Maps,Numbers, Text,and Context: Mixing Methods in Feminist Political Ecology*

Feminist post-structuralist theory, feminist empiricism, and field practice can all contribute to insights on the value of quantitative and qualitative methods in feminist geographical research. A political ecology study of gendered interests in a social forestry program in the Dominican Republic illustrates the methodological dilemmas and potentials of feminist research on environmental change. The study combined qualitative and quantitative data collection and analytical techniques. Examples from the case study address three methodological questions in feminist geography: (1) Should identity or affinity be the basis for situating ourselves and the subjects of our research? (2) How can we reconcile multiple subjectivities and quantitative methods in the quest for objectivity? and (3) Can we combine traditional positivist methods with participatory mapping and oral histories? The paper draws on theoretical literature as well as field experience to answer these questions.     

Should Women Count? A Context for the Debate*

Much recent feminist geographical scholarship emphasizes the utility of qualitative research methods; yet, a significant proportion of feminist research in geography is quantitative. Geographers' engagement with the ideas of feminist theorists has shed new light on the relationship between epistemology, methodology, and objectivity, which in turn has facilitated a reexamination of feminist uses of quantification. In providing a context for the debate over quantitative and qualitative methods, we argue that each has a place in feminist geographical research.     

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.     

The Politics of Difference: Examining the Quantitative/Qualitative Dualism in Post-Structuralist Feminist Research*

The potential for using quantitative techniques in feminist post-structuralist research has been obscured by the pervasiveness of the quantitative/qualitative dualism within the discipline. In this paper I discuss the possibility that quantitative approaches may be uncoupled from masculinist versions of science in ways that are consistent with the goals of feminist post-structuralist research. To illustrate these ideas, I explore the politics of counting—both the political power of statistical representations of oppression and also the role of counting in revealing the operation of power relations. My examinations of the persistence of the quantitative/qualitative dualism—despite the potential power of quantitative approaches in feminist work—raise questions about how our academic biographies reinforce these ontological divisions. Specifically, I raise questions about the influence of our academic socialization on our engagement with the particular ontologies we employ and (perhaps) reject.     

Voice Under Scrutiny: Feminist Methods,Anticolonial Responses,and New Methodological Tools

“Giving voice” to participants has been an important element of qualitative feminist research projects in geography. In this article, I explore scholarship that has questioned qualitative research's reliance on voice, arguing that implicit connections between voice, authenticity, and empowerment are beginning to be unpacked, particularly by scholars engaged in anticolonial work. I draw on anticolonial scholarship to build on and extend feminist debates centered on voice and participation. Feminist attention to voice must be situated within the colonial frameworks and histories of social science research. Scholarship focused on ongoing settler colonial relationships highlights methods both for cautiously proceeding with and consciously refusing incorporating voice within qualitative research. I draw on anticolonial approaches to frame research decisions, voice, and the ethical and methodological dilemmas of its use.     

Simultaneous Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Social Science Data in Conservation

Conservation research includes social as well as natural sciences, and social sciences include qualitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Most mixed-methods research adopts quantitative and qualitative approaches in parallel or in sequence, using related but distinct sets of data. Transformations of raw data, to apply qualitative and quantitative approaches to the same dataset, are uncommon, and beset by obstacles. I argue that dual analysis of a single dataset can be valuable and sound, subject to four caveats. Authors must: check for adequate sampling as well as theoretical saturation; distinguish clearly between structural and statistical associations; explicitly describe conversion from qualitative constructs and codes, to quantitative categories or other variables; and ensure that precision, reliability and generalizability are considered appropriately within both analyses.     

Qualitative Health Research: Negotiating Life with HIV/AIDS

In this paper, I look at the use of qualitative methods in health geography. I focus on two projects using in-depth interviews with people with HIV/AIDS. Drawing from feminist work on qualitative methodologies and the production of knowledge, two questions are posed. First, what insights do interviews offer about people's daily experiences with HIV/AIDS? Second, given that interviews involve direct contact between interviewer and respondent, what are the implications of using this methodology? Projects reveal that living with HIV/AIDS involves a complex series of negotiations. These include negotiating one's own identity within medical discourse, dealing with health care professionals, and choosing how to use medication. The projects also indicate that qualitative research itself involves a process of negotiation. Researchers' preconceptions, interview settings and formats, and relationships established during research can effect research outcomes andresearch participants. I argue that a willingness to reflect critically on the use of qualitative methods is needed to safeguard against these unintended consequences.     

Qualitative Health Research: Negotiating Life with HIV/AIDS

In this paper, I look at the use of qualitative methods in health geography. I focus on two projects using in-depth interviews with people with HIV/AIDS. Drawing from feminist work on qualitative methodologies and the production of knowledge, two questions are posed. First, what insights do interviews offer about people's daily experiences with HIV/AIDS? Second, given that interviews involve direct contact between interviewer and respondent, what are the implications of using this methodology? Projects reveal that living with HIV/AIDS involves a complex series of negotiations. These include negotiating one's own identity within medical discourse, dealing with health care professionals, and choosing how to use medication. The projects also indicate that qualitative research itself involves a process of negotiation. Researchers' preconceptions, interview settings and formats, and relationships established during research can effect research outcomes andresearch participants. I argue that a willingness to reflect critically on the use of qualitative methods is needed to safeguard against these unintended consequences.     

Cartographic Visualization: An Assessment and Epistemological Review*

This article examines the concept of cartographic visualization. The value of cartographic visualization as an essential component in the study of geographic phenomena is discussed. Ontological and epistemological perspectives are addressed, with examinations of positivist, realist, postmodern, feminist, and anarchist approaches to visualization. Critiques of cartographic visualization from social theorists and quantitative positivists are presented. The author asserts that cartographic visualization is not restricted to any one particular epistemological framework but may combine methods of knowledge production. For comprehensive analysis of spatial data, cartographic visualization must be included along with other qualitative and quantitative analysis.     

Context in Human Geography: A Multilevel Approach to Study Human–Environment Interactions∗

One of the shortcomings of quantitative methods in human geography is an overreliance on models that can only account for the average outcomes of spatial events. Although methodological advancements in the form of multilevel models now allow human geographers to account for average outcomes as well as deviations about average outcomes of spatial events, it is not without question that such models can fully account for the cultural, political, and social contexts that affect human behavior. In this article I argue for the adoption of a multilevel approach to the study of human behavior to address some of the criticisms of quantitative methods in human geography. Using a transportation geography research agenda as an example, I discuss how a multilevel approach can complement qualitative methods. Such mixed research methods offer human geographers the opportunity to identify the appropriate role for quantitative methods and explore how context affects behavior.     

适应自然灾害的研究方法进展

自然灾害损失虽然不可避免, 但可通过调整人类活动规避或减轻风险, 实现人类社会与自然灾害共存的协调适应。本文基于适应自然灾害研究发展的历程, 综述了现有适应性研究中的定性和定量研究方法。前者主要集中在对多尺度的适应主体综合分析、底层家庭或群体适应以及顶层的政策适应等方面;而后者主要集中在生态系统适应、民众或区域适应对策优选及适应能力评估等方面。基于数理模型或者实地观测实验的定量评估以及多指标、多标准的综合评估方法是适应自然灾害定量研究的主流。研究表明:①适应自然灾害研究有向综合性和精细化方向发展的趋势, 一些系统综合分析方法以及本地乡土的适应自然灾害逐渐引起重视。②目前适应自然灾害研究方法上存在自上而下与自下而上两种研究途径, 而探索这两种途径有效结合的多尺度综合研究方法是适应自然灾害研究的关键。     

西方情绪地理学研究进展与启示

情绪地理越来越成为人文地理研究的重要领域,从地理视角开展情绪的研究,有助于深化对场所空间的理解和认识,从而推动人本化的地理研究。文章首先回顾了西方情绪地理学发展的历程,并总结为初步探索阶段(1950年代~2000年)、快速发展阶段(2000~2009年)和多元化发展阶段(2010年至今)等三个阶段的发展特征。在此基础上,分别从场所空间的情绪特征、情绪空间格局的作用机制、情绪的空间分布与可视化研究等方面对西方情绪地理学研究的主要内容进行详细阐述。文章进一步指出,目前以西方为主导的情绪地理学研究体系已初步建立,情绪地理学研究呈现出研究视角的创新性、研究技术的多样性和研究内容的跨学科特征。相比西方国家,我国情绪地理学研究才刚刚起步,迫切需要从多学科视角开展研究,结合不同的情绪数据,重点探索情绪与建成环境互动耦合关系,进而为城市空间功能提升和内涵丰富提供决策参考。     

西方国家社区依恋研究

文章对西方国家的“社区依恋”研究进行了回顾总结,首先将社区依恋和地方依恋2个概念进行了对比,之后分为线性发展模型、系统模型和多因素模型等3个发展阶段介绍了社区依恋的研究阶段,并总结了社区依恋的研究方法和影响因素。研究方法主要有以深度访谈、话语分析和图形法等为主的质性研究方法和以问卷调查、测量量表和统计分析为主的量性研究方法,亦有将两者相结合的综合研究方法;影响因素则主要集中在3个方面：人口统计学因素、社会因素和物质环境因素。最后指出,中国的社区依恋研究应充分考虑中国国情,探索适合自身的理论与方法,综合质性与量性研究方法,针对中国丰富多样的社区类型和具有中国特色的影响因素展开研究,为中国相关政策的制定提供依据。     

国内外情感地理研究热点、内涵及意义——基于文献计量与可视化

随着西方地理学的情感转向,以人为本的“情地关系”研究逐渐受到国内外学者的高度关注。基于文献计量法与可视化对1992—2020年主题为“情感地理”的265篇外文文献与248篇中文文献进行全面梳理、归纳,凝练出情感地理的研究热点、内涵和意义。结果发现,国内外情感地理经过近30年的研究,主题与内容不断拓展：国外侧重教育、政治、社会性别、儿童的情感地理成为研究热点,国内则侧重旅游和居民的地方感研究;研究内涵方面,国外学者不同学术领域专家对情感地理有不同的诠释,教育地理学家侧重教学互动关系,人类地理学家注重情感空间特征,文化地理学者强调情感与文化的联系。国内大多数学者则认为情感地理是揭示人、情感与地方三者之间的相互关系,着力研究不同地理空间的自然和人文特征对情感的影响;情感地理突出情感的时间性、空间性和社会性研究,关注人地关系“情地关系”、人际关系“情感传递”,将有温度的情感融入空间或区域,赋予地方新的使命。情感是社会关系的重要组成部分,研究其在教育、政治、社会性别、儿童、旅游和居民等方面都具有重要意义。     

定性GIS在时空间行为研究中的应用

定性GIS已经成为地理学混合研究方法的重要组成部分,通过扎根理论并与可视化结合、GIS和民族志整合等途径,对时空间行为研究产生了深远的影响。其通过文本或非文本质性材料与GIS地理特征的整合,形成了时空行为研究中独特的地理环境系统与空间机制分析,一个重要的前沿领域就是地理叙事在时间地理学研究中的应用。时间地理学是研究人类时空行为的重要视角,但由于对个体主观性及行为的社会文化因素的相对忽视等原因,受到了一定的质疑。近年来以GIS为代表的地理空间技术的定性分析与表达,为时间地理学融入质性分析提供了方法论基础。关美宝创建的基于GIS的地理叙事方法,通过借鉴叙事分析的一般方法尤其是三维叙事空间分析,结合时间地理学概念框架,开发了基于GIS平台的计算机辅助叙事分析组件(3D-VQGIS),实现了在GIS内可视化的、循环交互的叙事分析,为定性GIS发展中GIS与叙事分析方法的融合做出了贡献。将地理叙事方法用于时空行为研究,可以为时间地理学方法创造一个更便于理解与解释研究对象日常行为的地理环境,为其融入行为与主体的质性分析提供从数据整合、数据分析到解释与展示的一整套研究方法与具体操作工具。     

Quantitative Research Performing other Worlds: lessons from sustainable agriculture in the Philippines

For those interested in ethical research, quantitative methods are often dismissed as apolitical; as unreflective exercises in ‘mere counting’. If, however, in doing research, we bring into being the very worlds we purport to describe, the question begs: what kinds of worlds might quantitative methods bring into being? Is there space for a reflexive, quantitative research agenda? In this paper, I will discuss an action-based predominantly quantitative research project that aimed to investigate the diverse impacts of sustainable agriculture on small-scale farmers in the Philippines. The study, one of the largest ever undertaken on organic rice production, was consciously designed, not merely to describe, but to perform organic agriculture differently. While most quantitative, and indeed much qualitative, research ignores its performativity, this research was intended to enact a reality of sustainable agriculture as a viable and vital alternative to mainstream, capitalist agriculture.     

Mixed methods participatory GIS: An evaluation of the validity of qualitative and quantitative mapping methods

Participatory mapping in social research is characterized by methodological pluralism, with two common methods being qualitative mapping using stakeholder interviews and quantitative methods that engage larger public samples through digital, internet mapping. To date, there has been no systematic evaluation of the extent to which mixed methods in participatory mapping yield valid results when applied to the same research setting and research questions. A mixed methods research design (combined exploratory sequential and convergent parallel) was implemented in a large research project to identify marine and coastal values in the Kimberley region of Australia. Qualitative interviews (n = 167) were completed with stakeholders to identify place-based values using polygon mapping methods and internet-based public participation GIS (PPGIS) methods (n = 578). We defined and operationalized the concepts of concurrent, commensurate, and convergent validity to assess mixed methods research outcomes. We found that qualitative and quantitative methods resulted in moderate to high concurrent validity when assessing the importance of place values in the study area. Convergent validity (spatial) was highly variable by place value, with stronger convergent validity found with mapped aesthetic, recreational fishing, tourism, biodiversity, and Aboriginal culture values, and weakest with existence, therapeutic, and commercial fishing values. Convergent validity was influenced by weak commensurate validity through the use of different geometric features (polygons versus points) for mapping values across a large study area. The utility of mixed methods for planning decision support in a convergent parallel design depends on demonstrating convergence in construct meaning, spatial location, and consistency in values in the sampling populations.     

北京城市边缘区空间扩展特征及驱动机制

在Landsat TM数据支持下,利用突变点方法获取北京市1994、1999、2004年城市边缘区范围,从扩展总量、扩展类型、扩展方向、扩展区域以及扩展强度等方面分析城市边缘区空间扩展特征,探讨扩展驱动机制。结果表明:(1)北京城市边缘区扩展速率逐渐加快;扩展方向主要是东、北,类型以向外扩张为主;(2)边缘区空间扩展受自然地理条件限制的同时,受经济发展、工业增长、城市基础设施等社会经济因素影响较大,城市规划等政治因素也对边缘区空间扩展具有一定影响。     

Qualitative GIS and the visualization of narrative activity space data

Qualitative activity space data, i.e. qualitative data associated with the routine locations and activities of individuals, are recognized as increasingly useful by researchers in the social and health sciences for investigating the influence of environment on human behavior. However, there has been little research on techniques for exploring qualitative activity space data. This research illustrates the theoretical principles of combining qualitative and quantitative data and methodologies within the context of geographic information systems (GIS), using visualization as the means of inquiry. Through the use of a prototype implementation of a visualization system for qualitative activity space data and its application in a case study of urban youth we show how these theoretical methodological principles are realized in applied research. The visualization system uses a variety of visual variables to simultaneously depict multiple qualitative and quantitative attributes of individuals' activity spaces. The visualization is applied to explore the activity spaces of a sample of urban youth participating in a study on the geographic and social contexts of adolescent substance use. Examples demonstrate how the visualization can be used to explore individual activity spaces to generate hypotheses, investigate statistical outliers, and explore activity space patterns among subject subgroups.