is recommended that the state in Nigeria should commit itself to addressing the citizenship question, strengthening the capabilities of security institutions, extirpating the culture of impunity and revaluing its policy on land redistribution.     

基于协商的Agent资源冲突消解算法研究

针对分布式规划系统中Agent计划的资源冲突问题,研究了资源冲突的分类;基于Agent协商理论,从资源最优配置的角度,论证了最优的协商策略,提出了可重复利用的不可分享型资源的冲突消解算法,较好地解决了Agent分布式规划中出现的一类资源冲突问题。算例表明,给出的冲突消解算法是有效的。     

Natural resource degradation and conflict in the East African pastoral drylands

Based on a literature review, this article examines the dynamics in pastoral systems, natural resource conservation and conflict in the drylands of East Africa. It argues that, in the context of East Africa, pastoralism and biodiversity conservation in general are distinct forms of land use that are complementary rather than competitive. The present state of natural resource degradation in the drylands is explained in terms of factors related to ecological and demographic pressures, land use conflicts and inefficient land administration policies. When the customary pastoral institutions of land administration and resource management are threatened, the problem of degradation is further exacerbated and violent conflicts occur among multiple resource users, including pastoralists, farmers and the state. The article recommends the revitalisation, empowerment and recognition of pastoral institutions in a way that ensures effective synergy between the formal and customary structures of resource governance.     

Democracy index for Africa, 2010

ABSTRACT

Natural resource-based conflicts continue to occur in different parts of Nigeria with negative implications. This study investigated the phenomena of natural resource conflicts vis-à-vis their propensities to impact political economy and national security negatively. Data for the study were sourced from theoretical and empirical evidence. Empirical data were sourced from existing studies selected on the basis on their relevance to the study and analysed based on their content. The limitation to this approach is the obsolete and subjective nature of some the literature. This limitation was, however, addressed among others through the author’s knowledge of the issues under study. The study found that Nigeria is enmeshed in conflict over ownership, distribution, access to or competition over natural resources such as petroleum resources and agricultural land and these conflicts have undermined democracy, human rights, the economy and the nation’s security. The paper identified poor resource governance, environmental factors and poor political leadership as the causes and drivers of these conflicts. It recommends natural resource governance among others, as a way out of the problem.     

基于XML／RDF的油料装备模块化协同设计网格主体资源表达

针对协同设计网格中油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源规范化表达问题,提出按照模块设计能力划分油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源的分类体系,给出油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源的信息描述模型。在此基础上,采用元数据完成了油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源描述的元数据集的定义,并采用可扩展的资源描述框架RDF实现了元数据集的描述,规范了具有值域要求属性的赋值空间,给出了基于元数据集的油料装备模块化协同设计主体资源的RDF描述方法,解决了协同设计网格中统一完整和无二义性地描述资源对象的问题,并提出了利用资源表达向导的策略,规范和简化了资源主体的资源表达。     

Toward a constructivist understanding of socio-environmental conflicts

The links between environmental degradation, renewable resource scarcity, and conflict are still poorly understood. One reason for this is the positivist–rationalist bias which is characteristic of the mainstream literature on socio-environment conflicts but has largely remained unaddressed so far. Many studies are therefore unable to utilize insights from environmental sociology, constructivist conflict research, and political ecology. Drawing on this literature and discourse theory, the article develops a constructivist understanding of socio-environmental conflicts. The proposed framework highlights the relevance of discursively constructed identities, situation assessments, and interests for understanding the dynamics of such conflicts. The plausibility of the framework across different contexts is demonstrated by a discussion of the Israeli–Palestinian water conflict and forest conflicts in northern Thailand.     

A model of dynamic conflict in ethnocracies

We model an infinitely repeated Tullock contest, over the sharing of some given resource, between two ethnic groups. The resource is allocated by a composite state institution according to relative ethnic control; hence the ethnic groups contest the extent of institutional ethnic bias. The contest yields the per-period relative influence over institutions, which partly spills over into the next period, by affecting relative conflict efficiency. Our model generates non-monotone evolution of both conflict and distribution. Results suggest that external interventions, when effective in reducing current conflict and protecting weaker groups, may end up sowing the seeds of greater future conflict.     

支持并行工程的造船分段作业计划系统

针对传统造船模式下,车间作业计划与工艺设计串行工作方式的缺点,基于并行工程的原理,提出了分段作业计划与工艺设计的集成运行模式,为实现造船CAPP系统与PPC系统的集成化和并行化提供了实现的基础。针对集成模式的特点,建立了分段作业计划系统资源优化的数学模型,应用遗传算法解决了针对任意分段装配工艺方案的多资源平衡优化问题,可以得到每项作业最优的开工时间,同时能够给出多种资源的最优分布结果,满足了多工艺方案之间资源利用率的比较。最后,给出了计算实例,计算机模拟结果说明了这一方法的有效性。     

Scheduling parallel dedicated machines with the speeding‐up resource

We consider a problem of scheduling jobs on m parallel machines. The machines are dedicated, i.e., for each job the processing machine is known in advance. We mainly concentrate on the model in which at any time there is one unit of an additional resource. Any job may be assigned the resource and this reduces its processing time. A job that is given the resource uses it at each time of its processing. No two jobs are allowed to use the resource simultaneously. The objective is to minimize the makespan. We prove that the two‐machine problem is NP‐hard in the ordinary sense, describe a pseudopolynomial dynamic programming algorithm and convert it into an FPTAS. For the problem with an arbitrary number of machines we present an algorithm with a worst‐case ratio close to 3/2, and close to 3, if a job can be given several units of the resource. For the problem with a fixed number of machines we give a PTAS. Virtually all algorithms rely on a certain variant of the linear knapsack problem (maximization, minimization, multiple‐choice, bicriteria). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2008     

Resource Dependence and Armed Violence: Impact on Sustainability in Developing Countries

The dependence on oil, gas, and mineral exports arguably has a negative impact on economic growth in resource-rich, developing countries. This article looks at the impact of resource dependence on adjusted net savings (ANS) as an indicator of weak sustainability. Our results, based on a panel of 104 developing countries during the recent commodity price boom, confirm a negative relationship between resource extraction and sustainable development as measured by ANS. We further look at the specific role of armed conflict and armed violence as captured by the homicide rate. Armed conflict, which is positively associated with resource dependence, negatively affects ANS per capita according to both our OLS and instrumental variables (IV) estimates. Similarly, armed violence has a detrimental effect on sustainable development. Our IV estimate suggests that a one-point increase in the homicide rate decreases ANS per capita by $60. Since education expenditures are a critical ANS component, we further examine the impact of resource dependence and violence on human capital. Consistent with previous findings, resource-dependent countries underinvest in education but armed conflict and violence do not affect the instantaneous share of education expenditures, hinting at a detrimental effect working through physical and social capital rather than education.     

The Underlying Causes of Violent Conflict in the North Waziristan Tribal Areas of Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Following the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Pakistan and the merged Tribal Districts, particularly the North Waziristan Tribal District (NWTD), experienced increasing violent conflict. This paper examines the causes of conflict in North Waziristan from the perspective of local communities. The study is based on qualitative primary data collected in NWTD. The study identifies deep-rooted internal factors such as poor socio-economic conditions, political exclusion, degradation of local institutions and culture, introduction and promotion of Jihadi culture and militancy as the main drivers of conflict in NWTD. External factors, like the USSR and US invasions in Afghanistan, a porous border and unseen international actors, have contributed to the start and even escalation of the more recent conflict, but mainly through exacerbating internal factors. The study recommends that policies aiming to reduce violent conflict in this region pay due attention to the significance of addressing the underlying internal drivers of conflict.     

车载多接入边缘网络中联合资源分配和动态任务卸载方案

针对车联网中车辆移动速度过快产生的任务卸载失败问题,设计了一个有效的任务卸载风险评估模型,并提出了联合资源分配的动态任务卸载方案。将时间、能耗和风险共同建模为系统效用,通过联合优化卸载决策、资源分配来最大化系统效用。优化问题被公式化为混合整数非线性规划,在给定卸载决策的情况下,利用凸优化技术解决计算资源分配问题,功率分配通过分式规划技术来优化。仿真分析了车辆移动性对系统效用的影响,证明了所提方案的合理性。     

无人机飞行训练资源配置效率的AHP-Arena综合评价方法

为降低传统层次分析法(analytic hierarchy process,AHP)赋权过程主观片面性影响,提出了一种综合AHP与Arena仿真建模技术的无人机训练资源配置效率评价方法。基于飞行训练流程分析,确定了训练资源配置效率影响因素和效率评价指标,建立了层次型综合评价体系,概括了AHP-Arena综合评价步骤。利用Arena建模软件构建训练流程动态仿真系统并验证有效性,采用单变量数值仿真法、均方差决策法完成了影响因素客观赋权,通过线性加权综合法得出综合评价系数,实现资源配置效率评价与方案优选。实例应用说明了该方法的有效性,同时,该方法可推广至其他类似的训练过程中,亦可为其他多因素、多指标评价决策过程提供借鉴。     

Neglected but affected: voices from the oil-producing regions of Ghana and Uganda

The ‘resource curse’ is the paradoxical theory frequently used to explain how a seemingly desirable asset, such as oil, can actually pervert an economy, erode governance, perpetuate conflict, and ruin local communities to the extent that it becomes a curse. New oil discoveries in western Ghana and western Uganda have raised concerns for the democratic prospects and future stability of these countries and their surrounding regions. Based on field interviews in these oil-producing regions, this report summarises how local communities have been affected thus far and their concerns for the future. The authors assess the extent to which each country is vulnerable to oil-induced instability, and identify groups or communities that would be most likely to perpetuate it. Lastly, it provides some assessment of the future trajectory of each country.     

高校资源环境类专业开设资源与环境法课程的意义

资源与环境法是高校法学类的核心课程,目前,该课程已经逐渐在资源环境类专业中不同程度的开设。高校资源环境类专业开设资源与环境法课程是非常必要而且很有意义的,（1）文章从开设资源与环境法课程有助于强化学生的环境法制教育;（2）开设资源与环境法课程有助于完善资源环境类专业的学科体系;（3）开设资源与环境法课程有利于大学生参与保护环境的实践活动;（4）开设资源与环境法课程有助于学生了解常识;（5）资源环境法课程的开设有利于丰富教学授课形式等5个方面论证了其意义性。     

防空监视网络传感器资源分配的最优化

针对防空监视网络的传感器管理问题,讨论了传感器资源分配的最优化方法。提出了把传感器资源分配问题映射为多代理系统分布约束最优化问题的解决策略,设计了基于约束代价下界搜索的异步分枝定界最优化算法,实现了传感器资源分配问题最优解的异步并行搜索,给出的仿真实例说明了传感器资源分配最优化方法的有效性。     

引入价格因素的网络资源分配模型与算法实现

引入价格因素,针对网络资源分配提出PE-EMRA网络资源分配模型,并给出算法实现。PE-EMRA模型综合考虑带宽、缓冲等多种网络资源,调节并限制各业务类流量,使系统总效率最大化。该方法可有效提高资源利用率,提供服务质量保证,并具有配置灵活、实现代价小等特点。     

边消警文献信息资源保障体系建设构想

阐述了边消警文献信息资源保障体系建设的内涵和建设原则,从资源体系建设、服务体系建设、网络平台建设和保障体系建设等四方面对边消警文献信息资源保障体系建设的内容进行了探讨.     

Life distribution analysis based on Lévy subordinators for degradation with random jumps

For a component or a system subject to stochastic degradation with sporadic jumps that occur at random times and have random sizes, we propose to model the cumulative degradation with random jumps using a single stochastic process based on the characteristics of Lévy subordinators, the class of nondecreasing Lévy processes. Based on the inverse Fourier transform, we derive a new closed‐form reliability function and probability density function for lifetime, represented by Lévy measures. The reliability function derived using the traditional convolution approach for common stochastic models such as gamma degradation process with random jumps, is revealed to be a special case of our general model. Numerical experiments are used to demonstrate that our model performs well for different applications, when compared with the traditional convolution method. More importantly, it is a general and useful tool for life distribution analysis of stochastic degradation with random jumps in multidimensional cases. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 483–492, 2015