Network database design for conflict and post-conflict Land Tenure Information Systems (LTIS)

Abstract

The paper presents the Talking Titler Network (TTN) database design for land records in complex situations. In conflict and post-conflict situations, conventional land record database models are limited in how they can handle the complex constellations of interests in particular land units. One solution is a network database model that can capture multiple, overlapping and layered tenure relationships in a changing environment which can be augmented by data mining and social network analysis to overcome the limitations of the relational data model in handling complex, competing evidence. The Triple Store graph database development system and its ontology languages were used to design and develop the TTN prototype. The authors’ observations from the Gaza Strip, an ongoing conflict situation, and Somaliland, a post-conflict situation, were used as illustrative contexts. The test results show that graph database flexibly captured, described, and automatically revealed tenure patterns. TTN simplified the complexity of tenure relationships among objects by organizing them into sets of connected triples, revealing tenure relationships, and visualizing tenure information as a graph network, and as a table. The initial design shows promise in capturing and revealing relationships in complex, contested tenure scenarios.