GEOG 2260 Blog

April Gastle (she/her). 4th year International Development Student at the University of Guelph.

[ahgeog2260-deactivated20211210]

A Course to Remember...

I won’t lie. If given the choice of which geography course to take, this would not have been the first pick for me. I tend to steer clear of the more technical fields of geography and only take an interest in those concerning the environment, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed this course more than I anticipated. The content and the way it was delivered were engaging and thought-provoking. As I take a look back at the semester, this will be a course I recommend in the future.

What I Learned About Human Geographic Research

I learned a lot from this course but there are a few topics that are engraved in my mind. The first is known as critical reflexivity, a process of self-evaluation and criticism as the researcher and on the research process (Hay, 2016). There are three types to choose from, objectivity, subjectivity, and intersubjectivity (Hay, 2016). Critical reflexivity is a large part of being a researcher that comes with difficulties, for example, power (Hooykaas, 2021). This was a confusing concept for me in the beginning, but as we dove deeper into the course material and I reviewed my notes it became more clear.

The second topic is known as research ethics. All research is held to a high standard and must follow certain guidelines (Hooykaas, 2021). I learned this is necessary to keep participants safe and allow for the researcher to reap benefits such as funding and being published (Hooykaas, 2021). I was unaware of how much preparation and consideration went into conducting research and the parties involved.

The third topic is known as coding. Coding is used when researching to categorize and analyze data (Hooykaas, 2021). There are two primary types of coding, deductive and inductive, as well as two types of coding frames, flat and hierarchical (Hooykaas, 2021). Coding can also be based on different aspects depending on the topic of your research, for example, you can choose to code by use of themes, ideas, terms, or keywords (Hooykaas, 2021).

What Confuses Me

The delivery of course content allowed for an adequate understanding of most course materials. The most confusing unit was that on analyzing surveys. I have a slight understanding of the different types of data but they have always provided me with struggles. I was not aware that surveys are much more complex than asking questions and receiving answers.

A second confusing concept arose in unit nine, critical analysis. We were required to write a blog post critically analyzing an article. This was an intimidating experience as I had not yet inquired an in-depth understanding of the material. I was able to review the content and develop a small understanding, but I am no expert in the subject.

A concept that I have long struggled to understand is that of qualitative and quantitative research, data, and everything else relating to those two concepts. These two concepts have been used since elementary school days and I still am unable to grasp their meanings and how to apply them.

What I Know for Certain About Myself as a Human Geographic Researcher

One of the main things that I know for certain is that I will often unconsciously apply certain concepts to daily life as my human geographer instincts kick in. For example, research ethics will force me to be considerate of the way I converse with others on a day-to-day basis, while using critical reflexivity to evaluate the process to ensure I am being respectful.

A second thing that I know for certain is that, even with my newfound appreciation for human geography, I much prefer the environmental side of geography that works with concepts such as the human impact on the environment and climatology. With that being said, there are various concepts from this discipline that are useful to all disciplines, including environmental geography

The last thing that I know for certain about myself as a human geographer is that I am nowhere near finished with learning and I don’t believe I ever will be. There will always be new concepts and methods of researching as the year's pass.

What I Need To Feel Confident in My Skills as a Human Geographic Researcher

To feel more confident in my skills, I would like to further my knowledge of coding and the different types. I believe this concept would be extremely beneficial in other courses as I complete assignments, but only if I can obtain a superb understanding of the topic as I believe it would prolong my assignments if I was still met with confusion. I believe furthering my understanding of data collection, specifically, the types of questions to ask would be extremely beneficial for post-undergrad. Knowing what types of questions to ask depends on the results you are looking for could prove to be useful when completing research assignments or inquiring about job positions. The last, and most important, area that I need to spend time on to feel more confident in my human geographic research skills is doing more research outside of class materials and assigned readings when something is unclear to further my understanding of the topic. I often do the bare minimum to receive average grades, but I would like to start implementing a few practices, such as additional research, to receive above-average grades.

Concluding Remarks

As I have stated earlier, and in previous blog posts, this course exceeded my expectations and there are various concepts that I will take away from this experience and apply to my studies and daily life. Thank you Dr. Hooykaas.

References

Hay, I. (2016). Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography (4th ed.). Oxford Univ Press.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). GEOG*2260 Applied Human Geography. University of Guelph.

[aggeog2260]

Hi! I think you made some great points not only in this post, but throughout the semester! I found it very interesting to hear about your main takeaways from this course. I too found the topic of critical reflexivity to be one of the most important concepts when considering human geography research. Understanding one’s one bias and position and how that relates to their research is key, especially when human subjects are involved. I also found interesting your point about how during daily life, you start to apply concepts that we’ve learned throughout the course of this semester. I find myself unconsciously doing the same thing! Little concepts like the ‘invisible backpack’ have made their way into my daily life and conversations. When having a conversation with my roommates, I often find myself thinking about where their perspective is coming from, and why they might have the opinion that they do. This concept of ‘invisible backpacks’ can apply to many things, not just geography and I’m excited to see the other places in which it can be applied. I also agree with you on your preference of environmental geography. Though this course was interesting, I think it helped me narrow down the fields in which I am interested in studying, which would tend to be more of human’s impact on the climate. Overall, I found it really interesting to read about your challenges and successes throughout the course, and I wish you all the best in your future of learning about and researching human geography!

April :)

[aggeog2260]

We did it!

We did it! We are at the end of the semester! I’m sure none of us expected our university careers to end up like this, but I’m happy that I had the opportunity to interact with you all virtually. As an International Development Student with an area of emphasis on Environment and Development, I’ve taken my fair share of geography classes. However, these classes do not spend much time truly speaking to the human component of geography. I’ve found it very interesting to learn about the different ways that humans interact with their environment, and the ways in which the environment can impact human cultures, and vice versa. 

These three things I know for certain about human geography research…

1. The importance of ethical research. Throughout the course of this semester, I have gained a better understanding of research ethics. I had no idea the extent to which researchers have to go through in order to ensure their work is ethical. However, I am happy to know that things such as the CORE tutorial exist so that ethical research can take place. Any time that researchers are dealing with human subjects or material, whether in the context of geography or not, it is necessary to make sure that the correct ethical procedures are being taken, in order to reduce and minimize the potential for risk (Hooykas, 2021).

2. The role of subjectivity, intersubjectivity and objectivity. While I have come across the concept of ‘invisible backpacks’ before, I appreciated its presence in the course material of this class. I feel as though it is so essential for researchers to understand and acknowledge their own biases and judgements before going ahead with research (Hooykas, 2021).

3. The importance of valid, peer - reviewed sources. The Internet is so full of information that it can often be difficult and complex to find accurate, peer - reviewed sources. It is so easy to Google search something and find a website that tells you everything you need to know about a topic. However, most of these sites are not peer - reviewed, academic sources, and I’ve come to realize the importance of using research that comes from valid, academically sourced sites.

These three things I am still confused by…

1. Coding: I found this unit quite challenging and would say that I still do not fully understand the concept yet. I think that I personally could have spent more time digging into the subject material and developing my understanding of the concept. I feel as though coding is a very important part of human geography and so I hope to continue to develop my understanding of it to avoid confusion in the future.

2. Interviews: I also feel as though I am still a little confused about the differences between structured, semistructured and unstructured interviews (Hooykas, 2021). However, I think that a lot of clarity could come from this should I actively participate in an interview process. I think that the interview process is something that is always a little bit confusing until you actually participate in it.

3. Triangulation: I found this concept a bit difficult to grasp and I think that I still have a lot to learn about it. Moving ahead with my geographic research, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of what exactly triangulation is and how it is used.

These three things I know for certain about me as a human geographic researcher…

1. I much prefer qualitative research to quantitative. I have known since about Grade 10 that I am not a fan of hard sciences. While I appreciate and acknowledge its merit, I personally do not feel as though I am very good at 1) developing quantitative data or 2) understanding it. I much prefer learning about the qualitative stories of a person or situation, rather than analyzing hard data.

2. I’ve also learned about my own biases. Whether these be from my academic or personal background, throughout the course of this semester, I feel as though I have a better understanding of what might be in my ‘invisible backpack.’ This will help me in the future as I continue with any geographic research, as I will have a better understanding of my biases and how they might affect my studies.

3. I’ve also learned more about myself in the context of how well I work with a group, especially a research driven group. I definitely had difficulties navigating this aspect this semester, given the online formatting. Despite this, I feel as though I have a deeper understanding of how I work within a group, in terms of not only how I contribute, but my downfalls as well.

These three areas I need to spend time developing/ learning in order to feel more confident in my skills…

1. Interviews: In a few of my other classes I have had the opportunity to directly participate in research interviews. Through this process as well as through the information I gained about interview processes through Hays’ readings, I feel as though I have a pretty good theoretical understanding of how to properly conduct an interview. However, I feel as though I could stand to benefit from participating in more interviews first hand. A theoretical understanding of the interview process is important and helps in terms of formatting and structuring a conversation, but I think socially, as a researcher, I could stand to gain from more experience (Hays, 2016).

2. Coding: As mentioned earlier, I still have some confusion when it comes to coding. I feel as though I still have not fully grasped the concept and I think that more experience in the field would help me to develop my skills as a researcher. With something technical like coding, I think that it requires practice rather than simply studying a textbook, so I hope that I have an opportunity in the future to work on my coding abilities.

3. One last thing that I hope to work on more in the future is my ability to find valid sources of information. I think that this is a constant challenge for university students, but with the Internet, valid, peer - reviewed sources are more available and accessible than ever! I think that this course helped me to better understand how to properly search for these articles, and my work on the annotated bibliography for my digital storytelling project helped me gain a better understanding of the field.

While I wish I could have spent this semester in person, I appreciated communicating with you all via the blogs, and wish you all the best in your future projects! 

Thanks!

April

References:

Hay, I. (2016). Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography, Toronto. Oxford University Press.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Lecture Notes from GEOG2260 - Applied Human Geography, Weeks 2, 5, 6 8. 

[rhgeog2260]

The End of a Semester...

Introduction

Wow. This semester has been so topsy turvy - going through a pandemic with multiple lockdowns, online learning, the stress of the world around us…I applaud all of us for making it through this incredibly difficult time!

I want to note that, like some of my peers, I would not have picked to take this course had it not been required. I prefer physical and environmental geography over human geography, so naturally I was planning on going in a different direction. I am now so grateful that I took this course!!! One of my career aspirations is to work with National Geographic, and it has now been made clear to me how vital it is to learn the intricacies of research and its methods/techniques. As someone who would rather do field work than a desk job, I am excited to one day apply all my new knowledge in research to the field I plan to work in!

Three things I know for certain about human geography research:

There are three things that stick out in my mind when I reflect back on what I have learned in this course. 

First, the concept of the “visible backpack” has stuck with me. Not only while working through this course work, but also work for other courses, while watching documentaries for my own entertainment, and maybe most importantly in this day and age, when watching stories on the news. As we have learned in Week 3, the “invisible backpack” takes into account all the features of the researcher, including ethnicity, gender, background, and more. These factors can greatly affect the manner in which data is perceived. An example I think of often is the wealthy, young men who interviewed Agafia in the Serbian wilderness. With their backpacks, they could not have possibly fully understood all that Agafia went through, and continues to go through today. This is an important reminder that all research has room for potential error or bias, depending on the exact situation. This allows me to reserve all judgement, and try to see things from all angles before forming an opinion. The invisible backpack can also relate to critical reflectivity.

Secondly, the importance of ethical research has been thoroughly engrained in me through this course. In my opinion, data obtained in an unethical way should be seen as null and void. It can be as simple as asking for someone to make a statement, or as complex as invading a prohibited area to try and fetch data (think of the man trying to preach Christianity to the native people of the Sentinelese island, subsequently getting killed - though this is not exactly a research incident, it is very prominently unethical). Entire research projects can be rendered invalid if the proper ethics are not followed, so I am thankful that this subject was taught and emphasized so much during this course. 

Finally, Professor Hooykaas taught us in a way that really engrained the importance of verifying and evaluating sources into our minds. I have been reminded that sources cannot just be blindly trusted - they must be critically evaluated, just like the article itself. 

Three things I am still confused by:

The Week 8 activity of coding was certainly challenging at first. While once completed I see the appeal of the organizational technique, it was intimidating to begin, and I quite honestly dreaded that week’s blogging activity. After completion, however, it was very beneficial when narrowing down topics for my Digital Storytelling Project!

Second, I am unsure how to overcome the invisible backpack. No matter who the researcher is, they are not identical to their subject, and cannot fully comprehend their views. I am curious to learn more about how to overcome this and avoid any possible complications that may arise.

Lastly, I am still slightly uncertain about “when enough is enough”. When, while performing research, have you obtained enough data without simultaneously having too much information? I feel this may be remedied by experience. 

Three things I know for certain about me as a human geographic researcher:

Firstly, while I know I would like to pursue research in my career, I now know that there are fields that interest me more than human geography. While no doubt interesting, I now know for sure that my interests lie in the more physical/environmental sides of geography. 

Second, I know that I can approach research situations with an open mind. I am confident that I can avoid any foreseeable biases in order to have the highest quality outcome possible. 

Finally, I feel that I could employ research in a way that has an overall positive impact on the world. Following ethics and my own morals, I know I can conduct research that holds importance in the betterment of our environment. 

Three areas I need to spend time developing/learning in order to feel more confident in my skills:

As I mentioned above, I would like to get a sense of familiarity to determine when the amount of research I have done has become too much. I of course want to have all the information, but it still must be conveyed in a digestible manner.

Second, I would like to practice with what types of interview questions are the most beneficial, and what types of questions to ask per scenario. Knowing that will save some stress, help narrow down specific questions, and yield specific results that pertain more closely to the goal in question. 

Finally, I would like to develop my skills as a student more. Transitioning to online learning was certainly challenging. By taking this course, I can more qualitatively reflect in on myself and the world around me.

Conclusion

Thank you to all my peers who interacted with my blog this semester! It was a unique way to connect with you all - especially in a remote setting! Be sure to reach out at any time :)

Your peer, Robin Hounsell

References:

Hay, I. (2005). Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.  

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Lecture Notes from GEOG2260- Applied Human Geography.

[aggeog2260]

Hi Robin! I think you made a great final post! Learning about what you most enjoyed about the course and the concepts that challenged you most was really interesting to hear. As I’ve learnt throughout the course of this semester, we all learn in our own, individual ways. The ways in which we as human geography students perceive the content that was presented to us varies so much, based on a number of factors. Whether this be our academic background, personal biases, or other things that belong to our ‘invisible backpack.” I also found the topic of coding quite challenging at first, and this is perhaps something that I hope to pursue learning about in the future, as I feel as though I still have not fully grasped the topic. I have been introduced to the idea of ‘invisible backpacks’ before, and this is also one of my favourite concepts that was presented in class. I feel as though the acknowledgement that everyone that we interact with, whether in a geography context or not, has their own history, biases and feelings is key to pursuing any interaction, or relationship, academic or otherwise. I also agree with you that online learning has been incredibly challenging. I’m sure none of us saw our university career going in this direction, and making the switch was definitely difficult. But I applaud you for finishing off the semester strong! I wish you all the best with your future academic and professional endeavours, and hope that you continue to learn about yourself not only as a student but as a human geographer!

[amfgeog2260]

Mapping Racial Injustice

Article in ‘The Conversation’

For this week’s blog post I came across an online article published by ‘The Conversation’ journal on February 23rd, 2021 (link to the article: https://theconversation.com/how-black-cartographers-put-racism-on-the-map-of-america-155081). The article discusses the importance of cartography, which is the use, creation, and analyzation of maps. The article explains how useful cartography has been in the history of racial injustice, as a means by which to “put racism on the map of America” (Alderman and Inwood 2021). I have mentioned this in previous blogs, but I found a similar, more recent article for our digital storytelling project which mapped the global protests in response to the murder of George Floyd. This article caught my attention because it uses physical and social geography in the same way as the more recent article, but addresses and visually shows the impact of race related injustice across the United States. The article and maps also give visual weight to the specific states and regions which perpetuated more racial injustices throughout history, which we can draw similarities to the same states today. 

Key Message

There is a strong and noteworthy message here. Although this is not an easy topic to talk about or write about, this article explains the power of mapping social injustice, especially in the history of the United States. The article explains the ways and uses of mapping and cartography over the course of history in America, to better understand, reflect on, and keep account of nationwide racial injustice. The article provides examples of cartography’s use from the late 1800s to examples like mapping police brutality through cartography more recently in 2014 (Alderman and Inwood 2021). Which outlines very clearly for the reader, that racially motivated injustices and inequities are continually perpetuated even almost a century after they were first mapped out. 

The Articles Sources

Because of the historic value with which this article was written, a lot of their sources would have been primary sources or historical, geography related resources. Specifically, the article used a primary source published in 1919 by the “National Association for the Advancement of Colored People”. The primary resource shows a map of the United States of America, and mapped out is all of the lynchings which occurred in a decade long span from 1909 to 1918 (Alderman and Inwood 2021). The second cartograph from the same primary resource shows a similar map of America but for a thirty-year period between 1889 and 1918 (Alderman and Inwood 2021). The other notable primary source you can see below this paragraph; civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in 1963 using maps to organize a march on Washington. The article explains that this is another way/reason for maps to be used to create politically disruptive movements for social change (Alderman and Inwood 2021). This is another parallel to my more recent example related to maps of global protests for anti-racism movements and solidarity for George Floyd. 

Expectations and Responsibilities of the Consumer

I think one of the most important parts of this article is the impact that it could have, either for awareness, education, and/or the future of social justice policy in the United States. We also have a responsibility as a consumer to take any source or article we see and properly evaluate it and reflect on it. The textbook and this week’s content discusses the importance of conducting participatory action research (PAR) which can create positive results associated with co-learning and collective action (Hay 2016, p. 352). This is the type of resource where we all have a responsibility to acknowledge the social injustices, inequities and structurally systemic issues that still impact an underrepresented minority of people. The text also mentions the important process of transformative reflexivity, in which the researcher and the audience or in the case of the textbook, person being researched to reflect on issues and “negotiate meanings of information generated together” (Hay 2016, p. 355). The text also talks about the technique of mapping to further our research and understanding of a topic. For reasons related to our social geographic topic in our final project, to the racial injustices seen in the United States and Canada over the past year, this seemed to be a prominent and important piece of writing to reflect on, and hopefully discuss further. 

References

Alderman H., D., & Inwood FJ., J. (2021, February 23). How black cartographers put racism on the map of America. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://theconversation.com/how-black-cartographers-put-racism-on-the-map-of-america-155081

https://www.loc.gov/static/classroom-materials/naacp-a-century-in-the-fight-for-freedom/documents/lynching.pdf

Hay, I. (2016). Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography. Fourth ed., Oxford.

[aggeog2260]

HI!! I think you raised a very interesting topic that I hadn't necessarily considered before... The idea of cartography is not necessarily on my radar and I had never considered the value it could bring to mapping racial injustices. Your mention of how this method of mapping can be used not only historically, but more recently in the case of BLM protests this past year is an important note to make as well. Social and racial injustices are a very important area of study, but can often be quite invisible or intangible to actively study. This concept of mapping specific instances of protests, or lynchings as this article has provides a way to make these invisible injustices visible, hopefully inspiring more change. Do you feel as though the article was meant simply to spread awareness and information about the issues of social injustices or rather encourage action on the part of the public to protest current social and racial injustices that are happening around the world today? I am also curious as to the other ways that this type of mapping and cartography could be used in a human geography sense. My digital storytelling project is focused on cultural geography, and so this method of mapping could be interesting to cross reference certain cultural practices and the geography of a land to see if there are any connections or correlations. Overall, I think that this is an interesting topic and you did a great job at identifying the sources and the use of PAR in the article.

[aggeog2260]

Canada’s Carbon Pricing

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-federal-carbon-tax-constitutional-case-1.5962687

Supreme Court rules Ottawa’s carbon tax is constitutional is a news article published by CBC News on March 25th of this year. The article highlights the recent decision of the Supreme Court to make carbon pricing constitutional (Tasker, 2021). Essentially, by making the carbon tax a federal, constitutional requirement, the federal government will hopefully be able to move forward with their plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to meet their international obligations to the Paris Agreement.

The federal government has noted the severity and urgency of climate change, and the necessity of national carbon pricing to guide provinces and territories to keep them on track to meet both national and international goals and standards for GHG emissions. By working under the Constitutions POGG clause (peace, order and good government), the federal government has jurisdiction to enforce issues that deal with a national, or in this case, international issue. The article notes that “The POGG doctrine applies when there is a ‘provincial inability to deal with the matter’ (Tasker, 2021). In the case of climate change and the proposed carbon tax, the federal government felt as though certain provinces and territories were not able or willing to create effective carbon pricing strategies, and therefore their intervention was justified. Seeing this acknowledgement and action on behalf of the federal government suggests a step in the right direction and sparks hope for future climate - related decisions.

As mentioned, some provinces have opposed the jurisdiction, as they feel as though a price on carbon will restrict economic activity, and natural resources are provincial jurisdiction. The federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act permits provinces and territories to enact their own form of carbon pricing, but given the opposition that fuel - reliant provinces had, the federal government noted that should provinces and territories fail to implement a real and successful carbon pricing regime, they would step in with a carbon tax (Tasker, 2021). By creating minimum pricing standards, the federal government can ensure that provinces are meeting the goals and standards required to meet the ever demanding need for a shift away from a carbon intensive economy, while still allowing provinces and territories their own autonomy. 

One thing that I appreciated in the article was a comment made by Chief Justice Richard Wagner, who argued that despite opposition from provinces like Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, the threat of climate change is too grand and great to not take action (Tasker, 2021). While I have felt this way for a while now, hearing this from such a powerful decision - maker made me feel proud to be Canadian. While I still believe that there is much more work to do, I believe that this is a step in the right direction. 

Thinking critically about the article and where the information came from, the author provided some insight about the sources of the article. They did mention that Chief Justice Richard Wagner was writing for the majority, which would have been made public. Other sources included comments made to reporters by the federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson about the discussion around carbon pricing (Tasker, 2021). It seems as though most of the sources provided come from public access forums or comments made by government members. While there were some parts of the article that did include where comments came from, I think that this could have been done more thoroughly. Overall, the article seems to have been made for the purpose of providing information to the public about the policy change and perhaps raise awareness about the growing need for carbon pricing and other climate solutions. As it is such a large topic that is being conducted at such a high level (Supreme Court), there is little the public can do in response to the article, which I believe is portrayed as the author simply outlines the information and facts around the decision.

Something that I felt like could be improved on this article would be to have provided a bit more context and definitions to the concepts raised. I felt as though the author brushed past what making something ‘constitutional’ entails. I also felt as though there was a lack of context and history around carbon pricing in Canada, and contextual information could have been provided about the Paris Agreement, and the commitments that Canada has signed onto. While they note that this will allow the federal Liberal government to push forward with their climate agenda, it did not dive much deeper into what will change given this Supreme Court decision. It also did not mention the specific goals of the Paris Agreement, which I feel would have helped paint a broader picture of the targets that Canada should be setting for itself. 

Seeing this type of change within my own country, on a large, federal scale, is very exciting and hopeful to me. I am excited to see where these changes lead and hopeful that we will continue to see climate - forward policy changes in the future. 

Tasker, J. (2021). Supreme Court rules Ottawa's carbon tax is constitutional | CBC News. Retrieved 26 March 2021, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-federal-carbon-tax-constitutional-case-1.5962687

[amlgeog2260]

Coding the Climate Crisis

Introduction

               The content presented in lecture this week was about data analysis. We have gotten to the point where we need to figure out some commonalities and assign meaning to the data/resources we have collected. We can do this through coding, and not necessarily with a computer program of any kind, but a manual version. For this exercise, I decided to code two peer-reviewed journal articles that I will be using for my digital storytelling assignment. The first is: Fossil fuel divestment: implications for the future of sustainability discourse and action within higher education, written by Healy and Debski (2017), and the second is: Are geography students good “environmental citizens?” A comparison between year of study and over time which is written by Robinson (2015). These articles both relate to our topic of environmental geography, as well as the themes we are exploring.

Coding Method

               When deciding how to code my articles, I landed on the deductive approach with a hierarchal frame2. Deductive coding is using a predefined set of codes, and then assigning them to your qualitative data2. This works for me specifically because at this point my group has already decided on some themes that we believe to be the most important for our project and so I already had an idea of what I was looking for. Hierarchal framing is used to help organize codes based on how they relate to one another, and in my case that meant assigning a higher importance to some of my codes2.

Codes Used

               The codes that I used for my articles were four individual keywords that I highlighted throughout the papers. The two words that have the asterisk beside them are more important and central to my themes than the other two.

1.       Future – Blue

2.       Sustainability* – Green

3.       Climate Change* – Pink

4.       Student – Orange

Applying Coding to the Assignment

               This approach and exercise will be very helpful to my digital storytelling assignment. Our group could use a set of predetermined codes (similar to the ones that I used) to analyze all of the data we have collected through our research. Our project is on environmental geography, and we have chosen climate change as a main focal point and theme. We are investigating its history, its future and its significance and we are looking at it through the perspective of post-secondary students because they are our target audience. Using coding would allow us to organize our data better as a group, and help us remain focused on our main themes. Using keywords specifically would be beneficial because we have an overwhelming amount of data to get through for our topic, so we could move much quicker this way. Overall this is a great organizational and data analysis tool and one that I will be using much more in the future.

References

1. Healy, N., & Debski, J. (2017). Fossil fuel divestment: implications for the future of sustainability discourse and action within higher education. Local Environment, 22(6), 699–724. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2016.1256382

2. Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 8: Coding. University of Guelph

3. Robinson, Z. P. (2015). Are geography students good “environmental citizens?” A comparison between year of study and over time. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 39(2), 245–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2014.936312

[aggeog2260]

Hi! I found your post very interesting, especially given the topic that you chose to analyze. I too am very passionate in the climate crisis and its related effects, so seeing it applied for a data analysis provided an interesting perspective for me. Throughout your coding, I found it interesting how much sustainability was brought up. Sustainability is such a large umbrella term that specifically defining it can be quite difficult. it is often a key term anytime one is discussing the climate crisis, so seeing this analytically coded, suggests the significance of the term. As we continue in the climate crisis, I believe that the idea of sustainability will remain a key factor. By focusing on long - term solutions, rather than short term opportunities, we can hope to continue to meet the immediate needs of our populations, industries, and governments, while still saving resources and maintaining our planet for future generations. Overall, I feel as though you did a great job at your data coding and I believe that the topic you chose was interesting and relevant. 

[aggeog2260]

Cultural Geography

While thinking about what to write for this week’s blog post, my mind immediately went to the geography subfield of my group’s digital storytelling project; cultural geography. Through our group’s research of the subfield, I’ve come to understand and better appreciate the relationship between culture and physical geography. Cultural geography refers to “the cultural values, practices, discursive and material expressions and artefacts of people, the cultural diversity and plurality of society, and how cultures are distributed over space, how places and identities are produced, how people make sense of places and build senses of place, and how people produce and communicate knowledge and meaning” (Research Guides: Human Geography: Cultural geography, 2017). By understanding not only the ways that the environment impacts culture, but also how human societies affect the environment, we can better understand how these relationships change over time and space. I think that this understanding is particularly relevant now. As human societies progress through the Technological Revolution, cultural geography will serve to be a very valuable and necessary field of study. By understanding the relationship between our increased reliance on electronic devices, and the ways that this shapes and changes our culture, we can also begin to understand how this affects our relationship with the environment. I personally feel as though we will see a disconnect between humans and the environment, as we become more drawn to using these devices and become reliant on them. Why go visit a beautiful natural area when you can sit on your couch and Google a picture of one? While this thought makes me sad, I recognize the importance of understanding and predicting these future changes, and how as our human culture changes, so too does our relationship with our surrounding environment.

I think that part of the reason as to why I am so drawn to cultural geography is because I appreciate the human component that underlies it. When thinking about geography, while hard, physical science is necessary and valuable, I think it is necessary to understand why and how it relates to humans, because ultimately, we are trying to understand the ways that this physical geography might impact us humans. Cultural geography notes this human component, and recognizes the complex nature of culture in addition to this, and for that, I feel it is a very valuable field of study.

References:

Researchguides.dartmouth.edu. 2017. Research Guides: Human Geography: Cultural geography. [online] Available at: <https://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/human_geography/cultural> [Accessed 7 March 2021].

[aggeog2260]

An Interview with Carl Sauer

Cultural geography, as a subfield of human geography, acknowledges the valuable relationship between humans and their environment. It looks to understand cultural traditions and values, while also noting the way that the environment affects cultural practices and vice versa. Key thinker Carl Sauer (1889 - 1975) is noted to be one of the founders of the modern day conception of cultural geography. His work in the early 20th century worked to understand the relationship between humans and the natural landscape, specifically in how the advent of industrial agriculture has evolved to shape these relationships ("Research Guides: Human Geography: Cultural geography", n.d.). He studied not only how landscapes affected humans, but also how human societies affected the environment around them. He also looked to understand the cultural histories of things such as agriculture or the domestication of animals ("Carl Sauer and the Cultural Landscape", n.d.). His work in understanding these relationships fostered growth for the field of study of cultural geography, and therefore it would be very interesting and eye - opening to have the opportunity to speak with him about his experience. 

Should I have the opportunity to have a five minute interview with Carl Sauer, my first question would be what inspired him to study and develop the field of cultural geography. Cultural geography is a rather niche field of study within the broader field of geography, and I would be interested to know how Sauer got into the field, and what inspired him to pursue his research. 

By understanding these motives, I could gain a deeper understanding of his perception of cultural geography, which would lead me into my next question; what cultural geography means to him, and what his specific definition of the field is. Though one can easily search the definition of cultural geography on Google, and be presented with a variety of quick answers, hearing the meaning of the field from one of the key founders would allow for a deeper understanding of the field as a whole. 

Thirdly, I would ask him where he sees cultural geography going in the future. As Sauer was a thinker of the early 20th century, he would not have experienced the extreme cultural changes that came with the Technological Revolution. If I somehow had the opportunity to speak with him about these changes, I think that it would be interesting to see his perspective on the role of technology within society, and how that alters both our culture and our relationship with nature. 

My fourth question would be to ask Sauer how his perception of human culture and the environment would have been different had he been a prominent thinker in the 21st century compared to the 20th. This would allow me to better understand. 

My fifth and final question would be; how do you see the relationship between humans and their culture and the environment changing as we progress into the climate crisis? As Sauer passed in 1975, it would be interesting to gain his perspective on how the climate crisis might change the relationship between human culture and the environment, in unprecedented ways.

 I would choose to ask these questions based on the Primary Question Types of box 8.3 on page 155 of the textbook (Hay, 2016). The first question is posed as a storytelling question, and would allow for Sauer to tell his story of how he got into the field in his own words. My second question would fall under that of descriptive, as I am asking him to describe what his perception of cultural geography is. My third question would be categorized as an opinion style question. Though it could be argued that the ‘future’ of cultural geography in his mind has already come (as he passed in 1975), it would be interesting to see whether his future predictions have come true or not. My fourth question would fall under the contrast type of question. By asking him to compare his experience of a 20th century geographer to a more modern day, 21st century geographer, I could perhaps understand the ways that the field of study has changed over time. My last question would target the opinion style of questions. By asking what his opinion is on the changing relationship between humans and their environment as we progress through the climate crisis, I could hope to gain a deeper insight through his expertise in the field.

 (Hay, 2016) By asking a variety of types of questions, I would be able to gain a more encompassing perspective of cultural geography than if I had just stuck to one single type of question. By doing this, I can hope to gain a deeper and broader understanding not only of cultural geography but also Carl Sauer’s perspective.

Do you think that I accurately categorized my questions according to Box 8.3? Do you think that these questions would provide me with accurate results that will aid in my progress through the Digital Storytelling Project? Let me know below!

References:

Carl Sauer and the Cultural Landscape. E-education.psu.edu. Retrieved 25 February 2021, from https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog571/node/145.

Hay, I. (2016). Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography (4th ed., p. 155). Oxford.

Research Guides: Human Geography: Cultural geography. Researchguides.dartmouth.edu. Retrieved 25 February 2021, from https://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/human_geography/cultural.

[atgeog2260]

Interviewing Hou Renzhi on Historical Geography

The geographic field of study I am researching for my digital storytelling project is historical geography. If given the chance to interview a key thinker in my geographic field of inquiry I would choose to interview Hou Renzhi. He was not only an important contributor to the field of historical geography but also a very interesting human being. Renzhi was born on December 6, 1911 and died on October 22, 2013 making him 101 when he passed away. He began his learning at the age of 21 where he attended  Yenching University, Beijing and acquired his bachelor’s degree and masters degree in history. He then planned to study in England in 1941 but before he could Yenching University was captured by the Japanese and he was sentenced to one year in prison followed by restricted movement after his release. In 1942 after the war he was working toward his PhD at the University of Liverpool and graduated in 1949, his thesis being written on historical geography. He has won many awards in his field and has contributed to many research papers and articles. Some of his selected works include The Principles and Practice of Historical Geography, Four Treatises on Historical Geography, A Brief History of Ancient Chinese Geography, Beijing Urban Historical Geography. Some of his books include: Beijing: An Ancient Capital Of China, An Historical Geography of Peiping, Symposium on Chinese Historical Geography. 

Below are the questions I would use to conduct the interview. In box 8.2 on page 153 of the class textbook, it states that good interview questions are those that: use easy to understand language, non-offensive language, the words used have commonly accepted meanings, are not ambiguous, phrased carefully, and are to avoid leading questions (questions that are engineered to encourage a desired response). These questions are meant to answer the main research question of the digital storytelling assignment, and that is “What is historical geography?”. Keeping all of this in mind here are my questions;

1.(Storytelling question) When did you first learn about historical geography? As you became more familiar with this field of study how did your initial perceptions change?

- What made you interested in studying this area of geography?

2.(Descriptive question) Please describe what historical geography means to you.

- Why is this an important field of study and how does this interdisciplinary subject add to our knowledge about the world? 

3.(Opinion) In your opinion what information is missing in this field?

- What is yet to be discovered? 

4.(Structural) What have been your favorite research projects throughout your career? 

- How do you feel this has impacted / contributed to the further knowledge of your field? 

5.(Contrast) Please explain the main similarities and main differences in both historical and geographical research, and how combining the two fields adds to our knowledge?

- Do you think this is important for the general public to know? And how could we best spread this knowledge ?

I tried to include each type of primary question and represent each listed in the textbook (the sub question below each primary question are there as a follow up to encourage further discussion on the primary question. The textbook refers to these as “secondary questions” ). There are six listed in the textbook (in box 8.3 page 155), descriptive, storytelling, opinion, structural, contrast and devil’s advocate questions. I left out the devil’s advocate type just because I didn’t feel it was appropriate for this type of interview. To invoke discussion I tried to avoid questions that would lead to a simple yes or no answers. The purpose of my interview would be to gather as much information on historical geography as possible and so I have tailored my questions accordingly, they are more broad questions that are asking about general information as opposed to specific, pinpointed questions. I feel as though the semi-structured interview type would fit best for this instance (Hooykaas, Week 6, 2021), I would want the interview to flow like a conversation. The more relaxed he is, the more likely I am to get his true thoughts and opinions on the area of study that I am researching, and the more insightful information I will be able to gather and use. There was a quote in this week’s lecture slides that said semi-structured interviews are a series of open ended questions where the interviewer still holds control over topics discussed during the interview but “…there is no fixed range of responses to each question.”- Ayres 2008 ( Hooykaas, Week 6, Slide 12 ,2021). Despite having used questions that fit under each primary question category, I would not be limited to these questions and they would not be asked in any specific order to honor the definition of a semi structured interview (as a structured interview follows an order and each question must be asked in that said order).

Do you think my questions would harbor beneficial results for my project? Do you think that my semi-structured interview approach is the correct format to be using, or would others be more useful in this situation? 

Your feedback is appreciated :)

References 

Hay, Iain. Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography. Fourth ed., Oxford, 2016

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 6: Data Collection - Interviews, Oral Histories, Focus Groups https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/668082/viewContent/2694661/View

Xiaomeng, L. (2010). Hou Renzhi: Lifelong Devotion to Historical Geography_Peking University. Copyright 2008 Peking University. http://newsen.pku.edu.cn/News_Events/News/Focus/7567.htm

[aggeog2260]

HI! I think that you made some really interesting points throughout your blog post! The questions that you raised were insightful while also not being too broad or too specific. I agree that a semi - structured interview style would perhaps be the best way to proceed with an interview such as this one. By having a set of structured questions that would help guide your conversation, you can hope to gain the answers that you are looking for, but having a more open style would also allow your interviewee to feel more relaxed, perhaps fostering more of a casual conversation. By allowing Hou Renzhi to feel more comfortable, he might touch on things that you hadn’t perhaps thought about or structured into your questions. Your questions would help to keep the interview on track though, which is important given the short time period allotted for the conversation. I think that the questions that you raised were very insightful and would help you to gain a deeper understanding of historical geography as a field of study. I also appreciated how you drew from the textbook, and had questions that fit into each question type; that of structural, descriptive, contrast, opinion, and storytelling. By doing this, you can hope to yield the best results that would help you in the future when we proceed with the digital storytelling project. Hou Renzhi himself seems like a notable contributor to the field of historical geography, and a good pick for your interview. Overall, I feel as though your questions would foster a deep and meaningful conversation with Hou Renzhi, in a way that would allow for more of a casual, open discussion, while also answering the questions that you are seeking to answer.

[aggeog2260]

The Relationship Between Climate Change and Social Inequality

This week, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what my ultimate research project would consist of. A lot of my interest, as both an academic, and a young person in the world, has been in the realm of climate change its effects, such as sea level rise, warming temperatures etc. Therefore, if I were given the opportunity to conduct a research project with limitless resources, I would most likely choose to study the relationship between climate change and social inequality, and the ways in which climate change effects disproportionately effect marginalized communities. 

Research Proposal:

First, I would identify those marginalized communities that are most at risk of being impacted by climate change. Sea level rise, warming temperatures, droughts and extreme disasters are just some of the potential threats that climate change poses to both human and nonhuman species. However, some groups are at greater risk to these disasters, and are disproportionately affected as a result of their race, gender, ethnicity etc (United Nations, 2019). By speaking with members of these marginalized communities and identifying the disproportionate risks that they face, we can hope to build their resilience and hopefully offset some of these risks.

Who Will Benefit?:

The intended subjects of the research study would be those belonging to oppressed groups and marginalized communities. In such a human based research project, ethics is such an essential component to think of. These marginalized communities already stand at such a vulnerable position, as they face varying degrees of social oppression due to their race, class, gender etc. However, the added impact of climate change places them at an even more vulnerable position (United Nations, 2019). Ethically, it’s important to think about the mental and emotional impacts of their social oppression, but also to identify the physical risks that they face from climate disasters. Once these risks have been identified, a risk - benefit analysis can be determined, and we can decide whether the benefits of the project outweigh the risks, and whether or not to move forward with the project. Thinking now, without having done too much research, the potential benefits could prove to be very valuable to those communities who stand at a heightened risk. By understanding the disproportionate risks that they face, these communities and their governing bodies can hope to build resilience and provide them with support systems that would help to protect them from future risks.

Me as a Researcher:

I think that one of the most important things to consider when understanding my role as a researcher, is recognizing my positionality and privilege. I am a white female who has access to a university education, and who has not lived in a place that has been at extraneous risk to climate change and its impacts. By keeping this in mind while I progress through the course of my research project, I can avoid potential negative impacts that could further work to oppress or marginalize these communities.

Overall, I think that a research project such as this could prove to be very valuable in understanding not only the threats that climate change poses but also the relationship between these risks and existing social inequalities.

References:

Un.org. 2019. Unprecedented Impacts of Climate Change Disproportionately Burdening Developing Countries, Delegate Stresses, as Second Committee Concludes General Debate | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. [online] Available at: <https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/gaef3516.doc.htm> [Accessed 1 February 2021].

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How Has Online Learning Impacted Students?

This week’s blog post has been difficult for me while I have tried to think of the perfect research project for myself. It is hard to narrow down on one single project that would reflect who I am as a person the best. After thinking for some time about this blog prompt, something that interested me is “How does e-learning vs. in-classroom learning impact students?”.  I have thought about online learning quite a bit since the pandemic has started. Not only are university students impacted by this but also elementary and high school students.

Research Proposal

For my research, I would want to focus on students in Canada and America at first. The group I would target is university students as I have firsthand knowledge of this group. The main idea for my research would be to figure if online school has made it easier or harder for students to learn. From my experience, I have heard online school is way better or it has made it incredibly difficult to learn. As mentioned by Hay, we need to “be realistic” when conducting any research. Although this is a limitless research proposal, I still need to be mindful of what I can accomplish.

A study like this would be a non-invasive research project to do as it would be a few simple questions. This study could be carried out with a straightforward questionnaire or survey.

Who Will This Benefit?

This study could not only benefit students in seeing the best learning environment but also educators. A study done by Stanford stated, “students taking the course in-person earned roughly a B− grade (2.8) on average while their peers in online classes earned a C (2.4)”. This statistic is just a glimpse into what online school is like for students. Along with this, online school also has a considerable impact on teachers and educators. Maybe a professor who taught great in person has seen a decrease in their class averages or an increase. All this information would be telling for anyone working or in university. In a way, this would benefit me as well. Through this change into online school, I often feel that I am falling behind easier or having trouble finding the motivation to get work done. I regularly ask myself “does anyone else feel this way?”. A study like this could help other students or even instructors know that they are not alone in feeling this way.

As I look into my future, I cannot say whether or not I will be conducting research such as this. I was not one to ever plan on doing research such as this and who knows what can happen as it seems like things are changing all the time.

References

Bettinger, E. P., Fox, L., Loeb, S., & Taylor, E. S. (2017, September). Virtual classrooms: How online college courses affect … Retrieved from https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20151193

Hay, I. (2016). Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography. Toronto. Oxford University Press.

[aggeog2260]

Great post! I think that your idea of studying the effects of online school versus face to face is a really important and relevant area of study. Not only is it important to recognize the impacts that the switch is having on current students, but I think that it could also help guide decisions on the future of academics. As COVID - 19 has forced students and teachers around the world switch to some form of online learning, individuals have faced varying impacts, some liking the change more than others. Learning about what these impacts are, and what they could mean in the long term, could be very valuable, and from this research, certain programs or support systems could be provided that would help both students and teachers with the challenges that they have been facing. I think that research like this could prove to be incredibly useful in the future, post - pandemic, when the academic world is considering a merger of online school and face to face. Depending on the results of the study, this could help to guide decision making around the switch back to face to face learning. I have a feeling that post - pandemic, we might see a larger incorporation of virtual learning into the academic system, but through a study such as the one you proposed, we could better understand the effect of online learning and whether or not it is effective in the long wrong.

[ahgeog2260-deactivated20211210]

Surviving the Taiga

The Taiga is a large area of untouched land that is made up mainly of forests that are home to a large amount of wildlife and experience extremely cold temperatures.

Agafia Lykov has been living off the land in the Sayan Mountains of Siberia (The Taiga) for 70+ years, which is her entire life. In 1936, Russia was under the power of Stalin who was murdering old believers. Agafia’s father fled, with a group of others, to the mountains where they built a small remote village 160 miles from the nearest town. In 1944, Agafia was born. They lived undisturbed for over 40 years before being located by Russian geologists in 1978 via helicopter, which is the only way to locate the village in the harsh Siberian winters.

This tale of the Siberian hermits who lived off-grid and hadn’t even known of World War II had become proof that humankind can survive in some of the harshest conditions.

Research Techniques

In the documentary Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years by VICE, the researchers took a hands-on approach to obtaining their data. They located Agafia’s village via helicopter and immersed themselves in her culture and way of life without knowing for certain when the helicopter would return. The researchers took part in Agafia’s daily life and learned her ways of survival. A second approach was also taken when conducting this research, interviews. Throughout VICE’s video, we saw many interviews conducted with two men helping them, Yerofei Sedov, who is the man living in isolation with Agafia, and with Agafia herself.

The Invisible Backpack

When you search “The Invisible Backpack” online there are various articles that pop-up regarding white privilege. The Invisible Backpack is a term that is used to explain the advantage that some people have over others. For example, even if it is by choice, Agafia faces more challenges in everyday life than the researchers themselves. Agafia has to hunt for her food, collect and cut firewood to heat her home, etc. While the researchers have various forms to obtaining food and have the option to purchase pre-cut firewood if needed. The Invisible Backpack is the divide between individuals.

Ethical Considerations made by VICE

I believe VICE conducted their research ethically by not making their invisible backpack directly identifiable. The researchers showed respect for Agafia and the way she chooses to live her life while trying to learn more about what that entails. Their presence did not alter her daily routine, or intrude by immersing themselves in her routine, but they took the necessary precautions to make her feel safe while conducting their research. For example, not invading by staying in tents, letting her speak freely and asking minimal questions, and sparing time from filming to help her with her daily chores. The documentary provided by VICE shows that they made proper ethical considerations but viewers also do not know what occurred when the camera was off, that is something to always think about.

My Research

If I was given the same opportunity as VICE to immerse myself in Agafia’s way of life, I would take a similar approach. The most important aspect to me, and my first step, would be to seek the help of locals in contacting Agafia ahead of time to ensure that my research is welcome in her home and inquire about anything she may need to feel most comfortable. Upon arriving and conducting the research, I would make it as real as possible. What I mean by this, is that I would use raw footage and not alter it or portray it as anything different than what it is. I also believe in spending time off-camera/off the books with study subjects to build a relationship and develop a deeper understanding of your research. You do not want to make your study subject feel as if they are an object, and that is why, in cases such as the one with Agafia, I believe in the connections you make as a researcher.

VICE. (2013, April 9). Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years (Video). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68

[aggeog2260]

I think you make some really great points throughout your post!! I think you make some really interesting points about Agafia’s ‘Invisible Backpack.’ When conducting any sort of research, and when analyzing the methods used for this research, it is incredibly valuable and important to think about the history, feelings and privilege that a person has but doesn’t necessarily share with the world. In Agafia’s case, and as discovered throughout the documentary, she faces many daily challenges that become increasingly difficult with old age. Her daily life of keeping up with her household is physically taxing, not to mention the emotional component of her isolation. As the research team went into their studies, and as we analyze the video now, we must keep Agafia’s ‘Invisible Backpack’ in mind, as it not only helps us to better understand her life but also to shed some light on human’s relationship with the environment.

[aggeog2260]

Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness tells the story of Agafia Lykov, a 70 year old woman who has lived and survived in the wilderness of the Siberian Taiga for her whole life. Her family was part of an ultra orthodox sect of christianity that exists scarcely around the world today. In 1936, her family feared the threat of oppression, and her father decided to move the family into the Siberian Taiga. Agafia was born in 1944, and for 40 years her family lived isolated from the world in the Siberian wilderness, despite the harsh conditions and weather. In 1978 however, a group of geologists spotted their farm from a helicopter flying above, and decided to hike in to ‘discover’ and meet the isolated family. Shortly after one of these visits, the three oldest children died from what they presumed to be pneumonia or another disease brought in by the geologists. Agafia’s mother and father died a few years later. Since then, Agafia has lived and survived alone, save for a former geologist named Yerofei, who moved onto the farm 16 years before the documentary took place.

In 2013, a group of filmmakers set out to meet Agafia and make a documentary about her and her life. The primary research techniques that were employed were that of an interview and case study. Throughout their stay, the filmmakers asked Agafia questions about her daily life, her family, religion and thoughts on the outside world. Through these questions, the documentary makers gained a deeper understanding of what life in the Taiga was really like, an provided an example for other communities that live similar lifestyles.

The invisible Backpack of the documentary filmmaker, which I would argue is not directly identified, is important to think about when analyzing the research methods and techniques. Understanding the positionality and reasoning for conducting a documentary of Agafia and her life provides a valuable perspective. It could be argued that through this interview, we not only learned about isolated life in the Taiga, but gained a interesting look at the relationship between humans and the environment.

Going into the making of this documentary, I think that it would have been important and necessary for the filmmakers to first consider the ethical component that goes into a case study and interview process such as this one. Until the team of geologists discovered Agafia’s families settlement in the late 70’s, the family had lived isolated from any other human contact, unaware of worldly news or politics, even including the event of WWII. The shock that would come from meeting other humans and hearing of the world that has gone on outside of her knowledge would surely come as a shock, especially given the technological advancements that have come in the last 70 years. Disturbing her isolated life and introducing her to these new concepts, events and inventions could have adverse psychological effects, and so weighing the risks vs the benefits before committing to the study would be an important consideration.

If I were to have had the opportunity to create a documentary about Agafia, her family and her story, I would first have to take into account my positionality and my ‘Invisible Backpack.’ I think that it would be important to remember the purpose of which I am interviewing Agafia, which would be to share her story with the world, so that viewers might gain a better understanding of the relationship between humans and nature, and perhaps even the role that industrial society and technology has within that relationship.

Going in, an important ethical consideration that the team of geologists in the late 70s might not have considered is the possibility of bringing disease into the community that Agafia and Yerofei have not been exposed to. As an individual who has grown up surrounded by people and exposed to all sorts of bacteria and virus, I have built up an immune system to most common germs. However, Agafia has been isolated for 70 years, and therefore does not have an immune system as resilient as mine might be. As a result, I might make sure that I am vaccinated from most common viruses, and make sure that the benefits that I would gain from the study outweigh the risks.

What do you think are important ethical considerations to keep in mind when approaching a study such as this one? Do you think it unethical that these filmmakers engaged with Agafia or do you think it was necessary to tell her story?

Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years. (2013). Retrieved 27 January 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68

[kmgeog2260]

The Effects of Climate Change on Kiribati and how I would navigate research there

Kiribati is a low-lying country composed of many scattered islands near the equator. Due to the impacts of climate change, specifically ocean levels rising the country is soon to be the first to completely disappear. (AJ+, 2014) Using the case study of Kiribati’s struggle with the effects of climate change I will outline how I would go about conducting a geographical research project there.

Firstly, as a researcher that is coming from an outside perspective there are a view things I need to acknowledge. Being critically reflexive; a process of self-conscious scrutiny as a researcher (Hooykaas, 2021), is essential to creating good research. I need to acknowledge that I do not know what it is like to be a victim to such harsh environmental issues as well as reflect that I in many ways benefit from a system that is helping to destroy their country. There also comes the question of the power of that research, this meaning the likelihood that I will find a significant result/ effect (McHugh, 2018). Ideally in an urgent issue such as this one you would wish for something directly powerful, causing changes to policy because that is the only way to help keep Kiribati afloat, but I think the power of the research would ultimately lie in the stories that the participants have to tell of their lives and what they are losing. Many people may look at the research done on how an island they have never heard of is disappearing and have no reaction to that, I think the direction the research should go is to evoke an emotional response from readers in order to foster change.

How will I achieve this? Considering the roles of objectivity, subjectivity and intersubjectivity there are a lot of aspects that could be included in a study on Kiribati’s situation. Objectively speaking I think it would be smart to show the numbers on the correlation between carbon emissions and ocean levels. Then show proof of the shrinking land mass of the Kiribati islands. This alone will not mitigate the issues they are facing, but I think that it is important to first prove to people that this is actually happening right now. Subjectively, as a researcher I would then connect stories and interviews from Kiribati’s citizens about not only their land depleting but also the struggles of losing their culture associated with that land. Lastly from an intersubjective view I would try to look at interpersonal relations between myself and the citizens involved as well as different factors effecting the country. Linking ties between not only climate change and its effects but also economic, political and social ones that might be enhancing the issue. The role of intersubjectivity on this research could as well be allowing the process to flow and adapt to changes as well as my opinions to new information being shared. A key aspect to this is to also to understand that I come from an outsider perspective and that will have impacts on my worldview and personal biases to their situation I am researching.

How does this relate to geography? Looking through the lens of human geographic approaches to research I perspective that I would choose to conduct this research would be a mix of historical and critical. There is great historic relevance to this case such as interpreting why Kiribati is in the situation they are in today, what ecological, economic or political powers of the past might have influenced this and how can I use this information to justify the mitigating processes I propose. I also think that a critical lens in this situation is also crucial, to be able to analyze, question, interpret and synthesize the information prevalent would be extremely helpful. As well as this approach keeps in mind the authors and participants intentions, lives and relationships along the way which is a good tool to have while doing subjective or intersubjective research.

How Might I best Serve this Country?

Personally, I am a 19-year-old female from Canada, although that does grant me many privileges, I do not hold very much political power. Although my position on the world stage is not one of power with the age of social media we are in I could help to spread awareness on the research that I hypothetically did. Not only just awareness of this issue but also remind people that the horrors of climate change have already began, this is happening now. Ways in which we can help countries like Kiribati are watching our own carbon footprint, and to advocate and vote in favour of green initiatives to stop the rise of global temperatures.

McHugh, M. (2018, August 07). Power analysis in research. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://www.biochemia-

AJ+ (Director). (2014, December 8). Kiribati: The Sinking Islands Being Destroyed By Climate Change[Video file]. Retrieved January 18, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P7jXveokDY

[aggeog2260]

Hi Kaya! I’d first like to appreciate how mindful you are of your positionally throughout this post in regards to the situation in Kiribati. I think too often researchers forget their role and the effects that an outsider coming in to study a situation can have on the persons participating in the study. The idea of critical reflexivity is an important one to keep in mind throughout a study. One thing that really struck me about your proposal to the Kiribati government is your acknowledgement that it is most often emotional stories that create the most incentive for change. As has been proven time and time again, it isn’t until crisis that people tend to act. It is no difference in terms of the climate crisis, in fact even more so, for unless you live in a vulnerable nation such as Kiribati, you may not actively experience direct effects of climate change. However, when people and policy makers have the opportunity to listen and read about the real live stories of Kiribati people, their ability to connect with them on a deeper, human level is enhanced. Through this empathy, we can hope that those in positions of power, whether that be at the national level or with international organizations such as the UN, see the urgent threats of climate change. Through this, we can hope that decision makers enact policy that not only strengthens the resilience of suffering communities but also attacks the problem at the root cause, that is the level of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere. Though hard science is necessary and needed when studying climate change, we must also remember those who are most threatened, and through a human geography lens, we can hope to make decisions that provide them with the help they need.

[aggeog2260]

Kiribati’s Fight Against Rising Sea Levels

As climate change and its associated risks continue to threaten our planet and the species that live upon it, it’s important to think about the communities who are most vulnerable, and the ways in which we can improve their resilience to disaster. Unfortunately, it is often communities that have had the least amount of impact on the climate that experience the most risk of disaster. One such example is that of Kiribati, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. Home to only 100 000 people, and located at less than 2 metres above sea level, this island nation faces severe risk of flooding and other climate related disasters. As the planet continues to warm, and the threat of rising sea levels rises, this island nation faces a variety of knock on effects that include food security, migration and refugee status, and health. Though all societies rely on their environment to maintain their health, island nations such as Kiribati experience an increased reliance. Many Kiribati people rely on the land to provide them with food or resources that help to stimulate economic growth. However, the threat of rising sea levels inhibits their ability to engage in these sustenance practices. In turn, this can lead to food insecurity and a variety of other health concerns.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is the arm of the UN that oversees refugees and displaced peoples around the world. The UNHCR defines a refugee as “people who have fled war, violence, conflict or persecution and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country.” Notice how there is no mention of displaced persons as a result of climate change related disasters? Essentially what this means for Kiribati people is that if and when they are displaced as a result of rising sea levels, they do not necessarily qualify for refugee status, rendering them without a home, nation or any associated refugee rights.

It is important to note the role that power plays in this situation. In relation to the UNHCR, it is evident the power and authority that commissions such as the United Nations have over small island nations such as Kiribati and the Indigenous peoples that inhabit it. Until the UNHCR identifies people who have been displaced as a result of climate change related disasters as refugees, there is little that can be done to fully protect displaced communities. It is also important to note the power roles that have occurred in terms of who has caused this unprecedented climate crisis, and who is most affected by it. Since the Industrial Revolution, the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere has primarily been a result of western nations burning fossil fuels. Despite this, nations like Kiribati face the most risk. This power dynamic and the question of who is to blame for the climate crisis and therefore who is responsible for fixing it is a contentious one that requires input from all parties involved.

Subjectivity, Objectivity, Intersubjectivity:

When unpacking a case study such as this, it is also important to understand the roles of objectivity, subjectivity and intersubjectivity. Objectivity and intersubjectivity are perhaps the most relevant and useful geographic approaches to consider. Objectivity refers to the relationship between the researcher and the participant of a study. In the case of Kiribati, it is important to remember the power roles that are at play between the Indigenous communities of the island nations and those wishing to research and study it. Intersubjectivity on the other hand, notes that situations, feelings and dynamics evolve and change over time, and it is important to keep this in mind as a study progresses.

As the situation in Kiribati progresses, it is important to understand the power dynamics and the roles of objectivity and intersubjectivity. I think that moving forward, one of the biggest focuses of the Kiribati government should be petitioning the UNHCR to acknowledge climate refugees and provide them with the full rights and status that are required by displaced persons.

What do you think should be the main focus of the Kiribati government? Do you think that Western nations should be the ones responsible for remedying the climate crisis or do you believe that Global South countries such as Kiribati also have a role to play?

Bowers, M. (2017). Waiting for the tide to turn: Kiribati's fight for survival. Retrieved 23 January 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/23/waiting-for-the-tide-to-turn-kiribatis-fight-for-survival

Cauchi, J., Correa-Velez, I., & Bambrick, H. (2019). Climate change, food security and health in Kiribati: a narrative review of the literature. Global Health Action, 12(1), 1603683. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2019.1603683

What is a refugee?. (2021). Retrieved 21 January 2021, from https://www.unhcr.org/what-is-a-refugee.html

[aatgeog2260]

I Thought Geography was Boring and Useless

I hated geography. My high school had a few required geography courses and this was my least favourite subject. All we ever talked about was maps and flags. Somehow I managed to receive a grade of 100 in each geography class so my teacher at the time talked to me about pursuing this subject. I said HECK NO! I thought it boring and useless.

As I came to Guelph I was positive about my decision to do a double major in French and Theatre! However, I had so many elective opportunities and one class that caught my eye was GEOG1220, Human Impact on the Environment. I decided to take it because I am very interested in and passionate about climate change - how we’ve destroyed our planet and whether or not it’s repairable. This class was awesome! (Anyone who is thinking about taking it - take it). In general, it was about the environmental consequences humans have caused and which people caused or are affected by this issue. In this class, I realized that geography was more than just maps and flags.

This class led me to take GEOG1200 Society and Space, and GEOG2230 Commodity Chains and Cultures of Consumption. I was truly blown away to learn that geography is connected to people, culture, religion, politics, feminism, the environment, globalization, food and agriculture, economics, urbanization, etc (the list goes on and on!). There is a sub-topic for just about everything. So I realized… geography is everything! I was fascinated that geography was about the world and how people and places are connected - it wasn’t just about maps and flags! After this epiphany, I decided to declare geography as a minor because I think it is so crucial to understand the world we live in. 

Learning the subject of geography, or any subject for that matter, requires consuming knowledge. I used to trust anything I read or heard because I thought… Why would someone ever want to give inaccurate information? Fortunately, I’ve learned you can’t trust everything. 

The first and foremost source that I rely on for information is people who are experts. Dr Hooykaas for example is a reliable source to ask questions about geography as she is an expert in this field and a professor at the university. Along with this, I trust academic textbooks published in libraries or required readings for courses as they are most likely written by experts in the pertinent field, and these books are also usually peer-reviewed and edited. 

When it’s not as simple as asking your professor or reading your textbook, some more work has to be done. Of course, as a student in the 21st century, I rely on the internet for information. However, to ensure it’s reliable I always make sure it is a scholarly or peer-reviewed article where the researcher(s) share their name and field, and the article clearly shows a theory, argument, and discussion based on strong evidence. Some websites I like to use are Omni, Google Scholar and ResearchGate. 

Finally, on an every-day basis, I consume information on the news or social media, however these sources are less reliable so it’s always important to double or triple check your facts.

What is your preferred way to get reliable information? Would you rather speak to an expert, read a textbook/article, or watch the news/scroll on social media?

[aggeog2260]

Hey April! My name’s April too! But I don’t think that’s where our similarities end. I too entered into university with not a massive interest in geography. it was never rely on my radar. Though I loved all things nature, and issues such as climate change caught my attention, it was never really a field that I thought I would academically pursue. However, once I got to university, I started to realize the areas of subject that I didn’t like, specifically the program that I had started out in. Through taking geography courses, including that of GEOG 1220, Human Impact on the Environment, I began to realize just how interdisciplinary geography really is. It encompasses everything, and I believe provides an important foundation for any and all programs or areas of emphasis. Without a basic understanding of geography, and specifically how humans interact with our natural environment, how can we expect to grasp a full understanding of anything else? Isn’t every discipline simply seeking answers about or for humanity? Whether that be how to provide food to remote villages, or how to design urban cities, or the history and course of evolution. By this reasoning, everything that we do as academics has to do in some way or another with humans, and essentially, the ways in which we interact with each other and the planet. Moving forward with this class, I hope to gain a better, more broad understanding of what this means, and how I can play a positive role in it. In terms of how I consume knowledge, I would say I’m pretty much on the same page. I think that it’s important to, as much as possible, turn to expert advice, such as the information provided by professors, or peer - reviewed articles. However, this can sometimes be difficult to navigate, and is not always presented in a user friendly format. Because of this, I find that I have turned to other information sources, such as news platforms or social media accounts, but I often try to find one or two other sources to back up the information I find on these accounts. Overall, I think your post was interesting, and I look forward to working with you more throughout the semester!

[aggeog2260]

What Inspired my Interest in Geography and How I Find Reliable Information

Almost four years ago, I began my university journey. Looking back, I was in a much different place than I am now, and it shows. Coming out of high school, I thought I would make the safe choice and go into a Commerce program, which seemed to promise me a life of success and security. However, after a year of economic, accounting, and business classes, I realized that the program wasn’t for me, and made the switch into the International Development program, with an area of emphasis on Environment and Development. Though there were multiple reasons for my switch into International Development, one of the biggest catalysts was my realization of just how severe the climate crisis was, and how I felt that the best thing for me to do was to educate myself on the issues and the ways in which I could help. 

As an individual trying to navigate through the overwhelming nature of the climate crisis, I often find that I feel a sense of uselessness and hopelessness given the scale and severity of the problem at hand. While being in a Commerce degree, though I was gaining valuable information, I did not feel as if I was doing my part to combat this threat. By switching into the International Development program, and more specifically into an area of emphasis of Environment and Development, I’ve had the opportunity to take a variety of geography classes that have provided me with a better understanding of not only environmental systems, but the threats to them and the ways in which human societies interact with the environment. As is often true in history, it takes a crisis to enact real change, and the same could even be said for my academic career. By studying real life issues and topics throughout a variety of geography issues, I have found that I not only feel more connected to nature, but to society as a whole. Now in my fourth year, looking back, I am wholeheartedly happy that I made the switch, as I have had the opportunity to take classes from a wide variety of disciplines, as well as engage in real life topics about important issues.

As a university student, as well as simply a human trying to navigate through the news and media of the world, I often find myself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information available to me. Countless news sites, social media platforms, and accounts, it can often be difficult to sift through the real facts through the fake ones. In the day and age of ‘fake news,’ finding credible sources can sometimes be difficult. However, there are a few sources that I rely upon for reliable information. One is that of the CBC, or the Canadian Broadcasting Company. Canada’s national public broadcaster, and funded by the federal government, I find that the news coverage of the network is fair and credible. Academically, I rely upon platforms such as Google Scholar or sites provided by the University that provide me with peer - reviewed journal articles. Finally, there are a handful of accounts that I follow on social media that I believe provide reliable and factual information. One such account is @earthrise.studio on Instagram, run by 3 environmental activists. Though accounts such as these may not be academically considered reliable and factual, I find accounts such as these good at providing me with information that is backed up with sources, while also being provided in an interesting and easy - understand way.

What are your tips at finding reliable and credible information in a world so full of media and news platforms?