The GLP & ERC 677140 MIDLAND project (Developing middle-range theories linking land use displacement, intensification, and transitions) held a joint workshop “Middle-range theory development in land system science: Beyond box-and-arrows frameworks” this past March 29-31 in Weggis. Led by SSC members Patrick Meyfroidt and Rinku Roy Chowdhury, the workshop aimed to stimulate theoretical thinking in the LSS community, in particular on theories explaining some of the major processes in land systems including land use expansion, intensification, transitions and displacement.