The National Geography Standards and Your Undergraduate Curriculum: The Opportunity That Knocks More Than Once

Abstract

Geography For Life: National Geography Standards 1994 offers university geographers opportunities in the areas of program assessment and development. This article describes an assessment process that is applicable to both individual courses and geography programs. The process can strengthen programs by making them more consistent. As a result, geography may have a more powerful presence in teacher certification programs. Additional techniques for enhancing geography's role in preservice education curricula are also outlined. Finally, the article expresses concern that geographers at the university level will not take the recently published National Geography Standards seriously, thinking they apply only to K-12 education. They are challenged to extend the Standards' scope and content to the baccalaureate degree.     

Commentaries on “Automated Geography”. Automated Geography and the DIDS (Decision Information Display System) Experiment

Age profiles of geographers having varying topical and areal subfields are compiled using the Guide to Graduate Departments of Geography in the United States and Canada, 1983–1984 and the 1982 AAG Directory. Major retirement trends for the next 10 to 20 years suggest that replacement of faculty may raise key appointment issues and priorities that may significantly change the nature of academic geography.     

MISCELLANY

The geomorphic sciences will continue to be dynamic in the coming decade. Among other developments, there is a trend toward increased dependence on field reserch, more realistic expectations from reserch tools, a resurgence of interest in man-land relations with a renewed dependence on the historical approach, a reinvestigation of morphogenetic regions, study of planetary surfaces other than earth's, and involvement with applied problems, as well as cooperation and collaboration with scientists in related fields. The greatest need is the development of connections between academic and nonacademic geographers at all levels.     

Geographic Influences in the Atlanta Campaign

Abstract

The growing importance of law in American society and the potential contribution that geographers can make in implementing America's legal system point to rewarding future linkages between law and geography. This paper suggests the need for a course on Law and Geography to cultivate these linkages. The proposed course outline draws examples from water law and criminal justice law and other legal bodies that suggest significant avenues for future geographical research.     

国外人地关系研究进展

系统总结了2000年以来英语世界人地关系研究在认识,方法和应用方面取得的进展,通过总体评价提出了以资我国人地关系研究借鉴之处。无论是在学科内还是在学科间的交流中,地理学人地关系研究传统依然保持着强劲的生命力,并赋予了新的时代内涵。在认识上,地理学环境研究的复兴与学科内的融合是实现统一地理学发展的桥梁,学科间的交叉拓宽了人地关系研究视野;在方法上表现为依托现代技术的方法综合,即在复杂系统科学的背景下,建构以关系思考为本的评价模型;在应用上以人地关系之人文关怀和对自然环境的尊重解决从全球到地方尺度的贫困和可持续发展等问题,并为其他学科提供了理论和技术支持。     

GEOGRAPHERS' RANKINGS OF FOREIGN GEOGRAPHY AND NON-GEOGRAPHY JOURNALS

Questionnaires sent to 500 geographers randomly selected from U.S. graduate departments solicited opinions on the quality of scholarship of articles in 65 journals: 33 foreign geography journals and 32 non-geography journals. The five highest ranked were Science, Geological Society Bulletin, Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, and Journal of Ecology. When familiarity and quality were considered together, the top five were Science, Canadian Geographer, Progress in Human Geography, Geographical Journal, and Transactions of the IBG. Specialty of respondent proved most significant in explaining ranking variations.     

On totalities and oppositions: Comments on a special issue

It can be useful to comprehend the papers in this special edition of the Norwegian Journal of Geography in terms of the paradoxical antithesis between dialectical oppositions and totalizing thinking, with its tendency to mythologize itself. The question of the truth of myth also applies to the totalizing narratives geographers apply to the understanding of their discipline. To construct a unified discipline one needs to produce disciplinary narratives that construct the image of a unified whole, a totality with a given 'nature'. To escape the totalitarian power of such frameworks, however, these images need to be counterpoised to the oppositions against which they are generated. The discipline is thus defined by the paradoxical tension between modes of thought that seek to define the nature of geography by seeking images of wholeness and unity, and those that emphasize difference and opposition.     

中国环境经济地理的研究主题展望

全球环境变化与技术经济范式变革对“经济-环境”关系产生深刻影响,但资源环境议题自20世纪80年代以来逐渐淡出全球经济地理研究的视野。2000年以来,环境经济地理逐渐兴起并对此进行反思,但其发展仍处于混沌状态。中国经济地理学科自身的人地关系传统和国家发展的探索与实践,为环境经济地理理论与实践创造了理想条件。环境经济地理并非全新的领域,其可从经济地理理论出发拓展对“经济-环境”关系的认识,据此提出3组研究主题：① 重新认识经济活动的区位,理解变化中的资源环境如何作用于传统与新兴经济活动;② 建立对不同地理尺度下要素流动和主体互动的认知,理解资源环境风险如何在各类关系网络中传递,又将如何重塑各类关系网络;③ 考察多主体在多区域之间、多层级制度背景下的相互作用,理解绿色创新与转型的过程,实现对“经济-环境”关系在不同发展场景下协同演化的认识。     

Some Suggestions Concerning a Course of Study in Geography

Abstract

Over the next decade or so, the National Assessment for Educational Progress in Geography and the Geographic Education Standards Project promise to give geography a new definition as a school subject. This will challenge the educational community to re-examine how geography is taught and learned across all the grade levels, K-12. If geography is to be perceived as an essential subject in preparing students for citizenship as adults, not only must its image change, but its content and the pedagogy that delivers it must be modified as well. To achieve those ends, new curricular models grounded in cogent and applicable research must develop through partnerships of teachers, teacher educators, learning theorists, and professional geographers.     

Teaching Social Justice: Reviving Geography's Neglected Tradition

Abstract

American students are encouraged to become globally competitive. I argue that in a world plagued by social inequality and environmental mismanagement, students should become globally cooperative. But this position is not new. Nineteenth century geographers such as Peter Kropotkin argued that geographic education should promote cooperation and tolerance of others. This article explores why geographers cast aside this progressive vision for geographic education. It hypothesizes that geography's pursuit of academic and scientific legitimacy prompted it to spurn “value-laden” methods. The article concludes by suggesting that geographers return to their social justice roots by adopting constructivist pedagogical methods of Paulo Freire.     

Integrating Women and Environmental Issues into World Regional Geography

Abstract

Women throughout the world are demonstrating solidarity and activism on behalf of environmental issues. A World Regional Geography course is an appropriate setting for discussing some of the contributions women make to protect the environment. Using case studies that draw upon women's environmental activism in four world cultures, this article presents content information, instructional strategies and instructional resource lists. The four world cultures that provide the backdrop for this discussion are Anglo America, Russia and its neighbors, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.     

"超级机制"与文化地理学研究

超级机制或超机体概念是人类学家提出的概念,后被美国伯克莱地理学派引入到文化地理学研究中。尽管该概念自引入之初起,就伴随着学术讨论,但是它在上个世纪的英美地理学中有着重要的影响。新文化地理学与传统文化地理学的分歧之一也在此概念上。本文列举了在美国和中国文化地理学研究中,超级机制的适用性和局限性,并探讨了超级机制指导下,文化地理学的研究方法在何种情况下是因果分析,何种情况下是非因果分析。进而指出,超级机制概念在分析宏观区域文化一致性上具有解释性,在分析微观尺度区域内的人地关系上也具有一定适用性。新超级机制理论在学术界的讨论过程中提出了一些修正,在分析社会文化时超级机制不适用。     

Cultural Geography: A Survey of Perceptions Held by Cultural Geography Specialty Group Members*

As of the year 2000, the Cultural Geography Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers had 465 members and ranked fourth overall in total membership within the association. Furthermore, cultural geographers had the second fastest growing specialty group between 1993 and 1998, after the Geographic Perspectives on Women specialty group. In spite of this demonstrated overwhelming appeal among geographers, to date, no one has systematically analyzed the subdiscipline of cultural geography to determine such things as its links to other aspects of the discipline, its major scholarly contributions, its most highly regarded publication outlets, its notable practitioners, and its most recognized departments. As the ranks of cultural geographers have swelled, the subdiscipline has become multifaceted. This article contextualizes and interprets the results of a survey sent to members of the 1998–1999 Cultural Geography Specialty Group. Outcomes include Louisiana State University and the University of Texas at Austin listed as offering the strongest cultural geography departments, Wilbur Zelinsky being deemed the subfield's most outstanding living practitioner, and the Annals of the Association of American Geographers named the journal that best meets cultural geographers’ needs.     

Environmental Science Education Programs: Opportunities for Geographers

Abstract

Environmental agencies in most states have an environmental education Web page that can point geography teachers to a variety of opportunities and resources to enhance their teaching. Most states provide linkages to local and national programs such as Project WET and Project WILD, and access to lesson plans and other teaching materials. A number of state agencies have environmental resource centers, teacher workshops, and grant programs for field trips and class projects. A few states have workshops that provide graduate academic credit and special certification. Much of the content of these programs contributes to fundamental geographic education themes as specified in the 1983 Guidelines in Geographic Education K–12 and Geography for Life: National Geography Standards 1994.     

A Framework for Teaching,Learning, and Assessing Environmental Issues

Abstract

A twelve-question framework for teaching, learning, and assessing environmental issues was created through analysis of environmental textbooks and interviews with professors and researchers who specialize in the environment. Concepts in the framework include: causes, scale, spatial distribution, longevity, consequences, risks, economic implications, solutions, obstacles, social values, stakeholders, political status, behavior changes, and personal actions. The twelve-question framework was submitted to a validity panel of geographers. Statistical analysis of responses from the panel indicates that the framework is valid.     

1889-1944年日本《地学杂志》刊载涉及中国论文分析

日本《地学杂志》是日本地球科学界最重要的专门性刊物之一,自1889年创刊以来登载了大量有关东亚及东南亚的地理信息,其中对中国的报道和研究所占版面年平均超过13%。本文主要介绍日本《地学杂志》的发展沿革及内容构成,着重分析1889-1944年该杂志所载涉及中国的文章,特别关注日本地学家对中国各区域地形、地质、资源、物产、水道交通及社会人文等方面的实地考察,论证其研究价值和意义,分析其时空分布特点。通过分析1889-1944年间以《地学杂志》相关人员为代表的日本研究者对中国的关注和认识在时空及侧重点上的变化态势,表明当时日本地学家在中国所从事的实地调查活动与日本国家在政治和经济上对中国地理知识的需求之间有着十分密切的联系。     

地理学参与健康中国建设的重点领域与行动建议

健康与环境关系是最基本的人地关系,“健康中国”建设需要地理学参与。地理学能为健康中国建设提供基于发展战略、过程评价和政策导向的路径指引,基于人地关系和谐和空间系统优化的理论指导,基于健康生活引导、健康服务优化、健康环境营造、健康保障决策、健康产业布局的实践指南。地理学参与健康中国建设,可在居民健康素养、健康生活方式与时空行为、区域人群心理健康,重点人群健康服务、重大疾病监测防控、重点区域健康促进,健康大数据与信息系统、医疗卫生资源优化配置、健康服务可达性与公平性,气候变化的健康应对、健康生态环境建设、环境健康风险治理、健康城市（环境）建设、健康乡村（环境）建设、健康文化景观建设,道地药材开发与中医药产业布局、康养旅游与健身休闲产业布局、养老服务与妇婴产业布局等18个领域发挥独特优势。地理学参与健康中国建设还存在地理科学的健康基础薄弱、地理学者的参与意识不强、地理组织的政策支持不够等问题,需要强化问题导向和目标导向的健康地理学的理论、实证和政策研究,强化地理应用技术与地理科学思维深度融合的健康促进研究,强化地理组织对地理学者参与健康中国建设的系统引领与政策支持。     

We Are All Makers: The Method of Keyword Selection in Teaching and Learning Human Geography

Abstract

Geographers continue to engage in public debate “inside the Beltway” by participation within and through federal agencies and through the National Research Council. Several examples illustrate the level and kind of this engagement, which has been concentrated on environmental and spatial data and analysis themes. Most professional geographers have the opportunity to engage in this form of public debate through participation in the activities of the National Research Council. The level of this participation has been surprisingly strong, given the small size of the community of professional geographers, and has helped to shape both U.S. and international research agendas relevant to geographic research. Participation, however, is concentrated in a few programs and individuals, raising questions about the sustainability of geography's voice in this public activity.

     

Transforming New Orleans and Its Environs: Centuries of Change

Abstract

Geography is again becoming an integral part of the premier natural-science agency of the federal government. Geographic research emphasizes the surface of the earth, a portion of the earth system that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines as the “critical zone.” Although geography was part of the USGS from the creation of the agency, in recent years geography in the agency has largely been limited to topographic mapping. Recently, the USGS and an advisory committee of the National Research Council (NRC) reviewed the role of geography at the Survey. The committee's report, along with ongoing decision-making in the federal government, is likely to reshape geography in the USGS. The newly defined USGS has a regional structure and four disciplines: geology, hydrology, biology, and geography. The NRC report emphasizes the need for the creation of a spatial database called the National Map to replace the existing series of paper topographic maps. The report also outlines the need for geographic research in geographic information science (GIScience), nature-society connections, and bridging of science to decision-making. The NRC report has been briefed throughout the USGS, in the federal executive branch, and in Congress. The changing role for geography in the USGS requires change in the agency culture, revised budgetary decisions, and the establishment of a long-term core agenda for research. Academic geographers will need to prepare a new generation of geographers for participation in the USGS and similar agencies.