Ontological considerations in GIScience

Ontology is a significant research theme in GIScience. While some researchers believe that the progress in GIScience is being directed through an engagement with the concept of ontology, some dismiss it as irrelevant. This paper is aimed at (i) exploring the theoretical and practical roles of ontologies; (ii) making the definitions and terminology explicit; (iii) assessing the applicability of ontology to problems in the geographical domain; and (iv) assessing whether a unified approach to ontology exists in GIScience. The results will be helpful for GIScientists in (i) understanding the validity of employing ontology within their own work, (ii) assessing what operational framework of terms and methods to use for developing their own ontology, and (iii) to assess what existing ontological models are available and applicable within their domain or application. A comprehensive and critical review will also help in identifying the signficant issues and directing future research agenda in GIScience.     

Think globally and act locally: Voices of Chinese human geographers in the international arena

With the help of the mapping software Citespace and based on analysis of international human geographers’ journal outputs in terms of countries of residence, institutions, journals and key topics, this article demonstrates Chinese scholars’ contributions to both top and regional journals in the field. The analysis shows that Anglophone geographers have been leading the development of human geography. It also demonstrates that human geographers have taken a more micro and dynamic perspective to explain environmental and social phenomena, rather than a macro and narrative approach. Scholars tend to focus more on daily life, with research topics such as home, food, body and other micro-material matters. The analysis further finds that emotional geography, geography of embodiment, food geography as well as non-representational theory have drawn increasing attention from researchers. People's perceptions of nature have been constructed through the development and negotiation of social relations. As China becomes more visible internationally in the context of a highly globalized and mobile world, increasing numbers of Chinese geographers have become involved in research on human geography. Some representative scholars and institutions, especially those based in Hong Kong, act as academic leaders by articulating their own voices to tell the unique Chinese story internationally through the publication of their research.     

Knowledge to Action: Investigating Implicit Knowledge Production Models Held Among Forest Science Researchers

Criticisms of conventional knowledge production systems target their inability to address complex issues involving natural resources. In response, several researchers have adopted participatory research methodologies, incorporating more holistic problem-solving approaches that greatly value the knowledge and abilities of stakeholders. This case study explores forest science researchers' engagement strategies with stakeholders and how researchers can incorporate alternative approaches to knowledge production. We conducted semistructured interviews with forest science researchers, asking direct questions about how they define and work with stakeholders. Analysis revealed a great awareness among researchers for the need to cooperate with stakeholders and to incorporate their knowledge and abilities into the research process, as well as lamentations over structural, institutional, and resource limitations inhibiting the adoption of these practices. Our results reveal both how forest science researchers and institutes work with stakeholders and how they can better incorporate these stakeholder engagement methodologies into their research practices.     

中国学者在国际人文地理学界的发声——看世界地理,走中国道路（英文）

With the help of the mapping software Citespace and based on analysis of international human geographers' journal outputs in terms of countries of residence, institutions, journals and key topics, this article demonstrates Chinese scholars' contributions to both top and regional journals in the field. The analysis shows that Anglophone geographers have been leading the development of human geography. It also demonstrates that human geographers have taken a more micro and dynamic perspective to explain environmental and social phenomena, rather than a macro and narrative approach. Scholars tend to focus more on daily life, with research topics such as home, food, body and other micro-material matters. The analysis further finds that emotional geography, geography of embodiment, food geography as well as non-representational theory have drawn increasing attention from researchers. People's perceptions of nature have been constructed through the development and negotiation of social relations. As China becomes more visible internationally in the context of a highly globalized and mobile world, increasing numbers of Chinese geographers have become involved in research on human geography. Some representative scholars and institutions, especially those based in Hong Kong, act as academic leaders by articulating their own voices to tell the unique Chinese story internationally through the publication of their research.     

Gender Issues in the Use of Interviewing as a Research Method*

The open-ended interview is gaining widespread acceptance within human geography as a research method. Frequently, such interviews can provide researchers with a richer account of events than can larger scale, standardized statistical approaches. However, researchers using interviews as part of their information gathering practices need to be aware of the social relations within which the interviews are conducted. In this paper I argue that gender relations are an important dynamic shaping the interview process which can significantly influence the sorts of data obtained using this particular research methodology.     

Researching female sex work: reflections on geographical exclusion, critical methodologies and 'useful' knowledge

Summary Against the backdrop of ongoing debates about the nature of 'critical' geography, this paper considers the importance of intensive, action-oriented and conversational research methodologies in providing a 'Voice' to excluded populations. The distinct contribution of such methods to the understanding of exclusion is illustrated with reference to research on female prostitution, drawing on the author's own experiences as well as those of feminist researchers in health and the social sciences. However, the paper concludes by comparing the emancipatory potential of such qualitative methods with more quantitative approaches, arguing that no one method can be prioritized in the search for 'useful' know.     

Enhancing the effectiveness of policy-relevant integrative research in rural areas

There has been much debate about the importance of policy-relevant research in geography over the last decade. There has also been an increasing recognition by policymakers of the importance of integrative (interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary) approaches to policy-relevant research. However, geographers have been more reluctant than their colleagues in other social and natural sciences to embrace integrative research collaborations. For integrative research to achieve its full potential and to encourage greater participation from the geographical research community, we need to increase our understanding of its potential value, but also some of the challenges that it poses, and how these can be overcome. In this paper, we consider the processes involved in conducting successful integrative research from the perspective of researchers involved in these projects. We base our analysis on the results of a questionnaire survey of international integrative research programmes on environmental issues in rural areas, combined with our own experiences of working in integrative research. We conclude that effective integrative research depends on the establishment of a clear conceptual framework, the use of appropriate temporal and spatial scales in the research, effective language and communication, time and commitment, and trust and respect. We also highlight the value of stakeholder involvement in integrative research to ensure the policy relevance of the work and provide a mechanism to assist with effective knowledge transfer of the results.     

Digital Data-Centric Geography: Implications for Geography's Frontier

The debate regarding geographic information systems (GIS) as tool, toolbox, or science still lingers in geography departments and among geographers. Analysis of geographic information is a vital component of decision making among business, governments, researchers, and academics. GIS users, geographers and nongeographers alike, use and benefit from problem-solving methods in numerous fields and contexts, making the use of GIS and the core competencies associated with using GIS a topic of intense debate. Complicating this ongoing discussion is the rise of data-centric approaches to research in geography that further expand the capabilities of spatial analysis and add to the expected knowledge of a GIS user and analyst. Building on a panel discussion at the 2016 American Association of Geographers (AAG) annual meeting, as well as informal dialogues on Twitter and other social media platforms that navigate this issue in academics and industry, this article explores how skills in research computing and programming operate in geography and GIS, especially given the rise of data-centric approaches to research in these realms. Some topics, like the costs and benefits of open and closed source software, are familiar from previous discussions in geography and GIS. Others, though, like the reward structures and recognition for computing skills or programming ability, have not been widely considered given the current landscape.     

Politicization of research and the relevance of geography: some experiences and reflections for an ongoing debate

In this paper we address the revival of interest in recent years in the relevance of geographical research and highlight problems of politicization faced by researchers through cases of policy-oriented research in the UK and Belgium. We argue that geographers should be aware of the possibilities and constraints for critical engagement in the context of policy-oriented research. We identify at least two important opportunities for researchers to avoid clientelistic relationships with contractors and enhance their political relevance. First, researchers can stick to letter of the contract and maintain academic standards while at the same time interpreting their tasks according to their own ethical and political judgements. Second, relevance can be increased by forming alliances within and beyond the formal hierarchies of the state and the academy. The identification and utilization of these 'spaces of relevance' can be seen as the first step towards an approach that strategically seeks a balance between societal engagement on the one hand and contractual obligations, policy relevance and academic standards on the other.     

Painting Pictures of Ourselves: Researcher Subjectivity in the Practice of Feminist Reflexivity

In this article, I argue that researchers need to carefully distinguish the concepts of subjectivity and positionality in feminist reflexive practice, as an explicit focus on researcher subjectivity has the potential to provide additional insights into the research process that go beyond a focus on relational positionality. Drawing on examples from my own research, I argue that examining one's subjectivity as a researcher opens up a consideration of emotional reactions to research; lets us reconsider the importance of feelings of (dis)affiliation and (dis)comfort in the research process; and helps us to recognize that the dreams and desires of researchers about themselves and their research participants can play an important role in the research process. Moreover, researcher subjectivity attunes us to ways in which our subjectivities shift through the research process and are intimately connected to and mediated by the process of research and our interactions with our research participants.     

Multiple Identities and Representations: Experiences in the Study of People's Life-worlds in Rural Malawi

This paper argues that in generating perceptual meanings of social actors as data, researchers need to deal with multiple representations, identities and categorisations of their own and those of their informants. The need to also consider power dynamics that develop in the communication process between the “researcher” and the "researched" in the process of generating data is also emphasised. The paper suggests that an analysis of image‐conflicts can be used to reveal the “hidden meanings” during these research encounters and improve the quality of research findings.     

Assessing Collaborative Conservation: A Case Survey of Output,Outcome, and Impact Measures Used in the Empirical Literature

Abstract

Much existing research on collaborative conservation has focused on process, even as researchers have called for greater attention to explaining what results these processes yield. It is time to take stock of collaborative conservation research by mapping what kinds of variables researchers are including in analyses. Here we conduct a case survey from the SCAPE database of environmental decision-making cases. We include cases involving collaboration across government, environmental protection, and resource exploitation interests in western democratic countries. Results reveal patterns in what researchers include in their outputs, outcomes, and impacts measures of collaborative conservation. While there is little difference by publication type (peer-reviewed journals, scholarly book chapters, or gray literature) or over time, we find significant differences in explicit measures across variable types. In particular, variables more proximate to process in a logic chain are more often measured, as are social rather than ecological variables.     

Reflections on use of participatory research for disaster risk reduction

Participatory research approaches are increasingly popular with academic researchers and development organisations working to facilitate change in collaboration with local communities. This paper contributes to recent debates over the use of participatory approaches by examining the use of participatory research within disaster risk reduction. Drawing on research in Papua New Guinea in which participatory techniques were used with indigenous communities to determine strategies for dealing with environmental hazards, the value of such techniques is critiqued. Finally the significance of participatory research as a research methodology is discussed as is its possible contribution to disaster risk reduction policy.     

VGTrust: measuring trust for volunteered geographic information

Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has emerged as a large, up-to-date, and easily accessible data source. VGI can allow authoritative mapping agencies to undertake continuous improvement of their own data, adding a currency dimension previously unattainable due to high associated costs. VGI also benefits scientific and social research by facilitating quick and low-cost research data capture by the public. VGI, however, through its diversity of authorship, presents a quality assurance risk to the use of this data. This research presents a formulaic model that addresses VGI quality issues, by quantifying trust in VGI. Our ‘VGTrust’ model assesses information about a data author, and the spatial and temporal trust associated with the data they create, to produce an overall VGTrust rating metric. This metric is both easy to understand and interpret. A facilitated case study, ‘Building Our Footprints’ is presented which tests the feasibility of VGTrust model in a real-world data capture exercise run by Land Information New Zealand, New Zealand’s mapping organisation. By overcoming the trust issues in VGI, this research will allow the integration of VGI and authoritative data and potentially expand the application of VGI, thereby leveraging the power of the crowd for productive and innovative re-use.     

Qualitative Methods for Research on Mapmaking and Map Use

Contemporary cartographic research on mapmaking and map use has a broad mandate and, as a consequence, researchers need a broad suite of methods. Consistent with research developments in other geographic subdisciplines, cartographic researchers now use qualitative methods. They offer the advantage of bringing research closer to the problem‐solving realms of mapmakers and map users. Our purpose here is to discuss an array of qualitative methods for mapmaking and map use. Questionnaires, interviews, and protocol methods are used to gather verbal data about mapmaking and map use. Ethnographies produce data from direct observation of mapmakers and users. Maps also are sources for document analysis. We use examples of published cartographic research to elaborate on each of these methods.     

A Review of “Geographies of Media and Communication”

Contemporary cartographic research on mapmaking and map use has a broad mandate and, as a consequence, researchers need a broad suite of methods. Consistent with research developments in other geographic subdisciplines, cartographic researchers now use qualitative methods. They offer the advantage of bringing research closer to the problem-solving realms of mapmakers and map users. Our purpose here is to discuss an array of qualitative methods for mapmaking and map use. Questionnaires, interviews, and protocol methods are used to gather verbal data about mapmaking and map use. Ethnographies produce data from direct observation of mapmakers and users. Maps also are sources for document analysis. We use examples of published cartographic research to elaborate on each of these methods.     

Urban mapping,accuracy, & image classification: A comparison of multiple approaches in Tsukuba City,Japan

The rapid growth of urban space and its environmental challenges require precise mapping techniques to represent complex earth surface features more accurately. In this study, we examined four mapping approaches (unsupervised, supervised, fuzzy supervised and GIS post-processing) using Advanced Land Observing Satellite images to predict urban land use and land cover of Tsukuba city in Japan. Intensive fieldwork was conducted to collect ground truth data. A random stratified sampling method was chosen to generate geographic reference data for each map to assess the accuracy. The accuracies of the maps were measured, producing error matrices and Kappa indices. The GIS post-processing approach proposed in this research improved the mapping results, showing the highest overall accuracy of 89.33% as compared to other approaches. The fuzzy supervised approach yielded a better accuracy (87.67%) than the supervised and unsupervised approaches. The fuzzy supervised approach effectively dealt with the heterogeneous surface features in residential areas. This paper presents the strengths of the mapping approaches and the potentials of the sensor for mapping urban areas, which may help urban planners monitor and interpret complex urban characteristics.     

东莞地区土地利用变化预测的CBR和CA方法对比研究(英文)

Many studies on land use change(LUC),using different approaches and models,have yielded good results.Applications of these methods have revealed both advantages and limitations.However,LUC is a complex problem due to influences of many factors,and variations in policy and natural conditions.Hence,the characteristics and regional suitability of different methods require further research,and comparison of typical approaches is re-quired.Since the late 1980s,CA has been used to simulate urban growth,urban sprawl and land use evolution successfully.Nowadays it is very popular in resolving the LUC estimating problem.Case-based reasoning(CBR),as an artificial intelligence technology,has also been employed to study LUC by some researchers since the 2000s.More and more researchers used the CBR method in the study of LUC.The CA approach is a mathematical system con-structed from many typical simple components,which together are capable of simulating complex behavior,while CBR is a problem-oriented analysis method to solve geographic problems,particularly when the driving mechanisms of geographic processes are not yet understood fully.These two methods were completely different in the LUC research.Thus,in this paper,based on the enhanced CBR model,which is proposed in our previous research(Du et al.2009),a comparison between the CBR and CA approaches to assessing LUC is presented.LUC in Dongguan coastal region,China is investigated.Applications of the im-proved CBR and the cellular automata(CA) to the study area,produce results demonstrating a similarity estimation accuracy of 89% from the improved CBR,and 70.7% accuracy from the CA.From the results,we can see that the accuracies of the CA and CBR approaches are both >70%.Although CA method has the distinct advantage in predicting the urban type,CBR method has the obvious tendency in predicting non-urban type.Considering the entire ana-lytical process,the preprocessing workload in CBR is less than that of the CA approach.As such,it could be concluded that the CBR approach is more flexible and practically useful than the CA approach for estimating land use change.     

Using Dasymetric Mapping to Identify Communities at Risk from Hazardous Waste Generation in San Antonio,Texas

The primary objective of this study is to examine if minorities, the poor, and non-homeowners have a higher potential for exposure than the general population to large-quantity hazardous waste generation in Bexar County, Texas. Results indicate that this is indeed the case: people living near the generators are more often Black non-Hispanic or Hispanic, and more likely to live below the poverty level and not own their own home. Although previous studies conducted in the United States have used states, counties, zip codes, or census tracts as the unit of spatial analysis, we use dasymetric mapping to create population maps at a resolution of 30 m. This allows for the reconfiguration of the areal aggregations chosen for the analysis while preserving its findings. It also reduces, if not eliminates, the effects of the Modifiable Area Unit Problem (MAUP) on the results.