The focus is on land use, environmental change and on interactions between social and biophysical disciplines. The overall aim of PLATINA is to foster inter-disciplinary efforts in these fields of research, mainly in Africa, through collaboration between geography and other disciplines.
A common theme for research in the PLATINA network is to add an empirically based long term dimension to current issues of interactions between climate, human societies and their resource use. This research environment is in a unique position to
- bridge the gap between natural and human/social sciences
- break with a myopic and Eurocentric view on African environments
- challenge a general lack of understanding of historical processes that -characterises much environmental research on the continent.
The PLATINA network was initiated with funding from SIDA 2001 to 2007 and now continues as an informal network for researchers at the two departments and their contacts at other departments, nationally and globally.
