Seeing famines: An exploration of the spatial dimensions of severe hunger crises

Abstract

Famines can take various spatial forms, from sieges of single villages to transcontinental crises. Yet there has been little systematic study and conceptualization of their spatial dimensions, leading to confusion about where they are happening or will likely happen at a time of heightened risk globally. This paper helps to address this gap. It proposes that famines occur either in geographically wide-ranging ‘clusters’ of crises sharing common drivers or as stand-alone ‘singulars’ contained in delimited areas. It then makes a series of distinctions within these broader categories, classifying crises on a spectrum from closed to open, providing a vocabulary for describing spatial elements, and identifying a typology of common profiles. It applies the terminology and typology to a range of historical and contemporary crises. While recognizing the fundamental importance of political factors in causation, as well as some of the challenges in applying this approach, the paper argues that a clearer understanding of the spatial dimensions and logic of these crises can improve attempts to identify, respond to, and prevent famines in the future.