我国人文地理学研究方法多样化问题

从我国地理学研究存在的问题入手,切入我国人文地理学研究的方法和方法论问题。自1970年代以来,欧美人文地理学研究范式和方法论逐步多样化,这可以作为我们发展人文地理学方法的一个参考。正是基于对实证主义地理及其方法论局限性的认识,结构主义(包括马克思主义)、人文主义、女性主义、后现代化主义和后结构主义相继登场。中国作为一个向现代社会全面转型的发展中国家,地理格局异常复杂。结果是现代性问题与后现代问题并肩前行,发达和欠发达有关的问题同时存在。对这样复杂的地理景观所进行的人文地理学研究,较多地采用了基于实证主义方法论的空间科学传统,对塑造这一景观的人未能给予足够的关注。因此,我国的人文地理学研究迫切需要方法论和方法的多元化。

The diversification of research approaches in human geography in Chinese Mainland

Beginning with the problems facing the Chinese geographical academia from a review paper on the issues of the progress and retrospect in geography in Chinese mainland, the paper reviews the related research results, and guides the readers to the methodological issues of human geography research. Through the retrospect of the development of human geography approaches and philosophies in the Anglophone world, the author comes to a conclusion that the research paradigm and methodology has been diversified since the 1970s. Through the period from the 1970s to the present, geography was in a state of turmoil. Although Chinese human geographers need not dance to the pipe of the Anglophone counterparts, the diversification of approaches in the Anglophone world can be used as a reference point. Just because of the realization of the limitations of positivist paradigm and reaction, structurism (including Marxism), humanism, feminism, and post-modernism (including poststructurism) appeared and exerted much effect on the research methodologies and paradigms of human geography in Anglophone world. During this course of methodological diversification, geography lost its traditional core but now has a strong periphery. China, as a giant transitional developing country, has a complex geographical pattern of human activities. This complexity is attributed not only to its long history and giant internal inequality, physically and economically, but also to the market-based social and economic reforms. The result is that the postmodern issue parallels the modern problem. This situation gives Chinese human geographers an unprecedented opportunity. The related researches by Chinese human geographers are dominated by empiricism, particularly positivism, and the attention that the researchers paid to the human aspects is not enough. So it is badly needed to diversify the research methodology and approach in order to deepen the researches. The paper discusses the necessity, and gives the countermeasures about the diversification of research approaches in human geography in Chinese Mainland, with the aim to do a little bit to the rational development of human geography in China.