Research

My research focuses on large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) in the Global South. Based on experiences from Mozambique, I analyze the processes through which LSLAs take place, and the implications of LSLAs to households and family farmers in general. My findings speak to democratic deficits that hinder community consultations from being forums of inclusion and negotiation between local communities and investors. Thus, in practice, LSLAs often represent the grabbing of family farmers’ land, in line with the rationale of increasing agricultural efficiency. In approaching the implications of LSLAs, gender is central since although land deprivation affects family farmers in general, it hits stronger the individuals and households with limited off-farm livelihoods (generally women and women-headed households). Central words and concepts are therefore: large-scale land acquisitions, community consultations, land rights/control, national and international frameworks on land rights, gender, livelihoods.

In addition to the research above, together with colleagues I am starting a Formas-financed project that seeks to investigate experiences from indigenous community-based ecotourism in Brazil, Ecuador e Mozambique. Central words and concepts are: indigenous land rights, empowerment, socio-environmental Justice.

Teaching

In the current year (2021), in addition to teaching in the course “Environment and Development”, I am responsible for (and do most of the teaching in) the following courses at :

• Thesis Essay (C-Uppsats)
• Migration Processes
• Development Theories
• Research Design

For publications see also: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Juliana-Porsani