Microfirms in peripheral areas: How can evolutionary economic geography contribute in studies of diversification? A case study from Norway

The article discusses whether and how the emerging approach of evolutionary economic geography is fruitful when researching diversification among microfirms in peripheral regions. The author argues that such microfirms represent a source of heterogeneity that potentially could enrich our understanding of economic evolution. The sources of variation and mechanisms of selection operating among diversifying farmers in Norway are examined and diversifying farms are identified as both microfirms and households. The findings indicate that motivation at household level is the key to successful diversification. Further, the findings confirm that microfirms are not only able to influence their own destiny, but also institutional progress at regional level. The author concludes that the role of microfirms as actors and the possibility for the study of the agency of such actors are the major reasons why evolutionary economic geography is a fruitful approach in researching microfirms in peripheral areas.     

Critical reflections on practice: the changing roles of three physical geographers carrying out research in a developing country

To date, discussions on positionality and the relationship with research collaborators have been very much in the human geography realm. In this paper, we explore issues of expertise, positionality, collaboration and participation from our perspective as physical geographers working in a developing country context. We trace our journey from identifying ourselves as top-down 'experts' to participatory 'facilitators', and the difficulties and dilemmas encountered during this journey as we coped with the contrasting challenges of academic demands and local necessities. Our experiences highlight the many assumptions we make about doing research in developing countries and the real lack of capacity in these places to undertake typical short-term research projects designed in the developed world. We conclude with a call for a longer term and deeper commitment by physical geographers to the people that we engage with in our research .     

A bridge over troubled waters? Systems theory and dialogue in geography

In physical geography, systems are seen as a unity of parts and relationships, whereas human geographers using a second-order sociological systems approach define systems in terms of the difference between system and environment. Starting from this, dialogue between physical and human geographers using terms derived from systems theory is mostly in vain. This article explores some of the consequences that follow for dialogue in geography: the differences in defining systems, in the understanding of processes, the problem of system borders, the inconsistent understanding of the 'environment' itself as well as the different epistemology that comes with it (or leads to it). The article tries to bring systems theory back into geography with the decisive aim of enhancing the potentials for interaction between human and physical geographers and, therefore, to explore the possibility of connecting the social with the physical world – deviating from systems theory.     

区域产业发展演化：路径依赖还是路径创造?

区域发展是区域产业不断演化、转型与升级的过程。近年来发展起来的演化经济地理学旨在通过分析企业进入、成长、衰退和退出等动态过程阐释企业、产业、集群、网络、城市和区域的空间演化,认为区域产业发展演化遵循路径依赖,并决定于产业技术关联。然而路径依赖式演化理论过于强调内生发展过程,忽视了外生因素和制度变革带来的路径创造机会。中国处于经济转型时期,区域产业结构变动剧烈。技术关联推动了区域产业演化,显示中国区域产业演化具有路径依赖性,同时市场化、全球化和分权化的经济转型过程为区域产业发展创造了新路径。外部联系、制度安排、行为主体的战略性行为等促进了路径创造。     

中国地理学中的甘南研究

区域研究是地理学的核心领域,开展区域研究需要选择既具全球意义又具区域特色,且符合国家重大战略需求的关键区域。作为“第三极”的重要组成部分,地处青藏高原东北缘的甘南高原不仅是典型的地理过渡区与生态脆弱区,也是重要的生态功能区与深度贫困区,因而成为中国地理学开展区域研究的最佳实验区之一。在阐述甘南高原地理学研究价值的基础上,从陆地地表过程与机理、土地利用/覆被变化、农户对气候变化的感知及适应、生态系统服务与生态补偿机制、农户生计及其对生态环境的影响、社会资本与区域发展、城镇化与乡村聚落、旅游发展等领域出发,系统梳理了中国地理学中的甘南研究现状,提出新时期应以更综合的多维视角开展甘南研究,重点关注甘南高原地表格局-过程集成研究、人地耦合系统演化与区域可持续发展、生态系统服务与生态补偿、可持续生计、新型城镇化、乡村发展等关键问题。     

Introduction to Focus Section: Out in the World: Geography's Complex Relationship with Civic Engagement

Geographers have long been at the forefront of participating in and exploring the intersection of geographic knowledge and community-engaged research. This Focus Section highlights key debates and challenges facing geographers who participate in community-engaged work, explorations of pedagogical and ethical practices, departmental and institutional challenges, and examples of thoughtful applications of geographic knowledge to community-based work. It also seeks to generate knowledge and discussion of how geographers can employ civic engagement to advance geographic learning and enhance the profile of the discipline within and beyond higher education institutions. By focusing on such issues, this collection of articles contributes in vital ways to meet the challenges that higher education institutions face in demonstrating the relevance of academic learning to societal issues. This introduction to the Focus Section reviews the historical context of civic engagement in geography, provides a broad-scale look at the state of civically engaged research in U.S. institutions of higher learning, and highlights the contributions of each of the individual articles included in this Focus Section.     

The market(able) place of school geography scholarship, 2007–2016

This report analyses a decade of geography scholarship student entry and achievement data (n = 10,205) to reveal patterns and trends of high‐achieving school students. The study is an exploratory analysis, the aim of which is to describe where the greatest scholarship success has occurred, as well as attendant demographic characteristics of New Zealand's most capable geography students and their schools. Emerging from the regions is a localised story of students from an extremely narrow number of schools achieving disproportionate scholarship success. This raises questions in the wider geography teaching community about the possibility of a broader constituency achieving scholarship awards.     

区际联系──区域地理学的近期前沿

本文首先指出５０年代以来区域地理学发展滞缓的问题所在，结合实例，阐述６０年代以来区域地理学研究中关于空间关系与空间组织、功能区和优化地域组合的研究进展，认为现阶段区域地理学的前沿在向区际联系的研究方向转移。区域地理学的研究领域从特定区域的独特性，转向地域分异，现阶段又在上述基础上向区际联系方面发展。     

AUTOMATED GEOGRAPHY

Analytical methods and computer technology for spatial analysis have advanced rapidly. Geographers can now consider a general form of automated geography which integrates all of the new techniques into an analytical whole. Computer cartography, computer graphics, digital remote sensing, geographic information systems, spatial statistics, and quantitative spatial modeling can be combined eclectically with traditional manual techniques to address geographic problems that are too large and complex for manual treatment alone. Small systems are widely available to facilitate small, less complex problems. Automation can assist in all forms of geography—scientific and humanistic, nomothetic and idiographic, basic and applied—but its adoption is likely to be highest among applied scientists. The immediate challenge is to prepare for a major shift toward computer instruction and automated geography in the late 1980s. Long term effects will include improved contributions by geographers to national and international policy analyses, a greater emphasis on team-work and sharing, stronger ties with other disciplines, and a generally more viable discipline.     

当代美国地理学与可持续发展的理论、实践--基于人地关系论的分析

人地关系论是地理学最基本的理论。可持续发展理论与人地关系论一脉相承，是人地关系论的继承、变革和新发展。该文基于《重新发现地理学》的内容，借助中国地理学者对人地关系论与可持续发展关系的研究成果，以人地关系论来看待有人地关系研究深刻历史基础的美国当代地理学在可持续发展研究中的理论与实践。