Is a pixel worth 1000 words? Critical remote sensing and China's Belt and Road Initiative

As a novel means of researching China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), this article advances a critical remote sensing agenda that connects the view from above provided by satellite imagery with the grounded, qualitative methodologies more typical of political geography such as ethnographic fieldwork. Satellite imagery is widely used to produce empirics relating to the BRI, and the Chinese state is showing increasing interest in applying Earth observation data to governance. A more critical approach attentive to the politics of remote sensing, especially in light of China's emergence as a space and satellite power and its embrace of big data, is needed to more precisely reveal what changing pixels represent on the ground and expose the potential issues with data captured from high above the planet. This paper offers three theoretical and methodological objectives for critical remote sensing. First, I reflect on the geopolitics involved in the production and analysis of satellite imagery. Second, through analysis of night light imagery, which captures illuminated anthropogenic activities, I interrogate metanarratives of development. Third, I engage with qualitative methods by “ground-truthing” remote sensing with ethnographic observations along China's borders. I also seek to avoid the methodological nationalism often present in remote sensing research by situating these mixed-methods case studies at scales above and below the nation-state. As one of the largest development interventions in history materializes, pursuing critical remote sensing can create opportunities for social scientists to leverage quantitative and geospatial methods in support of more equitable and sustainable futures.     

从数量地理学到地理计算学——对数量地理方法的若干思考

本文简要回顾了地理科学中数量化方法的发展与现状,对数量地理学进行了科学的反思,对自90年代以来数量地理的最新发展-地理计算学的现状与应用研究作了简要介绍,旨在启动并推进地理计算学在我国的发展。     

Present Problems in Theoretical Geography

The need for a distinctive discipline of theoretical geography is enhanced by three current research trends in geography related to the scientific and technical revolution. They are remote sensing, resource use and economic location. Theoretical geography is concerned with the automated processing of the growing body of geographical data, the study of complex geosystems and their multidimensional geospaces and the development of a set of geographical axioms. The development of theoretical geography is closely related to the growing use of mathematical methods in geography by formulating geographical problems in a form amenable to mathematical analysis. Theoretical geography helps to formalize geographical concepts and facilitates the building of models in geography. Models, in turn, provide a better understanding of a system than can be expressed in words.     

近二十年来中国文化地理学文献分析

自20世纪80年代以来,我国的文化地理学得到了长足的发展。本文搜集了1985-2004年的文化地理论文文献,将论文按地理类、学报类和其他类三类期刊进行统计分析,运用文献分析的方法,分析了我国文化地理学期刊载文数量的时空分布特点、作者生产率、作者地域分布和单位分布、论文资助情况以及文献研究的内容等方面的问题,揭示了近20年来我国文化地理学发展的状况和特点,为我国文化地理学者了解和把握文化地理学研究热点和发展趋势提供依据。     

人文地理过程内涵辨析与模拟探讨

人文地理过程是陆地表层系统地理过程最重要的组成部分之一。本文从陆地表层系统科学的角度出发,探讨了人文地理过程的基本内涵及主要组成部分,指出人口迁移过程和经济集聚-扩散过程是人文地理过程最重要的要素过程,城市化和土地利用变化是人文地理过程最直接的空间表达形式;在此基础上进一步探讨了人文地理过程模拟的核心内容,包括要素模拟和综合过程模拟;提出了人文过程模拟的主要数据源获得途径与模拟方法,指出了人文地理过程模拟需要解决的几个关键问题。     

The Role and Significance of Objective (Mathematical) Methods in Geographic Research

A staff member of Leningrad University's Cartography Department reviews the introduction of quantitative methods into geography and offers a classification of physical and mathematical models used in geography. The increasing use of objective methods, including physical and chemical techniques, is expected inevitably to affect the nature of geography as a scientific discipline, just as the use of aerial photography changed the theory and practice of topographic mapping.     

Quantitative Methods in Physical-Geography Research

The use of quantitative techniques in physical geography is discussed with reference to three particular disciplines—climatology, glaciology and geomorphology. Although significant advances have been made in these and other particular disciplines, there is increasing need for applying quantitative methods to the composite of geographical processes, related to various forms of the exchange of matter and energy. A quantitative approach to integrated physical-geography research is needed for a resolution of the general problem of a quantitative explanation of the physical-geographic process and the formulation of a quantitative theory of physical geography. Aside from inherent difficulties in applying quantitative techniques to physical geography, particularly the biogeographic disciplines, there are additional problems of an organizational nature in the Soviet Union, where specialists in various disciplines tend to be associated with different institutes.     

新世纪国际人文地理学发展格局与多样性:基于2000-2017年SSCI期刊的文献计量分析

本文以2000-2017年人文地理学的SSCI论文为基础数据,通过文献计量法分析了国际人文地理学的发展格局、地区差异和多样性。结果显示：①国际人文地理学存在着高度极化的发展格局,其中英美占据绝对的优势,欧洲国家构成了第二圈层,中国是唯一进入世界人文地理大国的发展中国家。②根据不同国家的学科结构,全球人文地理学大国大致可以分成四大阵营——盎格鲁国家、亚太国家、中南欧国家和北欧国家,这些国家的学科分异表现出了很强的地域性和历史传承性。③最后,本文发现人文地理学学科的多样性与单位研发投入的SSCI论文之间存在着较为显著的正相关关系,即学科结构越均衡越有利于学科的创新和高水平论文的产出。     

20世纪80年代以来人文地理研究进展及趋向分析

20世纪80年代以来,人文地理研究逐步走向多元化,从不同视角、不同技术手段进行不同区域、不同问题的理论与实践研究。指出在研究中存在的主要问题：①微观研究有待加强;②人文地理基础理论研究薄弱;③人文地理地位不高,且仍在下降;④人文地理研究方法增多,但运用力度不够;⑤人文地理研究风气尚需要斧正。21世纪以来,人文地理研究出现新的研究趋向：研究成果更具综合性、边缘性、可操作性、可视性,与实际应用结合更加紧密,且理论研究有所深入。根据问题,建议：①做扎扎实实的工作,克服浮躁情绪,潜心钻研;②加大相关学科研究方法借用力度;③加强人文地理研究成果的可操作性;④加强人文地理学中的研究创新;⑤适时开展人文地理理论建设。     

中国政治地理学研究展望

相对于人文地理学的其他几个主要分支学科而言,政治地理学在中国发展缓慢。本文认为这主要不是由于中国缺乏政治地理研究的素材,也不单纯是由于中国缺乏研究政治的环境。从学科的角度看,有四个方面的原因束缚了政治地理学在中国的发展:地理学分析尺度的下移、建设性实证研究的缺乏、相关学科理论支持不足和地理学本身"远离政治"的惯性影响。本文在粗略梳理了西方政治地理学发展脉络的基础上,通过对比分析,提出了中国政治地理学发展的三个方向:城市政治地理、地方政治地理和新地缘政治学,期待中国政治地理多尺度、多样化的实证研究尽快展开。     

珠三角中心镇城市化对区域城市空间结构的影响——基于CA的模拟和分析

在珠三角的城市化过程中,中心镇的城市化对区域城市空间结构的形成和发展具有重要的影响,定量地研究中心镇的城市化对揭示珠三角地区城市化过程与城市空间结构的变化具有重要意义。本研究以东莞市为例,运用城市元胞自动机模型,模拟市域内1988-2004年的城市扩张过程,分析中心镇城市化对整个城市空间结构的影响。主要结论:1988-1993年,中心镇的城市化对区域城市空间结构影响较小,城市主要沿道路扩张,城市在空间布局上相对松散;1993-1997年,中心镇对区域城市空间结构影响增强,城市以中心镇为中心的扩张非常明显,城市空间沿道路的扩张,基本形成了渐进扩散式的"点-轴"空间发展模式,形成沿道路和中心镇扩展的格局;1997年以后,中心镇的辐射作用进一步增强,形成了"点-轴-集聚区"的城市空间扩展模式,城市空间扩展区在空间上更集中于中心镇。     

SEEING SPATIAL STRUCTURES: ON THE ROLE OF VISUAL MATERIAL IN THE MAKING OF THE EARLY QUANTITATIVE REVOLUTION IN GEOGRAPHY

This article examines the role that visual material played in the early years of the quantitative revolution in Anglophone geography. It is part of a larger project that attempts to write a history of geography's scopic regimes in the twentieth century and draws on post‐positivist approaches to the history of science. It is argued that there are a number of strategic as well as theoretical reasons for such a reliance on images in the quantitative revolution. Some reasons are unique to the quantitative revolution in geography, some resemble a more general way in which paradigm shifts take place in science and some are located outside of academia. This article is primarily interested in the internal view on the geography of the quantitative revolution and its rationalities. The paper departs from Christaller's hexagon, as one of the most influential and iconic. It then broadens the view to include a much wider range of visual material, arguing for some more general observations on the use of images in geography during the early quantitative revolution. It is argued that there was a significant shift of forms and functions of visual material. Overall, it is argued, visual material gained in importance and while geography was getting “thinner” and more abstract, its role in making visual arguments became stronger. From being merely an aid for seeing, visual material became a prime carrier of knowledge.     

21世纪人文地理科学的发展趋势分析及预测研究

本文在分析21世纪地理科学总体发展趋势基础上,并结合人文地理科学发展历程及面临时势,进一步探讨人文地理科学的发展前景和趋势。指出:要加强人文地理科学核心领域研究;区域与区域发展赋予新内涵;要拓展人文地理科学实践领域并加强综合研究;随着计算机、遥感技术的应用,积极推进人文地理科学计量化发展;深化人文地理科学全方位与国际接轨等。     

The influence of an integrated PBL format on geography students’ perceptions of their self-directedness in learning

Problem-based learning can be implemented in South African geography teacher education to foster geography students’ self-directed learning skills. The purpose of this longitudinal case study was to determine B.Ed. geography students’ (n = 45) perceptions of their self-directedness in learning in integrated problem-based learning experiences over a three-year period. The study used quantitative and qualitative research methods based on questionnaire application and semi-structured focus group interviews. The students completed a standardized questionnaire at regular intervals with the implementation of integrated problem-based learning experiences in geography modules over a three-year period. Focus group interviews with participants (n = 8) were employed to get a deeper understanding of the results of quantitative data. The results indicated that the geography students’ self-directed learning scores increased with the implementation of an integrated problem-based learning format in geography over the three-year period. The students who measured average, below average and low levels of self-directed learning at the beginning of the study had the highest increase in self-directed learning scores over the three years. The female students’ perceptions of their self-directedness in learning had higher increases in their self-directed learning scores after the problem-based learning interventions when compared to the male students.     

1990年以来西方城市社会地理学研究进展

本文对1990年以来西方城市社会地理的研究特点进行概括,表现为研究成果不断增多、主题多样化和研究方法上从量化到质化的转变,然后从内容上进行归纳,包含社会公平、疾病与健康地理、犯罪地理、感应地理等研究重点,其中社会公平又细分为对弱势群体地理研究、福利地理以及女性地理学。这些研究在侧重点上有较大转变,从一般性社会要素空间区位探讨过渡到要素背后的社会、文化、政治等情境的结构式剖析,注重研究社会空间的隐喻和文化意义、社会问题对空间的塑造机制以及特定空间对人的再造等。在此基础上对西方城市社会地理研究进行简要评价,归结为问题导向、主题多样化、地方性研究和质化与本位研究主导,最后提出对中国社会地理研究的初步建议:壮大中国社会地理研究队伍、积极借鉴其它学科、以居民日常行为地理研究为突破口。     

国外宗教地理研究回顾与进展

20世纪60年代以来,国外宗教地理研究日益成熟,已成为文化地理学的重要组成部分之一。除传统文化地理学之外,国外宗教地理研究也出现了诸如新文化地理学、宗教生态学、社会学等研究方向;其研究内容也从最初对宗教与地理环境关系的单一研究逐渐趋向多样化,宗教的分布与扩散、宗教文化区和宗教景观研究都得到了充分重视。新文化地理学由于融合了更多跨学科知识,而逐渐在宗教地理研究中占据主流。总体来看,国外宗教地理研究仍处于一个边缘地位,研究的内容和方法体系都有待进一步完善。     

GIS Methods in Time-Geographic Research: Geocomputation and Geovisualization of Human Activity Patterns

Over the past 40 years or so, human activities and movements in space‐time have attracted considerable research interest in geography. One of the earliest analytical perspectives for the analysis of human activity patterns and movements in space‐time is time geography. Despite the usefulness of time geography in many areas of geographical research, there are very few studies that actually implemented its constructs as analytical methods up to the mid‐1990s. With increasing availability of geo‐referenced individual‐level data and improvement in the geo‐computational capabilities of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), it is now more feasible than ever before to operationalize and implement time‐geographic constructs. This paper discusses recent applications of GIS‐based geo‐computation and three‐dimensional (3‐D) geo‐visualization methods in time‐geographic research. The usefulness of these methods is illustrated through examples drawn from the author's recent studies. The paper attempts to show that GIS provides an effective environment for implementing time‐geographic constructs and for the future development of operational methods in time‐geographic research.     

Make your practicals open‐ended

Abstract

Most practical work in geography can be characterised as ‘closed’ teaching which offers little opportunity for students to develop important research skills. I prefer, where possible, an alternative ‘open’ approach, and this is illustrated by examples of work in quantitative methods.     

论文学作品的地理学价值

本文根据文学作品的纪实性,引证出对风景考察的深层认识,从而寻求文学作品的地理表象。从文化地理学、历史地理学、区域地理学与文学的相关分析中,给文学作品以重新评价,并总结了文学作品的地理辨识、物象解析、"作品事实"评价等三个地理判读之方法。     

Teaching economic geography in UK higher education institutions

Abstract

This paper examines how the changes in the last decade in economic geography have been reflected in the courses taught in the UK and assesses the impact of recent changes in teaching styles and methods on how the subject is taught. It summarises the findings from a survey of 50 UK Geography Departments. The paper covers three main topics: the significance of economic geography in UK degrees courses; the characteristics of introductory economic geography courses; and the issues involved in the teaching of economic geography.