Book excerpt: Bringing together case studies from Europe, Africa and North and South America, this book makes a fresh assessment of the role of the individual and the state in land development. It discusses a range of issues related to land reform, land development and land management, providing a unique reflection of the current state of research. Particular emphasis is laid on the implementation of sustainable processes of land development as an integrated principle of land management. The book examines the rights of the land users and addresses a number of issues relating to sustainability and land development, ranging from emerging land markets and environmental issues, through to natural resource development. The case studies provide practical examples of the application of land reform and land development to land management.