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HMDVA81 Assignment 3
(QUALITY ANSWERS)
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of
the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of
the contents of the document.]
,Exam (elaborations)
HMDVA81 Assignment 3 (QUALITY
ANSWERS) 2025
Course
Research Methodology in Development Studies (HMDVA81)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Handbook of Research Methodology
This document contains workings, explanations and solutions to the
HMDVA81 Assignment 3 (QUALITY ANSWERS) 2025.
describe the literature review strategies you will use in a study attempting to
develop the notion “eco-violence” as a new concept describing the complex
competition for scarce water resources that undergird intergroup clashes in
the Sahel region. In your answer, pay particular attention to the following
issues: How and where you will search for sources for the literature review?
(20 marks)
This is an excellent and highly relevant research topic, as the concept of "eco-violence" provides
a valuable lens through which to analyze complex conflicts. Here is a detailed description of the
literature review strategies for developing this notion, with a specific focus on the Sahel region.
1. Literature Review Strategies
To develop the notion of "eco-violence" as a new concept, a systematic and multi-layered
literature review is essential. The process will involve several stages to ensure comprehensive
coverage and conceptual rigor.
Stage 1: Foundational Scoping Review
This initial stage will establish the landscape of existing research. The goal is to understand how
the concepts of environmental scarcity, resource competition, and conflict are currently framed.
Objective: To identify key debates, theoretical frameworks, and seminal works that link
environmental change (particularly water scarcity) with conflict and violence.
Strategy: Conduct broad searches using keywords like "environmental conflict,"
"climate change and conflict," "resource scarcity and conflict," "water wars," "pastoralist-
farmer conflicts," "Sahel conflict," and "environmental security."
Key authors and theories: I will pay close attention to the works of prominent scholars
in the field, such as Thomas Homer-Dixon (environmental scarcity thesis), Paul Collier
(greed vs. grievance), and others who have contributed to the neo-Malthusian and
, Cornucopian debates on resource scarcity and conflict. I will also explore critical security
studies and political ecology perspectives to challenge state-centric and simplistic
environmental determinist arguments.
Output: A preliminary map of the existing literature, highlighting theoretical gaps and
areas where the concept of "eco-violence" can offer a new contribution.
Stage 2: Conceptual and Thematic Review
This stage will delve deeper into the nuances of the concepts involved, with a specific focus on
the Sahel.
Objective: To understand how "violence" and "environmental factors" are currently
defined and measured in the context of the Sahel. This is where I will begin to build the
components of the "eco-violence" notion.
Strategy:
o Deconstruct "Violence": I will review literature on various forms of violence in
the Sahel, including intercommunal clashes, armed banditry, and state repression.
This will involve searching for terms like "farmer-herder conflict Sahel,"
"communal violence Nigeria," "intergroup clashes Mali," and "armed groups
Burkina Faso." I will also consider the notion of "structural violence" to capture
the slow, attritive harm caused by unequal resource distribution and institutional
failures.
o Deconstruct "Ecology" and "Water Scarcity": I will review studies on the
ecological context of the Sahel, focusing on climate change impacts,
desertification, drought, and hydrological systems. Search terms will include
"climate change Sahel," "Lake Chad basin water scarcity," "transhumance routes,"
and "water resource management Sahel." I will also look at the social and political
dimensions of water, such as access, control, and distribution.
Output: A refined understanding of the complex interplay between environmental
factors and various forms of violence, laying the groundwork for a multi-dimensional
definition of "eco-violence." I will identify how the competition over water, specifically,
acts as a trigger, a multiplier, and a root cause of conflict.
Stage 3: Proposing and Synthesizing the Concept
This is the core stage where I will synthesize the findings from the previous stages to develop the
new concept.
Objective: To formulate a clear and robust definition of "eco-violence" that captures the
complex, multi-causal nature of intergroup clashes over water in the Sahel.
Strategy: I will critically analyze the identified literature, looking for recurring patterns
and connections. This will involve:
o Comparative analysis: Comparing and contrasting different explanations for
conflict in the Sahel, such as those that emphasize ethnicity, weak governance,
climate change, or economic factors.
HMDVA81 Assignment 3
(QUALITY ANSWERS)
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of
the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of
the contents of the document.]
,Exam (elaborations)
HMDVA81 Assignment 3 (QUALITY
ANSWERS) 2025
Course
Research Methodology in Development Studies (HMDVA81)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Handbook of Research Methodology
This document contains workings, explanations and solutions to the
HMDVA81 Assignment 3 (QUALITY ANSWERS) 2025.
describe the literature review strategies you will use in a study attempting to
develop the notion “eco-violence” as a new concept describing the complex
competition for scarce water resources that undergird intergroup clashes in
the Sahel region. In your answer, pay particular attention to the following
issues: How and where you will search for sources for the literature review?
(20 marks)
This is an excellent and highly relevant research topic, as the concept of "eco-violence" provides
a valuable lens through which to analyze complex conflicts. Here is a detailed description of the
literature review strategies for developing this notion, with a specific focus on the Sahel region.
1. Literature Review Strategies
To develop the notion of "eco-violence" as a new concept, a systematic and multi-layered
literature review is essential. The process will involve several stages to ensure comprehensive
coverage and conceptual rigor.
Stage 1: Foundational Scoping Review
This initial stage will establish the landscape of existing research. The goal is to understand how
the concepts of environmental scarcity, resource competition, and conflict are currently framed.
Objective: To identify key debates, theoretical frameworks, and seminal works that link
environmental change (particularly water scarcity) with conflict and violence.
Strategy: Conduct broad searches using keywords like "environmental conflict,"
"climate change and conflict," "resource scarcity and conflict," "water wars," "pastoralist-
farmer conflicts," "Sahel conflict," and "environmental security."
Key authors and theories: I will pay close attention to the works of prominent scholars
in the field, such as Thomas Homer-Dixon (environmental scarcity thesis), Paul Collier
(greed vs. grievance), and others who have contributed to the neo-Malthusian and
, Cornucopian debates on resource scarcity and conflict. I will also explore critical security
studies and political ecology perspectives to challenge state-centric and simplistic
environmental determinist arguments.
Output: A preliminary map of the existing literature, highlighting theoretical gaps and
areas where the concept of "eco-violence" can offer a new contribution.
Stage 2: Conceptual and Thematic Review
This stage will delve deeper into the nuances of the concepts involved, with a specific focus on
the Sahel.
Objective: To understand how "violence" and "environmental factors" are currently
defined and measured in the context of the Sahel. This is where I will begin to build the
components of the "eco-violence" notion.
Strategy:
o Deconstruct "Violence": I will review literature on various forms of violence in
the Sahel, including intercommunal clashes, armed banditry, and state repression.
This will involve searching for terms like "farmer-herder conflict Sahel,"
"communal violence Nigeria," "intergroup clashes Mali," and "armed groups
Burkina Faso." I will also consider the notion of "structural violence" to capture
the slow, attritive harm caused by unequal resource distribution and institutional
failures.
o Deconstruct "Ecology" and "Water Scarcity": I will review studies on the
ecological context of the Sahel, focusing on climate change impacts,
desertification, drought, and hydrological systems. Search terms will include
"climate change Sahel," "Lake Chad basin water scarcity," "transhumance routes,"
and "water resource management Sahel." I will also look at the social and political
dimensions of water, such as access, control, and distribution.
Output: A refined understanding of the complex interplay between environmental
factors and various forms of violence, laying the groundwork for a multi-dimensional
definition of "eco-violence." I will identify how the competition over water, specifically,
acts as a trigger, a multiplier, and a root cause of conflict.
Stage 3: Proposing and Synthesizing the Concept
This is the core stage where I will synthesize the findings from the previous stages to develop the
new concept.
Objective: To formulate a clear and robust definition of "eco-violence" that captures the
complex, multi-causal nature of intergroup clashes over water in the Sahel.
Strategy: I will critically analyze the identified literature, looking for recurring patterns
and connections. This will involve:
o Comparative analysis: Comparing and contrasting different explanations for
conflict in the Sahel, such as those that emphasize ethnicity, weak governance,
climate change, or economic factors.
