Lina Eklund

Lina has a M.Sc. in Physical Geography and Ecosystem Analysis from Lund University with a focus on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Analysis. Her master thesis was on accessibility to health care in the West Bank, Palestine. She also studied one year at CMES’ master program before she started her current Ph.D. studies at CMES. Lina's research work is part of MECW3.

Current Research

For her Ph.D. dissertation, Lina is researching the relationship between migration and environment in Iraqi Kurdistan. This relationship is researched as a two-way connection, i.e. how environmental problems can be a driver of migration, as well as how migration affects the environment.

An initial field work was conducted during 2011 in Duhok Governorate and has so far resulted in a paper that investigates the contemporary migration patterns to, from and within Duhok Governorate. For more information see publications list.

The current research is now focused on the latest drought period in the area, and how that is related to the migration patterns in Kurdistan region. It involves an investigation of the agricultural development in Duhok and the dependence on natural resources and how that can explain the existing migration patterns.

Other research interests are environment and sustainable development in the Middle East, urban and rural development, accessibility and mobility related to infrastructure and other spatial planning issues.

Publications

Eklund L, Pilesjö P: Migration Patterns in Duhok Governorate, Iraq, 2000-2010, Open Geography Journal (2012)

Eklund L, El-Atrash A: Assessment of Mobility Conditions Using Geographic Information System in the West Bank Territory - The Case of Bethlehem – Ramallah Route, Arab World Geographer (2012)

Eklund L, Mårtensson U: Using GIS to Analyse Accessibility to Health Services in The West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territory (2012), Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal  (2012)

Eklund L: Accessibility to Health Care in the West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territory (2010), Seminar Series nr 189, Institutionen för Geo- och Ekosystemvetenskaper, Enheten för Naturgeografi och Ekosystemanalys, Lunds Universitet  (Master thesis)