Doctoral Dissertation Research in Geography and Regional Science

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Frequent reference is made in the scholarly literature of geography and related fields to the ways in which decision making at a specific site is influenced not only be the characteristics of that site but also by the relationships between that site and other sites, but most analyses of these relationships have been anecdotal and descriptive in nature. This doctoral dissertation research project will systematically analyze how proximity to urban markets affects decisions by Philippine peasant farmers to make investments to increase soil productivity. The hypothesis will be tested that the relationship between investments and market proximity is U-shaped, with maximal investments made at locations that are either close to or far from urban centers, while lower levels of investment are made at intermediate distances. Information from a survey of 225 farm households an analyses of soil samples from fields will be used to determine how proximity to markets and other factors has affected decisions about which crops were planted and what investments were made to improve soil productivity. This project will provide specific means to analyze the potential utility of policies aimed at simultaneously encouraging economic development and maintaining soil quality, but it will have an even more significant impact as a means of distinguishing how characteristics of specific sites are evaluated with respect to relationships with other sites as farmers make locational decisions. The research project also will provide an excellent opportunity for a promising graduate student to expand and refine her basic research skills.