Interviewing in 'place': the socio-spatial construction of interview data

The intersubjective dialogic exercise through which identities and knowledge are constructed exists in a dialectic relation with the 'place' of the interview. The in situ nature of interviewing should not be overlooked. Two case studies of interviews conducted with older people in Britain about their social network and support are used to illuminate two aspects of the socio-spatial construction of interview data. First, interview sites can yield important information about the way participants construct their individual and social identities. Second, such identities can influence interviewer–interviewee dynamics.     

Imagining difference: the experiences of 'transnational' Indian IT professionals in Germany

In this paper we explore the motivations to migrate and the migration experiences of 22 Indian IT professionals in Germany. When studying skilled migration, Germany is an interesting case as it struggled with waves of extreme right activities whilst trying to attract IT professionals from outside the European Union at the same time. In this context, we are interested in the conflicts that the migrants may experience as a result of their desire or obligation to move, their specific cultural baggage and the way in which they encounter the different sides of German society.     

旅游照片视角下的巴丹吉林沙漠自然美

巴丹吉林沙漠被称为世界最美的沙漠。基于旅游者拍摄的巴丹吉林沙漠自然景观照片,通过设计美感度评价量表,对地理学、材料学和美术学研究生进行访谈调查,获取不同学科背景受访者对巴丹吉林沙漠美感度评价数据。结果表明:①可供人们欣赏的巴丹吉林沙漠自然景观类型丰富多样,包括沙山(沙丘、沙波纹)、湖泊和沙山组合、动物、植物及日出日落等5大类。其中,人们对湖泊和沙山组合型自然景观的评价最高。②巴丹吉林沙漠兼具形象美、色彩美和线条美,且3类美都享有很高的美感度评价。③巴丹吉林沙漠兼具旷美、静谧美、柔美、奇美、苍凉美、幽美、险美、朦胧美和雄美等9类形象美。其中,旷美、静谧美和柔美等3类形象美在巴丹吉林沙漠中体现尤为突出。④令人印象深刻的沙漠色彩包括蓝、黄、绿、白、黑和紫等冷暖色彩。不同色彩通过无色彩对比、无彩色与有彩色对比及冷暖色彩对比,产生令人印象深刻的视觉效果。⑤巴丹吉林沙漠拥有美丽的沙脊线、沙丘链和沙波纹等线条,线条以蛇形线、斜线和水平线等为主。不同类型线条通过组合或重复排列,传达出巴丹吉林沙漠的韵律之美、动态之美和生命之美。⑥巴丹吉林沙漠自然景观对不同群体的吸引力是不同的,群体学科背景差异越大,吸引力差别越显著。最后,提出进一步合理开发利用巴丹吉林沙漠自然景观资源的建议:坚持可持续发展战略,精心呵护巴丹吉林沙漠自然景观;加强旅游宣传与开发,发挥巴丹吉林沙漠美育功能;注重旅游者群体差异分析,进一步细分和扩大旅游市场。     

Geography Current

Abstract

Broadening the intercultural awareness and international outlook of undergraduate students is best achieved through active rather than passive learning. The international student interview provides an excellent strategy for such active learning in introductory human geography classes. It allows American-born students to enter into a dialogue with students from other countries and learn about their cultures while simultaneously reexamining their own society and cultural frames of reference. The exercise also provides instructors with an opportunity to discuss the ethics and social practices associated with interviewing. Feedback from University of Georgia students completing this assignment underscored these benefits and provided suggestions for refinement of the exercise.