Urs Geiser Ph.D.

Division of Human Geography and Development Study Group (DSGZ) Department of Geography University of Zurich - Irchel Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zurich Switzerland room: 25 L 30 email: urs.geiser@geo.uzh.ch tel:     +41 44 635 51 65 fax:    +41 44 635 68 44

                     Most recent publications:   

Professional education and activities

• Since 2005: Visiting Fellow, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, SDPI, Islamabad, Pakistan (here)
• Since 1998: Member of the Department's  Development Study Group
• Since 1993: Senior Researcher and Lecturer, Department of Geography, University of Zurich
• 1992: Ph.D. in Human Geography; University of Zurich
• 1989 - 1992: Lecturer, Department of Geography, Zurich University
• 1983 - 1990: Project Backstopper and Consultant (planning, evaluation, backstopping of rural development projects in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.)
• 1978 - 1982: Project leader of the Sri Lanka - Swiss Remote Sensing Project, Colombo, Sri Lanka (for Swiss Development Co-operation SDC)
• 1976 - 1977: Project collaborator in the Yemen-Swiss Airphoto Interpretation Project, Sanaa,Yemen Arab Republic (for  SDC)
• 1975: M.Sc. Geography, University of Zurich

Regional focus and overviews

• Pakistan (esp. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
• Switzerland
• India (esp. Kerala) 

Interviews on my work:

• GeoAgenda (2010): NCCR-N-S: Interview mit Urs Geiser zu Entwicklungspolitik. GeoAgenda 1/2010: 16 - 1. Download 1/2010 from here  or from ZORA 
  
• Würsten, F. (2006): Am Puls der weiten Welt. Interview/article with Ulrike Müller-Böker and Urs Geiser. UNIMAGAZIN, October 2006, 34-37. Download the article. (article)
• Interview; in CDS Chronicle Oct-Dec 2005; Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. download from here
  

Teaching  

• Humangeographie II (Bachelor level)
• Theorien und Debatten der Entwicklungsforschung (Master level)
• Supervision of Bachelor, Master and Doctoral students
  
  

Current Research projects

• Contested rural development - new perspectives on social mobilisation / movements and the politics of livelihood-centred policies; see project homepage    
  
• Poverty-oriented development policy beyond 2015 and MDG-1; see project homepage  
• Forests, livelihoods and power relations in North-West Pakistan; see research homepage
  
• Adaptive governance of natural hazards – the implementation of risk maps (Gefahrenkarten) in Switzerland; see project homepage
  
  

Recently concluded research projects

• Who defines and practices 'rural development' in North-West Pakistan? see research homepage
• Decentralisation, social movements and natural resource management in Latin America and South Asia; see project homepage 
• Combining river flood protection and nature protection in Switzerland: Negotiating institutional change between the logic of planning and societal praxis; see the project homepage
  
• Coping strategies in the Western Ghats (Kerala, South India): Threats and opportunities of economic globalisation and state decentralisation; see details
  

Contested rural development – state decentralisation, social mobilisation / movements and rural livelihoods  Some publications are accessible through ZORA (Zurich Open Repository and Archive)

Submitted

• Geiser U.: Producing civil society, ignoring rivaj – donors and development interventions in Swat. In: Marsden M. et al (eds): Rethinking the Swat Pathan (book chapter)
  
  
• Steimann B., Geiser U.: Towards beneficial access to land-based resources – a Policy Brief. Submitted to Global Sustainability Panel (policy paper)

Journal articles

• Geiser, U. (in press 2012): Reading political contestation in Pakistan’s Swat valley – From deliberation to ‘the political’ and beyond. Geoforum (2012), doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2011.12.007; see here

• Geiser, U. (2007): 'Zivilgesellschaft' in Pakistan – Zur Schwierigkeit der Lokalisierung eines spezifischen sozialen Raumes in fragilen postkolonialen Verhältnissen. Asiatische Studien AS/EA LXI, 4, 2007: 1183-1200. see this journal edition  or access through ZORA

• Geiser, U. (2006): Civil society need not speak English. D+C, Development and Cooperation, Vol. 33, Nr.8/9. Frankfurt, download here    

• Geiser, U. (2006): Zivilgesellschaft ohne Englischkenntnisse. E+Z, Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit. Vol. 33, Nr.8/9. Frankfurt, download here
  
  
• Véron, R., Strasser, B. , Geiser, U. (2004): Globalisierung und Agrarproduktmärkte in Kerala. Das Beispiel Cashew und Kautschuk. Geographische Rundschau 11/2004, p. 18-24.

• Geiser U. (2001): Einleitung. Geographische Forschungen in Asien. Themenheft. Asiatische Studien/Etudes asiatiques 55(3): 573-576.

• Geiser, U. (1995): Indigenous resource management and external development interventions in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka: from conflicts to synergies? GeoJournal 35.2: 185-196

Books

• Geiser U, Rist S. (editors, 2009): Decentralisation Meets Local Complexity: Local Struggles, State Decentralisation and Access to Natural Resources in South Asia and Latin America. Perspectives of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South, University of Bern, Vol. 4. Bern: Geographica Bernensia see the book or access through ZORA

• Flury, M., Geiser, U. (eds. 2002): Local environmental management in a North-South perspective. Issues of participation and knowledge management. vdf Zurich and IOS Press, Amsterdam; see the book
  
  
• Geiser U. (1992): Oekologische Probleme als Folge von Konflikten zwischen endogenen und exogen geprägten Konzepten der Landressourcen-Bewirtschaftung; zur Diskussion um Landnutzungsstrategien und ökologisches Handeln im ländlichen Raum der Dritten Welt am Beispiel Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka Studies Vol. V, Geographisches Institut Universität Zürich

Book sections

• Geiser U, Müller-Böker U, Shahbaz B, Steimann B, Thieme S. (2011): Towards an analytical livelihoods perspective in critical development research. In: Wiesmann U, Hurni H, editors; with an international group of co-editors. Research for Sustainable Development: Foundations, Experiences, and Perspectives. Perspectives of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South, University of Bern, Vol. 6. Bern, Switzerland: Geographica Bernensia, pp 257–271. Download here   

• Geiser U, Bottazzi P, Epprecht M, Fokou G, Fritschi A, Ramakumar R, Shahbaz B, Steimann B, Strasser B. (2011): Access to livelihood assets: Inclusion, exclusion, and the reality of development interventions. In: Wiesmann U, Hurni H, editors; with an international group of co-editors. Research for Sustainable Development: Foundations, Experiences, and Perspectives. Perspectives of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South, University of Bern, Vol. 6. Bern, Switzerland: Geographica Bernensia, pp 313–330. Download here   

• Shahbaz B, Vinod CP, Geiser U, Sadaf T, Schärer L, Müller-Böker U. (2010): Access to livelihood assets: Insights from South Asia on how institutions work. In: Hurni H, Wiesmann U, editors; with an international group of co-editors. Global Change and Sustainable Development: A Synthesis of Regional Experiences from Research Partnerships. Perspectives of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South, University of Bern, Vol. 5. Bern, Switzerland: Geographica Bernensia, pp 283–297.  download from ZORA       
  
  
• Geiser U., Rist S. (2009): Decentralisation meets local complexity: Conceptual entry points, field-level findings and insights gained. In: Geiser U, Rist S, editors. Decentralisation Meets Local Complexity: Local Struggles, State Decentralisation and Access to Natural Resources in South Asia and Latin America. Perspectives of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South, University of Bern, Vol. 4. Bern: Geographica Bernensia, 
  pp 15–55. see the book with the article; or  access though ZORA
  
  
• Geiser, U. (2005): The urgency of (not necessarily) policy-oriented research – the example of power devolution and natural resource management in North-West Pakistan. In: SDPI (eds.): Sustainable Development: Bridging the Research/Policy Gaps in Southern Contexts. Oxford University Press, Karachi, and Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, p. 67-76. See the book

• Müller-Böker, U., D. Geiger, U. Geiser, V. Kansakar, M. Kollmair, K. Molesworth and A. Suleri (2004): Sustainable Development in Marginal Regions of South Asia. In: Hurni H., Wiesmann U., Schertenleib R. (2004): North-South Perspectives. Research for Mitigating Syndromes of Global Change. A Transdisciplinary Appraisal of Selected Regions of the World to Prepare Development-Oriented Research Partnerships. Perspectives of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South. p. 225-261.
  
  
• Geiser U., Müller-Böker U. (2003): Gemeinschaft, Zivilgesellschaft und Staat als sozialer Kontext des Lebensalltags in den Bergen Nepals und Pakistans. In: Jeanneret, F., Wastl-Walter, D., Wiesmann, U. & Schwyn, M.: Welt der Alpen - Gebirge der Welt: Ressourcen, Akteure, Perspektiven. Verlag Paul Haupt: Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: p. 91-104. access through ZORA

• Geiser U. (2003): Civil society, community participation, and the search for sustainable development: Questioning the categories and underlying concepts of a popular discourse. In: SDPI (eds. 2003): Sustainable Development and Southern Realities - Past and Future in South Asia. Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan, and City Press Karachi: p.197-211

• Geiser, U. (2002): Knowledge, knowledge management, and sustainable natural resource use: An introduction. In: Flury, M., Geiser, U. (eds.) 2002: Local environmental management in a North-South perspective. Issues of participation and knowledge management. vdf Zurich and IOS Press, Amsterdam: p.157-180

• Geiser U., Kollmair, M., Meier, T. & Müller-Böker, U. (2001): Akteure, Institutionen, Macht und “Natur” in Süd- und Südostasien. In: Forschungspartnerschaft mit Entwicklungsländern. Eine Herausforderung für die Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften. SAGW und KFPE, Bern: p.63-72.

• Backhaus, N., U. Geiser and M. Kollmair (2000): Editoral zu: Institutionelle Regelungen im Konfliktfeld «Naturschutz und Entwicklung». In: Reader zur Tagung des Geographischer Arbeitskreis Entwicklungstheorien.: 3/1-3/7

• Geiser U. (1997): Ist das "Andere" wirklich anders? Fragen an die Dichotomisierung von modernem und traditionellem Wissen am Beispiel der Landbewirtschaftung in Sri Lanka. In: Steiner D. (Hrsg. 1997): Mensch und Lebensraum, Fragen zu Identität und Wissen; Westdeutscher Verlag Opladen, 1997: p. 207-232.
  

Papers, reports, presentations (selection)  

• Geiser U. (2011): ‘Governance’ between Developmental Ideal and Everyday Realities – The Urgency of Understanding State-Society Relations in the Postcolonial Context of North-West Pakistan. SDPI's Fourteenth Sustainable Development Conference 13-15 December 2011, Islamabad, Pakistan. see abstract  (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2011): Re-politicising development studies – evidence from South Asia. Presentation at Workshop on P/political & critical Geographies in Switzerland, University of Bern, March 10-11, 2011 (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2011):  Contemporary challenges to rural development. Presentation at International Symposium on Rural Development and Food Security, January 15, 2011, Agricultural University Faisalabad, Pakistan. See here  (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2010): Urbane Erwartungen, ländliche Traditionen – Spannungsfelder der "Entwicklung" in Nordwest-Pakistan. Presentation at Geographisch-Ethnographische Gesellschaft Zurich, September 29, 2010. (paper presentation)
  
  
• Geiser U. (2010): Ländliche Entwicklung in Nordwest-Pakistan: Diskrepanzen
  zwischen urbanem Staat und ländlicher Bevölkerung. Ostschweizerische Geographische Gesellschaft, St. Gallen, September 27, 2010. (presentation)
  
  
• Geiser U. (2010): Producing civil society, ignoring rivaj – donors and development interventions in Swat. Conference on Rethinking the Swat Pathan, SOAS, London, June 11-12, 2010, see here  (paper presentation)   
  
  
• Geiser U. (2010): Subaltern resistance, the unruly margin, religious fundamentalism? Multiple readings of the Swat conflict in North-West Pakistan – and their blurring. Margins and marginality: Pakistani state and societies. Pakistan Workshop, 7-9th May 2010, Rook Howe, the Lake District, England (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2009): Contested visions of 'development': Reading Talibanisation in Northwest Pakistan through notions of (multiple) resistance – and the moral challenge of taking a stance. Paper presented at "Space, Contestation and the Political: a Workshop on Planning, Development and Resistance", ETHZ Zurich 12-13 February 2009 (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2009): Subalterns - multiple modernists - or just religious fanatics? Reading the 'Talibanisation' of the Swat valley, northwest Pakistan, through notions of 'development'. January 15, 2009, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh; see here. (presentation)
  
  
• Geiser U. (2008): Key drivers of ecosystem change and poverty impacts. National workshop on ecosystem services and poverty alleviation in South Asia (ESPASSA): Pakistan Situation Analysis. January 21, 2008, Islamabad, Pakistan. See newspaper clipping (presentation)

• Geiser U., Ramakumar R. (2008): "Bringing the state back into rural development" - Insights from South Asia. Paper presented at the International Conference on Research for Development (ICRD 2008), July 3, 2008, Berne. See conference reader  (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2008): Who defines 'development' in North-West Pakistan – reading recent conflicts between 'Taliban' and the modern nation state through notions of multiple modernities. International EIDOS (European Inter-University Development Opportunities Study-Group) conference on "The Ends of Development: Market, morality, religion, political theology?"  VU University Amsterdam, 19-20 June, 2008  see conference (presentation)
  

• Geiser U. (2008): Talibans or 'Local Civil Society'? – Questioning recent Struggles in the "Social Space between Household and the State" in Swat, Northwest Pakistan. Paper presented at British Association of South Asian Studies (BASAS) 22nd Annual Conference, University of Leicester, UK, March 26-29, 2008; Panel on 'Local civil society': an expression of alternative development practices and visions? (panel organiser: Urs Geiser); see abstracts (presentation)
  

• Geiser, U. (2006): Who represents civil society in the northern NWFP? – Thoughts on the social space between households and state. Seminar, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, Pakistan, May 15, 2006. For newspaper reports, see here  (presentation)
    
• Geiser, U. (2006): Who shapes development in North-West Pakistan? Thoughts on the social space between household and state (civil society). BASAS (British Association of South Asian Studies) annual conference, London. April 21, 2006 (presentation)
  
  
• Geiser, Urs (2004): Decentralisation and Livelihoods. NCCR North-South, JACS South Asia Regional Workshop. “From Individual Research to Comparative Debates”. Kathmandu, Nepal, 22.- 24.3. 2004 (presentation)

• Geiser, Urs (2004): Decentralisation and Social Movements. Integrated Training Course 2004 NCCR North-South, Schwarzsee, 01.-06.09.2004 (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2003): Does decentralisation induce sustainable natural resource management – what are the assumptions? Paper presented at the 6th Sustainable Development Conference, SDPI, Islamabad, Pakistan, December 12, 2003 (paper)
  
  
• Geiser U. (2003): Stärken und Schwächen des 'Livelihood Approach'; illustriert an Beispielen aus Pakistan". Vortrag, Institutskolloquium des Geographischen Instituts, Universität Bern, 29.01. 2003 (presentation)

• Waelty S., Tarnutzer A., George P.S., Nair K.N., Geiser U. (1996): Towards an actor-oriented perspective – tentative outline of a research concept for the analysis of change and sustainable development. Workshop on Land use dynamics in Kerala: An actor-oriented approach; October 1996; Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India (report)
  
  
• Geiser U., Nair K.N., George P.S., Waelty S., Tarnutzer A. (1996): Land use dynamics in Kerala; discussing "actor-oriented" and "sustainability-concerned" case studies; Workshop on Land use dynamics in Kerala: An actor-oriented approach; October 1996; Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India (report)
  
  

Co-author of, or contributor to,  policy-oriented publications

• NCCR-North-South (2009): Overcoming ambiguities in decentralisation. Research evidence for policy No. 3, November 2009. With inputs from U. Geiser, R. Ramakumar, S. Rist, D. Ponce. NCCR-North-South, Berne. download here  or from ZORA  

• Intercooperation (2001): Learning from the Kalam Integrated Development Project 1981-1998; Towards sustainable land use and livelihoods in North-West Pakistan. Technical Report. Intercooperation, Peshawar, Pakistan (report)
  
  
• Herweg, K., Steiner, K., Slaats, J. (1998): Sustainable land management. Guidelines for impact monitoring. Working documents for public discussion. Centre for Development and Environment, Berne, for SDC, GTZ, WB
  
  
• CASS (1997): Visionen der Forschenden: Forschung zu Nachhaltigkeit und globalem Wandel – wissenschaftspolitische Visionen der Schweizer Forschenden. Konferenz der Schweizerischen Wissenschaftlichen Akademien CASS, Bern
  
  
• SDC-Pakistan (1996): Support concept for Sustainable Land Use in the uplands and foothills of northern Pakistan. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland, Islamabad, Pakistan
  
  
• GTZ (1992): Monitoring und Evaluierung in Projekten der Technischen Zusammenarbeit. Schriftenreihe der GTZ, Nr. 229. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH, Eschborn, Deutschland
  
  
• DEH (1990): Externe Evaluation von Entwicklungsprojekten. Reihe Arbeitshilfen zu Planung, Evaluation, Monitoring und Umsetzung. Direktion für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit und humanitäre Hilfe, Bern
  
  
• George P.S., Nair K.N., Strebel B., Unnithan N.R., Waelty S. (eds. Geiser U., Waelty S. 1989): Policy options for cattle development in Kerala. Kerala Livestock Development Board, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India; and Intercooperation, Bern
  (also published in Malayalam)

Forest governance and power relations Some publications are accessible through ZORA (Zurich Open Repository and Archive)

Submitted

• Babar Shahbaz, Urs Geiser and Abid Q. Suleri (eds.): Forests, livelihoods and power relations in North-West Pakistan (book in final editing stage)

Journal articles

• Geiser, U. (2006): "Euer Recht gilt in unserem Wald nicht" – Zur entwicklungspolitischen Brisanz kolonialer Geschichte im Nordwesten Pakistans. Geographische Rundschau Vol. 58, Nr. 10. see summary

• Geiser, U. (2006): Entwicklungsinterventionen und die Macht lokaler Alltagspraxis – das Beispiel der Waldnutzung in Pakistan. Geographica Helvetica, Jg. 61, 1/2006: 4-12
  
  
• Geiser, U., Steimann, B. (2004): State actors' livelihoods, acts of translation, and forest sector reforms in northwest Pakistan. Contemporary South Asia, December 2004, 13(4): 437-448.  see article  or download through ZORA

• Geiser U. (1997): Entwaldung und Landgewinnung, Diskurse und Macht: Zur sozialen Dynamik der Landnutzung in Kerala. In: Asiatische Studien/Etudes asiatiques, Zeitschrift der Schweizerischen Asiengesellschaft, LI, 4, 1997, S. 897 – 904

Book sections

• Suleri A.Q., Shahbaz B., Geiser U. (2008): Forest related interventions and the stakeholders of forests in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. In: SDPI (2008): Sustainable solutions: a spotlight on South Asian Research. Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, and SAMA Publishers, Karachi, Pakistan: 3 - 26;  access though ZORA  

• Geiser, U. (2006 / 2005): Contested Forests in North-West Pakistan: The Bureaucracy between the ‘Ecological’, the ‘National’, and the Realities of a Nation’s Frontier. In: Cederloef G. and Sivaramakrishnan K (eds): Ecological Nationalisms – Nature, Livelihoods and Identities in South Asia. 
  (2006) Culture, Place and Nature Series. University of Washington Press, Seattle, USA. p. 90-111; see book
  (2005) Permanent Black, New Delhi: p.90-111; see Permanent Black

• Geiser U. (2001): Reading 'participation in forest management' through 'modern' and 'post-modern' concepts, or: where to start normative debates. In: Tovey H., Blanc M. (eds. 2001): Food, nature and society; rural life in late modernity. Ashgate Publishing Ltd Aldershot England: p. 209-231  see details

• Geiser U. (2001): To 'participate' with whom, for what (and against whom): forest fringe management along the Western Ghats in Southern Kerala. In: Vira B., Jeffery R. (eds. 2001): Analytical issues in participatory natural resource management. Palgrave New York: p. 19-36  see details

• Geiser U. (1998): Die "soziale Produktion" der Waldgrenze entlang der Western Ghats in Kerala,  Südindien: Analyseansatz und erste Einblicke. In: Kohlhepp G. und M. Coy (Hrsg. 1998): Mensch-Umwelt-Beziehungen und nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Dritten Welt. Tübinger Geographische Studien, Heft 119: p. 209-240 

• Egli Ch., Lietha A., Geiser U. (1997): Every participation process is unique: new experiences in Swiss forest planning. In: Solberg B., Miina S. (eds. 1997): Conflict management and public participation in land management. EFI Proceedings No. 14. European Forest Institute, Joensuu, Finland: p. 225-230
  

Co-author of, or contributor to,  policy-oriented publications

• Geiser U., Shahbaz B. (2009): “Donor-driven” forest governance in northwest Pakistan – challenges and future outlook. In: Carter J., Schmidt K., Robinson P., Stadtmüller T., Arjumand Niza (2009): Forests, landscapes and governance: multiple actors, multiple roles. Helvetas, SDC and Intercooperation, Zurich. download here or access through ZORA

• Geiser U., Shahbaz B. (2009): Vertrauen versetzt Bäume. In: KFPE (2009): Gemeinsam zum Erfolg – Was Forschungspartnerschaften mit Entwicklungsländern bewirken. Akademie der Naturwissenschaften Schweiz (SCNAT), Bern. download here or access through ZORA
  
  
• Geiser U., Shahbaz B. (2009): Trust restores trees. In: KFPE (2009): Cooperating for Success – Benefits of Research Partnerships with Developing Countries. Akademie der Naturwissenschaften Schweiz (SCNAT), Bern. download here or access through ZORA

• Steimann, Bernd & Geiser, Urs (2005): In Pakistans Wäldern gelten viele Gesetze. NZZ Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 29.6.2005 (newspaper article)  download from ZORA

• BUWAL (1996): Neue Wege der forstlichen Planung. Umwelt-Materialien Nr. 45. Bundesamt für Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft, Bern 
  
  
• BUWAL (1996): Handbuch Forstliche Planung. Vollzug Umwelt. Bundesamt für Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft, Bern 
  

Papers, reports, presentations (selection)

• Geiser U. Shahbaz, B. (2008): 'Donor-driven' forest governance in Northwest Pakistan – challenges and future outlook. International workshop on “forests, landscape and governance – the roles and responsibilities of bilateral and multilateral cooperation”. Interlaken, Switzerland, October 29-30, 2008 (presentation)

• Shahbaz B, U. Geiser and A. Q. Suleri (2007): Forest related interventions and the stakeholders of forests in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Paper for 10th Sustainable Development Conference, SDPI, Islamabad, Panel 2: Development Interventions and the Poverty-Environment Nexus. See the abstract  (paper)

• Geiser, U. (2006): From critical analysis of forest destruction to pathways for sustainable forestry in NWFP – a challenge to research, Ninth Sustainable Development Conference, Islamabad, Pakistan. See the abstract (presentation) 

• Geiser, U. (2005): Euer Recht gilt in unserem Wald nicht – zur aktuellen Brisanz kolonialer Geschichte im Nordwesten Pakistans. Pakistan-Kolloquium, Zentrum für Entwicklungsländer-Forschung, Freie Universität Berlin. Berlin. 25.10.2005 (presentation)
  
  
• Geiser, U. (2005): Forests, livelihoods and power. Introduction to the workshop. Workshop of the NCCR Pakistan Research Group. Islamabad, Pakistan. 05.05.2005 (presentation)
  
  
• Geiser, U. (2005): Understanding the practice – not discourse – of ‚forest sector reforms‘: Interactions between state, local people and donors through a livelihood perspective. NADEL Postgraduate Course on Livelihoods. NADEL-ETHZ (presentation)
  
  
• Geiser, U. (2005): "Euer Recht gilt in unserem Wald nicht – zur aktuellen Brisanz kolonialer Geschichte im Nordwesten Pakistans". Geographische Gesellschaft Ostschweiz 24.1.05 / Geographische Gesellschaft Bern 25.1.05 / Geographisch-Ethnographische Gesellschaft, Zürich, Zürich. 26.01.2005  (presentation)

• Geiser, Urs (2004): State Laws and rivaj exist, but what about Enforcement. Debating Forest Institutions and their Structural Intentions in North-West Pakistan. Seventh Sustainable Development Conference of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan, 9.12.2004 (presentation)

• Geiser, Urs (2004): Die Macht der (lokalen) Praxis, die (Ohn)macht der 'Entwicklungsprojekte' – Gedanken am Beispiel des Forstsektors in Pakistan. Geographischer Arbeitskreis Entwicklungstheorien, Fachtagung zu Macht, Ethik und Wissenschaft. Bochum, 15.-17.10.2004 (presentation)

• Geiser, Urs (2004): State actors livelihoods and acts of Translation, or: Why Forest Sector Reforms in North-West Pakistan do not find their way to the Forests. Seventh Sustainable Development Conference of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan, 10.12.2004 (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2004): Concern for forests – or concern for livelihoods? Impressions from North-West Pakistan. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of BASAS (British Association for South Asian Studies), University of East Anglia, Norwich, 5-7 April 2004 (presentation)

• Geiser, Urs (2003): Waldnutzung und Lebensunterhalts-Sicherung in Nordwest-Pakistan: Lokale Realitäten und die Visionen der EZA. Vortrag am Geographischen Institut, Universität Bern, 16.05. 2003. (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2002): "Civil society participation and the search for 'sustainable forest management': Questioning the categories and underlying concepts of a popular discourse". Paper presented at 5th International Sustainable Development Conference, Islamabad, Pakistan, 1.11.2002 (paper)
  
  
• Geiser U. (2002): "Contested forests in North-West Pakistan: Present-day struggles and the role of the "colonial". Paper presented at Panel 38 (Empire and Nation), 17th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies,  Heidelberg, 13.9.2002 (paper)

• Geiser U. (2001): "Wessen Recht ist richtig, oder: solange dies nicht klar ist, ist die Mafia stark: Konflikte um Waldnutzungs-'Regeln' in Nordwestpakistan". Paper präsentiert an der Tagung "Recht, Rechtswirklichkeit, Rechtsräume", ESSA-Tagung 10.-12.Mai 2001, Bonn (paper)
  
  
• Geiser U. (2000): Working on power: Actors' practices of improving control over forest resources in North-West Pakistan. Paper presented at the 16th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies, Edinburgh, 6 - 9 September 2000 (paper)
  
  
• Geiser U. (1999): "The forest-agriculture - fringe as an arena of social struggles: Participants, alliances and natural resources perceptions in Kerala".
  Poster presentation at 1st Forum for International Agriculture; Conference of the Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research; ETH Zürich 30.3. 1999 (poster)
  
  
• Geiser U. (1999): Nach der Flutkatastrophe: Der Kampf um eine nachhaltigere Waldbewirtschaftung in Pakistan. 179. SANW Jahresversammlung, Luzern, 14.10.1999 (presentation)

• Geiser U. (1998): Die 'Globalisierung' entwicklungspolitischer Diskurse und die (Re)aktionen 'lokaler Zielgruppen': Akteure, Diskurse und (Ueberlebens)strategien am Beispiel der Waldnutzung in Nordpakistan. Tagung des Geographischen Arbeitskreises Entwicklungstheorien, 5.12.1998, Universität Würzburg (presentation)

• Geiser U. (1997): The forest boundary as an arena of social struggles: on the 'social production' of land use along the Western Ghats in Southern Kerala. XIX Indian Geography Congress, 30.12.1997, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India (presentation)

• Geiser U. (1996): "There are no encroachments here"; land use dynamics and land use discourses along the Western Ghats in South Kerala; Workshop on Land use dynamics in Kerala: An actor-oriented approach; October 1996; Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India  (report)

Water governance and participation Some publications are accessible through ZORA (Zurich Open Repository and Archive)

 Journal articles

• Geiser U. (2010): Soziale und politische Herausforderungen der Flut in Pakistan. Geographische Rundschau, Nr. 11, 2010: 66 - 73. See in ZORA
  
  
• Schwank C., Geiser U., Jenni P., Domschky A., Jud A. (2010): Raumplanerische Umsetzungen von Gefahrenkarten fördern und aushandeln. Geosciences Actuel Nr. 1, 2010, Swiss Academy of Sciences, Bern: 18 - 21. See in ZORA 

• Domschky A., Jenni P., Jud A., Geiser U., Schwank C., Loat R. (2010): Planerische Strategien helfen, Schäden zu vermeiden. Schweizer Gemeinde 1/10. Download from here , or from ZORA

• Geiser, U., Zaugg Stern M., Ejderyan O. (2006): Interessenabwägung durch Partizipation – Erwartungen, Verfahren und Grenzen. Wasser Energie Luft Vol. 98, Heft 4: 321 - 327. see the journal
  
  
• Geiser, U., Zaugg Stern M., Ejderyan O. (2006): "Mitwirkung" im Spannungsfeld kreativer Initiativen und eingrenzender Realitäten – zur Wichtigkeit der Analyse des sozialen, politischen und historischen Projektkontexts. Ingenieurbiologie Vol. 16, Nr. 3. see the journal

• Kienast, F., Armin, P., Geiser, U. (2004): Wasserbauer werden zu Moderatoren. Kommunalmagazin 10/2004, p. 12-15. See the article

Books

• ZHAW Zentrum Urban Landscape / UZH Geographisches Institut (Eds. 2011): Naturgefahren im Siedlungsraum. Architekturverlag Niggli, Sulgen, 2011. 192 Seiten, über 150 Abbildungen und Pläne, 22 x 27 cm, Klappenbroschur, deutsch, CHF 38.-, Euro (D) 26.50, Euro (A) 27.20, ISBN 978-3-7212-0807-8
  see  http://www.niggli.ch/buecher_e/items.php?cat=1

• Zaugg, Marc, Ejderyan, Olivier & Geiser, Urs  (2004): Normen, Kontext und konkrete Praxis des kantonalen Wasserbaus. Resultate einer Umfrage zu den Rahmenbedingungen der kantonalen Ämter oder Fachstellen für Wasserbau bei der Umsetzung der eidgenössischen Wasserbaugesetzgebung. Schriftenreihe Humangeographie, Bd. 19.

Book sections

• Ejderyan, O., Geiser, U., Zaugg Stern, M. (2006): Stakeholder als sozialwissenschaftliches Konzept: Begrifflichkeit und Operationalisierung. In: Backhaus, N, Müller-Böker, U. (Hrsg.): Gesellschaft und Raum: Konzepte und Kategorien. Schriftenreihe Humangeographie, Band 22, Universität Zürich, Zürich  download from ZORA

• Geiser U., Zaugg M. (2003): Entscheidungsprozesse - Zusammenfassung und Folgerungen aus dem Workshop. In:  ICAS/IHDP: Das Wasser der Alpen - Nutzungskonflikte und Lösungsansätze. Interakademische Kommission Alpenforschung, Bern

Co-author of, or contributor to,  policy-oriented publications

• Jenni P., Domschky A., Jud A., Schwank C., Geiser U., Primas U., Bosshard M. (2009):  Naturgefahren im Siedlungsraum – Planungshilfen zur Umsetzung von Gefahrenkarten. Schlussbericht. KTI Forschungsprojekt. Zentrum Urban Landscape, Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW); Geographisches Institut der Universität Zürich (GIUZ), Winterthur und Zürich  download from here   or from ZORA
  
  
• Schwank C., Geiser U. (2009): Praxishilfe 'Gouvernanz'. Gefahrenkarten erstellen und umsetzen – eine Praxishilfe zu Mitwirkung und Entscheidungsfindung. KTI Forschungsprojekt Naturgefahren im Siedlungsraum. Geographisches Institut, Universität Zürich. Zürich  dowmload from ZORA

• Schwank C., U. Geiser & M. Zaugg Stern (2009): Gouvernanz in der Erstellung und Umsetzung von Gefahrenkarten - Analyse der Regelwerke auf Bundesebene und in den Kantonen Schwyz und St. Gallen. Arbeitspapier im Rahmen des KTI-Forschungsprojekts «Naturgefahren im Siedlungsraum». Geographisches Institut der Universität Zürich; download the working paper from here  or from ZORA

• Geiser, U. (2006): Wessen Wasser? geoscope – Zeitschrift des Fachvereins Geographie der Universität Zürich, Nr. 124, Januar 2006 (article)

• Hostmann, M., Buchecker, M., Ejderyan, O., Geiser, U., Junker, B., Schweizer, S., Truffer, B., Zaugg Stern, M. (2005): Wasserbauprojekte gemeinsam planen. Handbuch für die Partizipation und Entscheidungsfindung bei Wasserbauprojekten. Eawag, WSL, LCH-EPFL, VAW-ETHZ. 48 pp; see the book
  
  
• Hostmann, M., Buchecker, M., Ejderyan, O., Geiser, U., Junker, B., Schweizer, S., Truffer, B., Zaugg Stern, M. (2005): Collective Planning of Hydraulic Engineering Projects. Manual for participation and decision support in hydraulic engineering projects. Download the handbook from here
  
  
• Hostmann, M., Buchecker, M., Ejderyan, O., Geiser, U., Junker, B., Schweizer, S., Truffer, B., Zaugg Stern, M. (2005): Planification concertée des projets d’aménagement de cours d’eau. Manuel pour la participation et la prise de décision dans les projets d’aménagement de cours d’eau. Download the handbook in french from here

Papers, reports, presentations (selection)

• Geiser U. (2012): Herausforderung der Umsetzung Gefahrenkarten. Inputreferat, PLANAT-Plattformtagung: «Instrumente für den Umgang mit Naturgefahren», Aarau, 20. und 21. März 2012

•  Geiser U., Suleri A.Q. (2010): Missing the boat amid floods – On which evidence is planning based and which planning documents are taken as basis for decision-making? The News (Pakistan), November 7, 2010. See here  or in ZORA
  
  
• Geiser U. (2010): Viele Pakistaner kennen keinen Staat. Neue Zürcher Zeitung NZZ, Nr. 237, Oktober 12, 2010. See in ZORA
  
  
• Interview on the floods in Pakistan, Swiss Radio DRS1, September 10, 2010, listen here (Swiss German language)
  
  
• Interview on the floods in Pakistan, Swiss Radio DRS4-NEWS, September 13, 2010, listen here (German language)
  
  
• Geiser U. (2010): Flut in Pakistan - Enorme Langzeitschäden. Uni-News. University of Zurich, September 1, 2010 see the article here  or in ZORA

• Geiser U., Suleri A.Q. (2010): Floods in Pakistan: Socio-political and ' techno-nature'
  challenges – a first glance. National Centre of Competence in Research Partnerships North-South, September 1, 2010. Berne. See article here (under heading "Floods in Pakistan: present conditions and challenges ahead")
  
  
• Geiser, U. (2007): Interessenabwägung durch ‘Mitwirkung’: Erfahrungen, Herausforderungen – und ein Blick auf den Neuen Finanzausgleich (NFA). Vortrag an der Fachtagung "Flussbauliche Massnahmen im Dienste des Hochwasserschutzes, der Umwelt, Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft - Ausschöpfung von Synergien im Rahmen der 3. Rhonekorrektion", EPFL, Lausanne, November 7, 2007. See the ppt (presentation)

• Geiser, U. (2006): “Gemeinsam Lösungen erarbeiten” – Gedanken zur Mitwirkung bei Wasserbauprojekten. Kompetenznetzwerk "Wasser im Berggebiet", Workshop Integrales Einzugsgebietsmanagement, 10.11.2006, Brienz (presentation)

• Geiser, U. (2006): Interessenabwägung durch Partizipation - Erwartungen, Verfahren und Grenzen. Fachtagung Hochwasserschutz. Schweizerischer Wasserwirtschaftsverband. Biel. 20.01.2006 (presentation)
  
  
• Geiser, Urs, Zaugg, Marc, Ejderyan, Olivier (2004): Hochwasserschutz und Flussrevitalisierung: Vielfalt der Ziele – Vielfalt der Stakeholder. Symposium Hochwasserschutz und Flussrevitalisierung: Synergien für Mensch und Umwelt. ETH, Zürich, 13.11.2004 (presentation)

• Ejderyan, Olivier, Geiser, Urs, Zaugg, Marc (2004): Mehr Raum den Fliessgewässern? Institutioneller Kontext, Akteure und Entscheidungsprozesse beim nachhaltigen Hochwasserschutz. Workshop Entscheidungsfindung bei Flussrevitalisierungsprojekten. WSL Birmensdorf, 12.5.2004 (presentation)

• Geiser, Urs, Zaugg, Marc, Ejderyan, Olivier (2004): Projekte als soziale Arena – “Kontextualisierung” als sozialwissenschaftlicher Zugang zum Verständnis von Revitalisierungsprojekten. Freitagsseminar der EAWAG. Dübendorf, 19.5.2004 (presentation)

• Geiser U. (2003): Entscheidfindung in Revitalisierungsprojekten: ein Ueberblick. Paper presented at the Autumn Meeting of the Rhone-Thur Project, Zurich, 03.09.2003 (paper) 

• Ganz, K., U. Geiser and M. Zaugg (2001): Die Suche nach institutionellen Regelungen für die nachhaltige Nutzung von Fliessgewässern in der Schweiz. GeoAgenda 2001(3): 30–32 (article)

© Department of Geography - Update: March 26, 2012