Religion on the Fringe: the representation of space and minority religious facilities in the rural–urban fringe of metropolitan Sydney,Australia

This article examines land-use development applications for minority religious facilities in two local government areas on the rural–urban fringe of metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Using critical discourse analysis and underpinned by Lefebvre's (1991) conceptual triad of space, the work interrogates the way in which place identity is generated and codified both by land-use planners and local residents through spatial representation. This representation is revealed in discourses around the compatibility of minority religious facilities for particular zones, lack of a sufficient minority population and social disruption. These discourses reveal a construction of peri-urban space that is aligned with particular elite Anglo-Australian activities (horse riding and gentleman farms) and land uses (rural residential, small-scale agriculture and the ‘bush-church’). These case studies illustrate the potential for the creation of exclusionary, abstract space by urban planners but also the ways in which local residents use discoursive strategies to ensure the stability of their position as elites in rapidly changing spatial situations.     

Transportation Part II

Abstract

This article presents research on evaluating problem-based learning using GIS technology in a Singapore secondary school. A quasi-experimental research design was carried to test the PBL pedagogy (PBL-GIS) with an experimental group of students and compare their learning outcomes with a control group who were exposed to PBL but not GIS. The results show significant differences in the learning outcomes between the two groups. Specifically, students in the control group show more memorization skill while students in the experimental group demonstrate more analytical and evaluation skills. The conclusion is that learning with PBL-GIS pedagogy can result in higher-order learning outcomes.     

My word! Vocabulary and Geography Learning

Abstract

Geography learning places a high demand on children's vocabulary development because they know so few words useful for analyzing geographic phenomena and processes. Research shows that multiple experiences with new words are needed if children are to use them fluently in conversation, reading, and writing. This paper describes a variety of contexts that can provide children with the experiences needed to construct the meanings of new words. These include explorations and guided experiments during science instruction and additional discussion, reading, and writing activities during literacy instruction.     

Involvement Geography: The School Partnership Program In The Junior High School

Abstract

This article presents a family program that extends the materials and meeting times of the Michigan Model Family Geography Challenge, including suggestions on creating a successful family night program. The article focuses on developing positive school-community relationships by inviting local community members to participate in fun academic lessons. In addition to watching the news together nightly, families meet four times during an eight-week period to engage in hands-on geography related activities. One lesson is introduced during each session and families work together to complete assigned tasks. Following the activity, families join together to eat and socialize. The program enhances geographic knowledge (including current events), positive family interactions, and school outreach.     

Decentring poverty studies: Middle class alliances and the social construction of poverty

Editors' Note: The following is the tenth in the Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography Lecture Series. It is based on the plenary presentation of 13 April at the AAG held in Seattle in 2011. In this essay I explore relational poverty analysis to take seriously the spatially varied intersections of political‐economic, social ordering and cultural‐political processes in shaping understandings of poverty. My work as part of the Middle Class Poverty Politics Research Group employs a relational comparative methodology to theorize where, when and under what circumstances those framed as ‘middle class’ act in opposition to or in solidarity with those named as ‘poor’. Our approach focuses on the exploitative effects of capital accumulation, processes of unequal sociospatial categorization and political and discursive systems that limit or exclude the poor. Our research focuses on places experiencing capitalist crisis because intense periods of restructuring highlight material and discursive struggles over poverty. We conclude by identifying a research agenda focused on the ways in which poverty politics are constituted by the nonpoor through place and in the articulation of places with processes of political economy, governance and cultural politics.     

基岩断层面古地震研究的主要方法与选点原则

随着断层面形貌测量、宇宙成因核素测年、地球化学元素测定和光释光等一系列新兴技术的突破,基岩断层面在古地震研究方面的特征优势被不断发掘,日益成为国际古地震研究的热点与前沿.国内外学者从不同专业角度开展了大量的基岩断层面古地震研究,取得了一系列丰硕成果.本文在系统介绍基岩断层面古地震研究的进展、梳理归纳各类研究方法特点的基...     

基于Google Earth的巴尔喀什湖流域中下游水资源开发利用研究

 常规的信息收集渠道难以获取国际河流研究所需的有效信息,探索新的信息收集方式对资料稀缺区开展水文水资源研究十分必要且关键。在Internet海量信息中,Google Earth（GE）平台的出现,为资源环境、交通规划等诸多领域提供了“身临其境”的远距离信息检索模式。通过基于GE平台的资料稀缺区水资源开发利用状况评价的应用框架和评价方法,并以巴尔喀什湖流域中下游为例开展了应用研究。结果表明：GE平台可成为资料稀缺区水资源开发利用研究的有效信息收集手段,文中所提出的框架、应用流程和评价方法具有较好的可操作性;研究区在1990年初就形成了以伊犁河中下游为主体、准噶尔区与巴尔喀什湖北部诸小河为重要用水区的基本格局;随着研究区经济社会发展的剧烈波动,其用水量经历了“增长-顶峰-剧减-恢复性增长”的演变格局,目前其用水量预计已恢复至20世纪80年代中期的水平,即65×108 m3左右。     

青藏高原日土地区全新世中期以来介形类和孢粉组合变化及其古环境意义

本文综合分析了青藏高原日土地区RT-1剖面中介形类和孢粉种类组合的变化,结合三个光释光测年数据,探讨了该地区6510aBP以来古环境、古气候的演变。分析表明:日土地区在全新世中期曾有一个温暖湿润期(6170～5540aBP),之后气候环境频繁波动,逐渐趋向冷干,接近现代气候环境。43～30kaBP期间在鲁玛江冬错和班公错之间的古泛湖解体后,日土地区因为地势低洼,而在当时成为一个封闭的水体,并且一度与相邻的班公错相连。当时的水体一直持续到全新世,在经历了全新世暖湿期时短暂的湖涨期以后,逐渐萎缩,至约1570～1380aBP最终干涸消失,形成现今地貌。研究表明全新世大暖期在本地区也有反映,但是在高原深部,大暖期更为短暂,气候波动更为频繁。     

宁镇中段岩浆带杂岩体的斜长石矿物学研究

运用光学显微镜、X射线衍射分析、扫描电镜微区能谱分析等手段,宁镇中段岩浆岩带安基山、伏牛山、西银坑、洪水宕、铜山、下蜀等杂岩体的斜长石斑晶的某些成因矿物学特点及其与岩浆演化分异特征的关系进行研究。结果表明:研究区中酸性岩体的斜长石主要为更-拉长石,韵律环带发育,形成经历了5个形成阶段,具有两种类型:一是核心为基性斜长石的正-反环带交互生长的斜长石;二是核心为中性斜长石的反-正环带交互发育的斜长石。研究还表明,斜长石各形成经历阶段、特别是晚期环境变化越和缓,岩浆分异程度越高。与其他各岩体相比较,西银坑、铜山岩体斜长石牌号明显偏高,反环带最发育,反映其岩浆同化混染更显著,而西银坑岩体岩浆结晶全程温度、K,Na,Ca组分相对活度波动频率更高,幅度更大。结合各岩体全岩及斜长石斑晶的成矿元素含量分析(Cu,Pb,Zn),认为岩浆结晶晚期分异充分,温度和K,Na,Ca组分相对活度波动和缓的铜山、安基山、伏牛山岩体是区内Cu多金属找矿的主要目标岩体。     

西安地铁二号线工程深层水准标建设

西安市建设的地铁二号线,为轨道交通南北方向骨干线,线路穿越全国重点保护文物古迹明城墙和钟楼以及地面沉降区和地裂缝发育区。在工程建设和运营期,均需要进行精密水准测量。为此西安地铁公司专门建设了两座深层水准标。通过对特殊环境地质条件下深层标建设场址的选择及稳定性评价、深层标结构科学设计和精心施工,建设的深层标不仅满足特定的地铁工程建设和运营的需要,对于在复杂环境地质条件和深厚覆盖层地区建设高精度测量网也有借鉴作用。