Public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS): challenges of implementation in Churchill,Manitoba

Public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) increasingly are utilized in geographic research, yet researchers rarely are provided with guidance on how to implement PPGIS in an appropriate and effective manner. This article reports on the process of research that explores responses to current and future local tourism development offered by a sample of residents using a modified PPGIS approach called ‘community action geographic information system’ (CAGIS). The conceptual development of CAGIS is reported and the challenges encountered during its implementation in Churchill, Manitoba during 2005–2007 are reviewed. It is suggested that researchers wishing to conduct similar research should undertake thorough preliminary fieldwork to assess the likelihood of finding agreement on a common problem; acquiring adequate resources; establishing collective responsibility for the project's outcome; attaining stakeholder support; developing trust and meaningful relationships; and incorporating indigenous knowledge appropriately. Feedback of results to community members also should be an integral part of the research process. A number of feedback mechanisms are reported, including an interactive weblog, which helped facilitate communication between heterogeneous groups in Churchill. Although ambitions for a truly participatory GIS approach to this project have been set aside, it is held that PPGIS can yield positive outcomes for communities and academia. Sharing this research experience will be useful to others who venture into PPGIS research, especially in northern communities.     

网上历史研究资源的特点和趋势考察--以历史研究虚拟图书馆作为视点

历史研究虚拟图书馆是网络上历史资源的科学汇集,它的发展变化集中体现了网上历史研究资源的发展特点和趋势。历史研究虚拟图书馆作为网络时代的必然产物,是历史研究者从事历史研究不可缺少的工具,在历史学术研究中发挥了越来越大的作用。     

CONTRIBUTION DES TECHNOLOGIES D'INFORMATION ET DE COMMUNICATION AU DÉVELOPPEMENT

L'évaluation réalisée pour l'Union Européenne de 25 applications de technologies d'information et de communication, a permis de tirer des leçons sur la contribution des TIC au développement rural. Les résultats de cette évaluation mettent en évidence l'importance du contexte économique, social et culturel dans lequel se situe l'introduction de la technologie, ainsi que celle d'autres facteurs dans la réussite ou l'échec d'une application. Ils montrent également que la centralité de la technologie est variable selon les projets. Enfin, ils identifient les différents modes de développement qui sont impulsés.
Lessons have been learned from an evaluation of 25 telematic applications, undertaken for the European Union, on the contribution of TIC to rural development. Evaluation results show the importance of the economic, social, and cultural context and the presence of other factors for the success (or failure) of an application. These results also show that the importance of the technology varies from one project to the next. Finally, these applications lead to different development types.     

浅议基层图书馆的信息服务工作

网络环境下,图书馆的信息服务呈现出许多新特点。这一新特点给基层图书馆的信息服务工作带来严峻的生存挑战和广阔的发展机遇。基层图书馆只有不断优化信息资源和提升信息服务水平,才能跟进时代发展的步伐,为用户提供更好的服务。     

手机旅游信息服务初探

手机信息服务与旅游结合产生了手机旅游信息服务。本文介绍了国外手机旅游信息服务发展状况,按照供应商和信息内容对旅游信息服务进行了分类,总结了旅游信息服务的特征及对旅游业产生的影响。     

浅析负面新闻信息传播的积极作用

新闻报道必须坚持弘扬主旋律,但也应通过积极有效的传播使一些负面新闻信息发挥正面的作用。只要坚持新闻的党性原则,准确理解和切实把握新闻信息的负面性,就能够使一些负面的新闻信息传播成为国家政策和制度层面的一种完善,并通过有效的警示和激励发挥大众媒体舆论监督的重要作用。     

ANTAEUS Project for the Regional Vulnerability Assessment of the Current Building Stock in Historical Centers

This article presents a methodology for the seismic vulnerability assessment of current buildings, suitable for the study of historical centers at the regional scale. The applicability is demonstrated with reference to four case studies: the historical center of the city of Foggia (Italy) and three other small towns of this province, for a total of 4519 housing units. Field data were collected by several teams of technicians by means of a survey form, provided in electronic format. The subsequent data processing and drawing of vulnerability maps was performed using geographical information system (GIS) technology. The collected data were used also for the validation of the algorithm, by comparing the results with those of the methodology used by the Gruppo Nazionale per la Difesa dai Terremoti (GNDT [Italian National Group for Defense Against Earthquakes]), which is widely adopted in Italy. The results of the research study and the application showed some critical points, related to the poor nature of the information collected and to the reliability of the final results. These issues are analyzed and discussed, proposing a strategy for improving the methodology.     

Preserving collective and individual memories: the Contemporary China Social Life Data and Research Center at Fudan University

This essay introduces the Contemporary China Social Life Data and Research Center at Fudan’s School of Social Development and Public Policy and the data the archive has collected. This archive contains data on Lianmin Village in northern Zhejiang Province that provide exceptionally detailed information on economic, political, social, and cultural changes during the period from 1949 to 2000 in China. The archive also collects information on life at the grassroots level, mostly from Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Shanghai, including documents from local government offices and work units. Among the documents collected at the archive, the meeting minutes are especially noteworthy. The archive’s unique collection of private correspondence, personal diaries, and work logs is also enormously valuable to our understanding of contemporary Chinese society.     

Urban sprawl in Spain: differences among cities and causes

Urban sprawl has a major impact on the environment, public health and the socio-economic evolution of cities. The causes are numerous, being mainly related to the generalized use of the automobile in modern cities. Urban sprawl has been especially relevant in US cities since the 1950s, rapidly spreading to other cities in the rest of the world. This paper studies the case of Spain using recent data. Spanish cities have grown rapidly over the 90s and 2000s. The country has completed the process of urbanization and has suffered the effects of a major real estate bubble. In this context, we are interested in measuring and explaining where and why urban sprawl has appeared in Spanish cities. Digital mapping carried out around the year 2000 providing full coverage of Spain is used to calculate an Urban Sprawl Index. It is applied to all urban areas and municipalities throughout the country, providing an objective, comparable measurement of sprawl and identifying which areas are most affected by this phenomenon. A second stage of analysis is conducted in an attempt to explain the causes of the differences in sprawl among Spanish cities with a regression model based on the literature. We have found that the cases most affected by sprawl are the latest urban developments on the Mediterranean coast as well as certain areas in the vicinity of large cities: the mountains to the north of Madrid and the coastline near Barcelona and Valencia. In some cases, urban sprawl is starting to become a problem for the environment and urban sustainability, with important consequences for the future evolution of the affected cities.