Martin C. Lukas
About
My research explores material, social, and political dimensions of land and natural resource use. It analyses changes in and conflicts over land and resource use, access, and control and links these dynamics with broader political-economic developments and questions of sustainability and justice.
I incorporate historical trajectories and work across scales, utilizing a broad range of research methods. These include qualitative interviews across political levels, focus groups, observation, transect walks, mapping, remote sensing, and historical cartographic analysis.
I aim at fostering political change and sustainability transformations through engaged research and science-policy interfaces.
My core research interests include:
Land use (change), land tenure, land conflicts
Natural resource use, resource access and control, resource conflicts
Informal mining
Resource and environmental governance
Environmental justice
Conflicts over nature conservation
Geographies of the Global South, Geographies of development
Publications
International peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and monographies
Werner, T.T., Toumbourou, T.; Maus, V., Lukas, M.C., Sonter, L.J., Muhdar, M. (2023). Patterns of infringement, risk, and impact driven by coal mining permits in Indonesia. Ambio, 53:242–256, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01944-y.
Lukas, M.C. (2022). Agrarian reform movement in the Betung Kerihun National Park. Mobilisation of communities against nature protection in Kalimantan, Chapter 16, In: Tindall, D., Stoddart, M.C.J., Dunlap, R.E. (eds.): Handbook of Anti-environmentalism, Edward Elgar Publishing, 304-328, https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839100222.00028.
Jennerjahn, T.C., Baum, A., Damar, A., Flitner, F., Heyde, J., Jänen, I., Lukas, M.C., Lukman, M., Nugrahadi, M.S., Rixen T., Samiaji, J., Schröder, F. (2022): Human interventions in rivers and estuaries of Java and Sumatra, In: Jennerjahn, T.C., Rixen T., Irianto, H.E. & Samiaji, J. (eds.): Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems (SPICE), pp 45-82, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815050-4.00002-X.
Jennerjahn, T.C., Ardli, E.R., Boy, J., Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., Nordhaus, I., Sastranegara, M.H., Schwerdtner Mañez, K. and Yuwono, E. (2022): Mangrove ecosystems under threat in Indonesia, In: Jennerjahn, T.C., Rixen T., Irianto, H.E. & Samiaji, J. (eds.): Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems (SPICE), pp 251-284, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815050-4.00004-3.
Vijayan, D., Kaechele, H., Girindran, R., Chattopadhyay, S., Lukas, M.C., Arshad, M. (2021). Tropical forest conversion and its impact on indigenous communities. Mapping forest loss and shrinking gathering grounds in the Western Ghats, India. Land Use Policy, 102, 105133, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.105133.
Lukas, M.C. & Peluso, N.L. (2020). Transforming the classic political forest: Contentious territories in Java. Antipode, 52(4), 971-995, https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12563.
Hapsari, K.A., Jennerjahn, T.C., Lukas, M.C., Karius, V., Behling, H. (2019). Intertwined effects of climate and land use change on environmental dynamics and carbon accumulation in a mangrove‐fringed coastal lagoon in Java, Indonesia. Global Change Biology, 26:1414–1431, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14926.
Dsikowitzky, L., Damar, A., Ferse, S.C.A., Irianto, H.E., Jennerjahn, T.C., Lukas, M.C., Nordhaus, I. Pohlmann, T., Schwarzbauer, J., Sugama, K. and Sumiono, B. (2019): Java Island. In: Sheppard, C.: World Seas: An environmental evaluation, Volume II: The Indian Ocean to the Pacific, 2nd edition, Academic Press, Chapter 21, 459-490, https://doi.org/10.1016/C2015-0-04332-5.
Lukas, M.C. & Flitner, M. (2019). Scalar fixes of environmental management in Java, Indonesia. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 2(3), 565-589, https://doi.org/10.1177/2514848619844769.
Lawer, E.T., Lukas, M.C., Jørgensen, S.H. (2017). The neglected role of local institutions in the ‘resource curse’ debate. Limestone mining in the Krobo region of Ghana. Resources Policy, 54, 43-52, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2017.08.005.
Lukas, M.C. (2017). Widening the scope: Linking coastal sedimentation with watershed dynamics in Java, Indonesia. Regional Environmental Change, 17(3), 901–914, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1058-4.
Lukas, M.C. (2017). Memperluas jangkauan: Menghubungkan sedimentasi pesisir dengan dinamika daerah aliran sungai di Jawa, Indonesia, Regional Environmental Change, 17(3), Online Resource 1.
Lukas, M.C. (2015). Neglected treasures. Linking historical cartography with environmental changes in Java, Indonesia. Cartographica, 50(3), 141-162, https://doi.org/10.3138/cart.50.3.2891.
Lukas, M.C. (2015): Reconstructing contested landscapes. Dynamics, drivers and political framings of land use and land cover change, watershed transformations and coastal sedimentation in Java, Indonesia. Doctoral thesis, University of Bremen, Germany, https://elib.suub.uni-bremen.de/edocs/00106383-1.pdf.
Lukas, M.C. (2014). Cartographic reconstruction of historical environmental change. Cartographic Perspectives 78, 5-24, https://doi.org/10.14714/CP78.1218.
Karstens, S. & Lukas, M.C. (2014). Contested aquaculture development in the protected mangrove forests of the Kapuas Estuary, West Kalimantan. Geoöko, 35, 78-121, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270885475_Contested_aquaculture_development_in_the_protected_mangrove_forests_of_the_Kapuas_estuary_West_Kalimantan
Lukas, M.C. (2014). Eroding battlefields: Land degradation in Java reconsidered. Geoforum, 56, 87-100, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.06.010.
Lukas, M.C. (2013). Political transformation and watershed governance in Java: Actors and interests. In: Muradian, R. & Rival, L.M. (eds.), Governing the provision of ecosystem services (pp. 111-132), Dordrecht, New York: Springer, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5176-7_6.
Lukas, M.C., Julia, Radjawali, I., Flitner, M., & Pye, O. (2012). The conflict-laden multi-functionality of the Kapuas River in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies, 5(2), 359-368, https://doi.org/10.4232/10.ASEAS-5.2-12.
Schwerdtner Máñez Costa, K., Máñez Costa, M., & Lukas, M.C. (2009). Volcanic eruptions and the forgotten pearls. Ocean & Coastal Management, 52(3-4), 229-232, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2008.12.006.
Lukas, M. (2007). The effects of organic agriculture on the livelihoods of farmers in Gujarat, India. Diplomarbeit, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen.
Lukas, M., & Steinhilper, D. (2005). Living conditions in the Gunung Sewu karst region (Java, Indonesia). The example of the community of Dadapayu. Werkstattpapiere, Institut für Geographie der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (Vol. 13). Wettenberg: Herrmann J&J-Verlag.
Policy papers and public outreach publications
Lukas, M.C. (2018). Narrow views: Struggles to protect a shrinking coastal lagoon in Java. In: Hempel, G., Hempel, I., Hornidge, A.-K. (eds.): Scientific partnership for a better future. Bremen’s research along tropical coasts. Falkenberg, 115-118.
Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., Flitner, M. (2017). Pembayaran Jasa Lingkungan: Instrumen baru untuk mengatasi masalah lingkungan berkepanjangan di daerah aliran sungai dan pesisir di Indonesia? Naskah Kebijakan. artec-Paper 214, Sustainability Research Center (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/591.
Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., Flitner, M. (2017). Payments for Environmental Services: A new instrument to address long-standing problems? Policy Paper. artec-Paper 213, Sustainability Research Center (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/592.
Lukas, M.C. (2017). Konservasi daerah aliran sungai di Pulau Jawa, Indonesia: Terjebak dalam konflik sumberdaya hutan. artec-Paper 212, Sustainability Research Center (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/597.
Lukas, M.C. (2017). Verengter Blick: Über Versuche, eine Lagune auf Java vor der Verlandung zu bewahren. In: Hempel, G., Hempel, I., Hornidge, A.-K. (eds.): Klüger nutzen – besser schützen. Bremer Forschung an tropischen Küsten. Falkenberg, 119-122.
Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., & Flitner, M. (2012). Payments for Environmental Services in Indonesia: A review of watershed-Related Schemes. artec-Paper 186, Research Center for Sustainability Studies (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/663.
Lukas, M.C., Heyde, J., & Flitner, M. (2012). Umweltmythen und umkämpfte Ressourcen. Die Politische Ökologie einer verschwindenden Lagune auf Java. Impulse aus der Forschung, Das Autorenmagazin der Universität Bremen, 2/2012, 14–17.
Lukas, M. & Cahn, M. (2008). Organic agriculture and rural livelihoods in Karnataka, India. Cultivating the future based on Science. Proceedings of the second scientific conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), Volume 2, 476-479.