Doctoral Dissertation Research: Construction Industry and Rural Communities in Mexico: Changing Agricultural Landscapes at the Rural-Urban Interface

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Urban growth and building are prominent aspects of modern Mexico and create massive demand for mined construction materials. This doctoral dissertation research project uses a human-environment geography approach to examine construction material mining in the Xalapa-Perote region of Central Veracruz, Mexico. Specifically, it situates rural household livelihoods and land use decision making within a broader social, political, and economic context. The impetus for the research is fourfold: 1) construction materials are a pervasive, yet understudied aspect of today's global infrastructure; 2) construction materials are an important link between rural and urban processes; 3) widespread construction material mines have dramatic effects on land use and land use change; and 4) non-agricultural sources of income are increasingly important for rural households. Research methods include structured and semi-structured interviews, land use mapping, archival research, and spatial analysis with the use of aerial photographs and a Geographic Information System. The Xalapa-Perote region is located on the eastern portion of the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt, where diverse geological deposits are the source of numerous types of construction materials. Xalapa, a rapidly growing medium-sized city fuels demand for these materials. The municipality of Perote, an agricultural area located just 48 km from Xalapa, is the main source of one of the most widely used materials in Xalapa. Interviews will provide information about the types of construction materials being used and demanded in the study region, the sources of materials, and the effects of material mining and processing on local decision-making. Land use mapping will reveal the spatial extent of construction material mining and volcanic deposits, and will also be used to estimate the scale of material extraction. Together, these methods will provide in-depth information on the intricacies and outcomes of the construction material mining industry.This study will contribute to the literature in contemporary human-environment geography by: 1) introducing research on an important contemporary topic; 2) advancing research on change occurring at the rural-urban interface; 3) providing information on the use of non-agricultural and non-forest based resources; and 4) advancing our knowledge of off-farm sources of employment. In addition, the research has important implications for rural development policy. Increasingly, development researchers advocate off-farm activities as important targets for development policy. However, over-reliance on macro data sets reduces the efficiency of diagnosing the wide range and most important types of these activities. Addressing the relationship between regional construction material demand and local-level decisions will provide fine-scale data on a globally important off-farm activity. This research will also advance our understanding of the importance of the availability and use of non-agricultural resources in rural communities. As well, because recent urbanization in Mexico has disproportionately occurred in medium-sized cities, the proposed case study in the Xalapa-Perote region will be an important addition to the contemporary urban literature in Mexico. Finally, this Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award provides critical support for a promising student to establish a strong research trajectory as an independent scholar.