Geography with Amber @amlgeog2260 - Tumblr Blog

Human Geography Researcher Potential!

It is wild to think that this is the last blog post in this class! When I chose this class for this semester I wasn’t really excited about it - it was just another required course. I’m happy to say that I really appreciated this course and learned so many things as well as met some more people in geography!

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

1. Human geography research is not just one thing. It is interconnected with so many other types of geography like the ones presented in our last class and more! My favourite part of this course was attending that final class and watching all of the videos about different subtopics under human geography that students in this class created. It helped identify connections and relations as well as how these are relevant in the real world. When combined together, they form this incredible subject of geography.

2. It is essential! Human geography research provides patterns and connections between people and places which is vital for living today. It helps us understand the world better which can aid the development of moving forward in a positive direction while respecting the past. In the summary of chapter one in the textbook, it states that “human geographers are bringing new and effective approaches to the fundamental questions of societal structures and individual experiences (Hay 2016 p. 26). Human geography will continue to help find answers to these questions about the world we live in.

3. It is a delicate process. All research is a delicate and complex process as there are numerous things to consider and be aware of, but because human geography deals with real people, their lives, culture, religion, families, etc., I know that we need to be so careful to respect and acknowledge others and who they are. Chapter three of the textbook includes a poem by Barabara Nicholson, titled Something There Is… that highlights the necessity of consent and privacy in research. Just because someone is classified as a researcher does not give them the right to invade a person’s life (Hay 2016 p. 48). Below is a sketch I did after I read the poem for the first time: (I am not an artist but it was something I did afterwards to reflect upon the reading)

In general, it’s a researcher looking through a magnifying glass at these people who feel exposed from the “research”.

These three things I am still confused by:

1. Analyzing surveys. This was one of the larger lectures we had live in class and I think I was having a hard time keeping up after we had so many lectures online in which I would pause, rewind and go back. It was my fault that I never went back to the recording to review so I’d still like to clarify this content. I know that if I were to be asked about each data type: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio, I would not be able to explain them all clearly (Hooykaas 2021 Week 5).

2. The following phrase was used in the week 6 lecture: “Testimony by itself is a relatively weak form of evidence” (Hooykaas 2021 Week 6). I’m unclear with how or why this is. When we watched documentaries in this course I thought this involved testimony and it was used in research. Maybe they are classified more as a case study. So I wonder, what are the differences between a case study and a testimony? Or is a testimony involved within a case study? For example, in week 3 we watched the documentary Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 years produced by VICE. I believe that this was a case study, but within it, Agafia Lykovs shares her story. Is the research incomplete unless you unpack and verify this testimony?

3. I am a little confused with the concept of triangulation. The week 6 lecture provided this image:

I am not sure if triangulation means having one of these sections, for example, researchers but having multiple of them, or if it is putting these sections together, for example, both multiple researchers along with multiple theories (Hooykaas 2016 Week 6). I have a feeling it would be the second option, simply because if you have multiple researchers then most likely you would get multiple theories and methods, however, I would like to clarify in order to understand it better.

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

I created a word-cloud of things I’ve felt I’ve gained from this course and things that I enjoyed to help me come up with this section of the blog:

1. There is potential! I remember writing my first blog post in this class and describing how I used to really dislike geography and didn’t want anything to do with it. After this class, I know that I have the potential to become a researcher and possibly find it enjoyable! I surprised myself when I enjoyed working on the DSP. It was fun coding information with all of the colours and although it was challenging to go through the information, condense, review, condense some more, etc., it felt so rewarding to show that final product to others and to think that other people could learn valuable information useful in the world based on what you provided to them! I think if I ever did become a researcher I would enjoy participatory action research since it allows people in the community to become “co-researchers and decision-makers in their own right” (Hay 2016 p. 350). This is really important to avoid that idea of invasion of privacy.

2. I learned more about my interests. I used to think the biggest goal in geography was being able to sing this song called Nations of the World:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pOFKmk7ytU

I thought research in geography was only about analyzing piles of data and I didn’t realize you could bring creative outlooks to it. I enjoyed the poem we read in the textbook, the documentaries we watched, the opportunity of interviewing for the DSP, the creativity with the final DSP videos, etc. I am intrigued by those forms of media to learn more about and analyze/reflect on geographical concepts.

3. I have more appreciation for geography and others. The topics of critical reflexivity and ethical considerations apply to research in human geography of course but it also floods into all aspects of life. It helps consider other people’s backgrounds, lives, privileges or no privileges, and just creates better communication and respectful relationships between people (Hooykaas 2021 Week 2). It’s also worth thinking about whether you’re an insider or an outsider before you interact with different groups so that you can build a good rapport with trust (Hay 2016 p. 40).

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

1. Patience. When working on the DSP, after my group and I had found our resources, I just wanted to dive in and write the script! Then we learned about coding in the week 8 lecture and my group members expressed how they would feel better going through the information quite a few times before writing anything. Of course, this worked extremely well even if it was time-consuming! In the future, I would like to make sure I take the process only one step at a time and make sure I hit every part of the research process in order to create a robust and accurate end result. Once again, this applies not only to human geography research but also the real world. Chapter 18 in the textbooks states that “Being in the world requires us to categorize, sort, prioritize, and interpret social data in all of our interactions” (Hay 2016 p. 391). There is always room for improvement here so that misinterpretations and miscommunication can be avoided.

2. During the research with the DSP, I had a challenging time determining when my group should move forward and how much research we should gather especially with the course deadlines in mind. I know that you can move forward when you reach a “point of saturation” and concepts begin to be repetitive, however, because I am detail-oriented, I was not great with grouping similar ideas if one tiny thing distinguished them (Hooykaas 2021 Week 9). I would like this to improve so that I have a clearer sense of when enough is enough.

3. I would like to clarify and learn more about the list of three things that still confuse me. It’s good to identify what confuses you and what you are unsure of but it’s even better to then go and clarify those things and understand them so that you develop your understanding and skills even more. I want to fill in those gaps of information so that everything makes a bit more sense.

Final Remark

Overall, I am really glad that I took this class and hope everyone has a great end of the semester! It was nice interacting with everyone through these blogs!

-April

References

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

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 2: Philosophy, Power, Politics and Research Design.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 3: Cross-Cultural Research: Ethics, Methods, and Relationships.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 5: Literature Review.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 6: Data Collection - Interviews, Oral Histories, Focus Groups.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 9: Writing Qualitative Geographies, Constructing Geographical Knowledge Data Analysis, Writing, and Re-Evaluating Research Aims Presenting Findings.

Nicholson, Barbara. (2000). Something There Is….

Vice (April 2013). Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68

amlgeog2260

Hi April!

I can’t believe that these are our last posts either. Time flies when you’re having fun I guess (or whatever you would call this year). I really enjoyed your perspective of this course and your experiences in it as I found it relatable! This class helped change my perspective of geography too. I didn’t realize that scientific research could be so different than other research. I suppose I was ignorant but I really did think everyone was following the scientific method! I think that being aware of different kinds of research will help me be a much better-rounded individual. I also really liked that you mentioned the importance of ethics and critical reflexivity. You said it so well, because it really is applicable to normal life as well. If we keep the same considerations in mind for friends and family as we do for research subjects I think that you would get good results! It’s very easy as a researcher to have a question in your mind that you are so eager to answer that you disregard the needs of those involved in the process, and so even just being aware enough to check in on yourself through critical reflexivity can make a huge difference! Overall your post was really enjoyable to read and I hope that you’re heading toward good things as you leave this course!

-Amber

rhgeog2260

Why Do Whales Beach Themselves?

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/why-do-whales-beach-themselves

Key message

The article that caught my attention this past week is the National Geographic post titled “Why do whales beach themselves? We’re partially to blame”. This was written by Melissa Hobson, and published in the NatGeo journal on March 29, 2021.

The article starts with a profound quote - “Every year thousands of whales, dolphins, and other marine animals wash up on beaches around the world. This phenomenon—called beaching or stranding—occurs among both healthy individuals as well as injured (or dead) animals that are driven ashore by prevailing winds.”

Several potential answers are offered up by this article. First, topography - some areas of the ocean “trap” wildlife, including events such as tidal risings and lowerings. Second, natural causes - the article cites research that suggests that animals who are in pain, elderly, or otherwise compromised might not have the strength to fight against the currents, and allow themselves to wash up naturally.

Finally, human causes are explored. One example includes noisy oceans from naval travel, which can effect marine mammal’s ability to echolocate, and futhermore making them unable to equalize their ears while diving. Pollution is of course explored as well - chemical traces in water can affect an animal as much as physical plastic. This leads some to beach themselves in the aforementioned method, as they are too sick to keep swimming.

Sources

Hobson references several professional organizations in this article. Sources include the Zoological Society of London’s Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP), the Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit, and The British Diver’s Marine Life Rescue. These are experts in the field, who have hands on research experience. I am therefore comfortable saying that Validity and Authenticity is the main method used in this article, as we discussed in Week 9 of GEOG*2260 (Hooykaas, 2021).

Additionally, the textbook has taught us about legitimacy (Hay, 2016). Considering the sources are directly “on the front lines” of this issue (sometimes even SCUBA diving underwater to take part in the daily lives of these amazing creatures), I can confidently say that they are legitimate in nature.

Consumer expectations

After reading this article, readers may be inclined to reflect on their personal contribution to both noise and physical pollution of the oceans. Personally, with my love of marine biology, I am intrigued by this beaching behaviour and am inclined to look further into the subject.

References

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

Hobson, M. (2021, March 28). Why are whales beaching themselves? We’re partially to blame. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/why-do-whales-beach-themselves

Hooykaas, (2021). Week 9 and 10. GEOG2260, W21. University of Guelph.

amlgeog2260

Hi Robin!

I really enjoyed reading your article this week, I thought your topic was very interesting (but I am a Zoology student so maybe I’m bias). I had a thought while reading your article regarding verifying sources through the use of experts. We have a lot of trust in Western science, and it made me wonder if we should. On the one hand, we are validated through our trust of educational systems, but on the other, the individuals that graduate most certainly have varying degrees of competence, and so should we be investigating researchers further than educational level? Experience is important too. If someone has spent a lot of time in the field we are more inclined to trust them and their opinion, but is that blind trust? It’s definitely something to think about and I really appreciate your post for being so intriguing and sparking that idea. I think that this article might provide another avenue for consumer expectation as well and that could be inspiring someone to pursue a career related to the subject! Overall, I really enjoyed your work so thank you for your contributions this week!

-Amber

Analyzing Primates

Key Message

The article that I have chosen to analyze this week is called “Why do male gorillas beat their chests? New study offers intriguing evidence” and it was written by Jason Bittel. It stood out to me a lot and so I was excited to start my analysis. This article provides an explanation for a classic behaviour that is displayed by male gorillas – chest beating. This very real behaviour is often portrayed in pop culture and the article references King Kong as an example. Up until recently it has been seen as an aggressive display, thought to initiate conflict between males. What the article discusses are the findings of a primatologist who has found evidence to suggest that this behaviour might actually deter conflict instead. The dominant and largest males produce a low frequency sound when they beat their chest and it seems as though this is actually a form of communication so that smaller more submissive males know who they are dealing with long before they ever even see them. A male gorilla’s chest beat might even be characteristic of the individual, almost like a voice. The chest beating does happen more often when females are entering estrus, and so the sound could also be an attractant in that case. This new finding has given rise to a lot more questions (as good research does) and primatologists are eager to continue with more research.

Sources

The main source that was used for this article was the research of Edward Wright, a primatologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany. He is quoted throughout the article and his research methods are also discussed throughout. Edward did publish a paper on his findings as well (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86261-8), and it is a large source material for the article. Other primatologists were impressed by the research and made comments which the author included in the article.

Evaluation/Verification

The research that was done was partially funded by National Geographic (the website that the article is published on) and so the author is a colleague to the primatologist which is likely why he trusts him. National Geographic is also known to be credible, as well as Nature (the journal Edward Wright’s article is published in) and so the reputation alone might have helped him evaluate the information. This was verified for him through the use of expert consultants because other well-known primatologists weighed in on the research and praised it.

Consumer Expectations

I think that the takeaway for a consumer would be that not everything is as it seems and that we should constantly be questioning the world around us, even if we think we have the answers. It is also an interesting article about animals that are facing a multitude of threats and so a consumer might be more inclined to learn more about them.

References

Bittel, J. (2021, April 12). Why do male gorillas beat their chests? New study offers intriguing evidence. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/why-do-gorillas-beat-their-chests

Saying Goodbye to the Weirdest Year Ever

Introduction

I can’t believe that we are already at the end of this crazy school year. I am so happy that I stuck around for an extra year so that I could add a Geography minor to my degree. I have enjoyed the content and it has been very helpful for setting up my career. This course in particular was very interesting to me because I wasn’t used to research of this kind, my background is in science and so I am more familiar with quantitative research. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to diversify my skills to better prepare me for life after my undergraduate degree.

Three Things I know for certain about Human Geography Research

The first concept related to human Geography that I feel confident in is triangulation. Triangulation is used to ensure that you are being rigorous as a researcher. It is about using multiple avenues to get to the answer. As a researcher this can mean multiple methods, multiple researchers, multiple datasets and multiple theories. It is a thorough way to make sure you are addressing all available and relevant data, and it is an essential part of qualitative research. The second concept that I know for certain is the different data collection types. I feel very confident in my ability to design and carry out interviews, and focus groups and my understanding of oral histories has greatly improved thanks to this course. These are essential parts of human Geography, and they allow for a more effective data analysis as long as the data has been appropriately collected. The third and final thing that I know for certain about human Geography research is that it is a lot more complicated than it seems. I had my own preconceived ideas of this field when I started this course and my eyes have been opened significantly. Human Geography encompasses more than I ever thought it did, and now I can continue to dive deeper into it and learn even more moving forward.

Three Things I am Still Confused by

Although I have learned a lot, there is still more that I can improve upon, and the one that sticks out the most is coding. Coding actually seems to be a very helpful tool for organizing data, it just hasn’t quite clicked for me. At this time I think that I have a handle on deductive coding, and that was the method I used for course work, but I would like to feel more confident with inductive coding because I think that it is ultimately a better way of analyzing the data. With coding, in a similar sense, I am also still confused by literature reviews. I have done them in many courses but it is very difficult for me to determine if I have collected all available data on my topic, and that is a skill I wish to improve on. Finally, I would also like to have more clarification on critical reflexivity. This is something that I think is so important as a researcher, and it is often something that I forget to do. I think that learning to analyze yourself and your position throughout your research is something that comes with experience, and I am hoping that I will be less confused by the concept over time.

Three Things I know for Certain about me as a Human Geography Researcher

The first thing that I know about myself as researcher in the field of human Geography is what my invisible backpack contains. This idea really stuck out to me, and I feel as though it is my responsibility to know and think about this when conducting research. Not acknowledging my privilege could be detrimental to success in this field. I also know that I am someone who values transparency and honesty, and so conducting my research with that in mind will be of utmost importance to me. I hope to be honest and transparent with myself, my advisors, my peers and the people who might be impacted by my research. It is important to me that those around me feel safe and comfortable. Finally, I am certain that environmental geography is my favourite subfield. This is what I did my digital storytelling project on and it is the field that I have the most knowledge and experience in. The more I learn about it the more interested I get!

Three areas I need to spend Time Developing in order to feel more Confident in my Skills

Last and certainly not least are the things that I would like to continue working on even after this course has completed. These are skills that I have gained from course material and I know that I can still improve upon them. Firstly and most importantly is ethics. This is something that I hope to never stop learning about. While I do understand the core principles regarding respect for human dignity, I think that being able to apply those ethical parameters to research takes a lot of practice. I know that this is something that I am going to need to constantly work on, and collaborate with peers as well to ensure the safety of the research subjects. Another thing that I would like to work on is the zig-zag approach to data collection and analysis. It seems as though I struggle most with stopping and constantly going back over work, I think it might be because I lose focus and forget what I am supposed to be looking for in the first place. Developing this skill further will make coding a lot easier for me. Finally, I would also like to spend some time improving my self-confidence as I think that being able to trust your own skills and abilities is essential when conducting research. I believe that doing this will increase the quality of my work significantly.

References

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

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 3. University of Guelph.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 5. University of Guelph.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 6. University of Guelph.

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

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 9. University of Guelph.

chgeog2260

Coding Population Geography

This week’s lecture taught us about coding and how useful this is for conducting research and how it can narrow down the process for the researcher and pick out the relevant information needed for their research.

I coded two sources that my group is using in our digital story telling project. My first article is about population geography with heavy focus on the social impacts of migration. My second article is about the projection of mortality attributed to heat and cold. Specifically, the impact of climate change in a dry region of Iran. When coding I always want to have set colour coordination for my codes so that when going back through the articles it is very organized with an easy layout to understand.

My themes:

Mortality – Yellow

Policy – Green

Population and population change – Blue

Migration – Pink

Social impacts – Purple

I tried to focus my codes on ideas that were relevant to the purpose of our digital storytelling project rather than the main points of the article. This is because one of the articles I coded is used as a supplement to highlight how relevant population geography is across all subjects of geography. Overall, with my coding themes I aimed to have topics that reflected what my group is going to point out and explain about population geography.

Article 1: Mortality

Some of my highlights are larger sections but I did this to have a more general idea of what is discussed before I go into more detailed coding once I have a good idea of what I want to get out of the article. This article in particular is useful for our digital storytelling project because it demonstrates the impact of population on major issues like climate change. I used PDF format and highlighted the codes with the colours provided.

amlgeog2260

Hi Caitlyn!

I just wanted to start off by saying that I think you did a phenomenal job with your coding! Your post has given me a lot of ideas on how to improve my own coding abilities. I really like that you highlighted paragraphs, and captured full ideas with your coding. I only used keywords when working on mine and seeing your method has convinced me to expand more the next time I code! I think this would be a great second step for myself, as I could use the keywords to identify important parts of each article and then I could expand and highlight further if I find the content relevant! I will also be using your method for creating codes as well, I liked that you wrote both population and population change for one code because I had found myself wondering what to do about synonyms in my articles, and I think that that might be the perfect solution! As far as the frame goes, I used a hierarchal approach with my own work, and I was wondering if there were any specific codes that you could use to further analyze your data that are less important than what you already coded for? I think that the codes you used already will be very helpful for your project, but diving in to things a little more could also help you further expand your knowledge and better organize your data as well! Your post was very interesting to read and I’m grateful for all of the ideas!

Amber

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

jkgeog2260

This is a survey to be answered by post secondary students. Please answer all of the questions to the best of your ability and as truthfully as possible.

Please fill out a survey my group is conducting for environmental geography! Every response helps :)

aatgeog2260

Something There Is...

“Nothing escapes your keen eyes / and your pen records it” (Nicholson 40-41)

Chapter three of the textbook includes the poem Something There Is… by Barbara Nicholson. I was really interested in this poem when we read chapter three but did not have enough time to further analyze it. I am happy to have the opportunity now to look into it deeper and reflect on it.

Aunty Barbara Nicholson

Aunty Barbara Nicholson is an Elder of the Wadi Wadi people of the Illawarra region. “She is a poet, activist, recipient of numerous awards in Aboriginal Education, a published academic, university lecturer and has taught course work to inmate students at Goulburn Gaol and Junee Correctional Centre” (Aunty 2020).

Invasion of Space

The following is an important line in her poem regarding conducting research:

“You go to a university / and get a bit of paper / that says you are qualified. / Does it also say that you / have unlimited rights / to invade my space?” (2-7)

As a researcher, you can’t just head into the research process solely thinking about the research when you are dealing with people. It is especially crucial when working with Indigenous Peoples because they have been exploited throughout history and are still treated unfairly today. Building trust would be difficult but very essential. A diploma from a university, of course, does not give anyone the right to invade a person’s space.

Ethics

This poem illustrates very vividly the subaltern critique (subaltern meaning people or groups who are marginalized, oppressed, exploited, etc) of colonial research and how research is something that can very easily objectify people and violate their privacy (Hay 2016). It solidifies the vitality of the processes of ethics and consent.

I think something that is overlooked is the result after the research is done. What happens next? We consider the idea of dropping yourself in on someone’s life and home is disruptive, but what happens next can be just as disruptive. Western science has often misrepresented Indigenous peoples and groups (Hay 2016). The participants involved don’t have enough power to change what is published and released into the world.

Expanding on this, researchers sometimes tend to try and fix what they see is wrong. However, it’s typically only wrong from their point of view and they fail to consider the way of life that Indigenous Peoples live and the traditions they follow.

“They will take over your lounge-room / and lay down laws for you to live by / –all for your own good of course; / they will point out to you / the necessity of changing your way of life / the prescriptive patterns of social behaviour” (94-99)

The line “all for your own good of course” is really interesting. Of course, in this context it is sarcastic. It is not for their (the participants) own good, that’s just how the researchers see it and will phrase it to those people. A person should not have to rearrange their way of life because another person states that their way is “correct”.

Hope for Future Research

This poem was written in the year 2000 and I am sure in the last twenty years things have improved. Of course, all of this doesn’t mean that people are no longer being exploited. However, courses like this one provide hope that future researchers are learning the importance of ethical considerations, consent, challenges in cross-cultural research, and the trust between the researcher and participant.

References

Aunty Barbara Nicholson. Sydney Writers Festival. (2020). https://www.swf.org.au/writers/aunty-barbara-nicholson/#:~:text=She%20is%20a%20poet%2C%20activist,Doctorate%20of%20Laws%20(UOW).

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

Nicholson, Barbara. (2000). Something There Is….

amlgeog2260

Hello April!

I think that you picked a really interesting subject for your blog this week. It was a very unique choice and I enjoyed it a lot! I think that researchers really do get lost in their experiments sometimes, and fail to take into consideration ethics when they should. It’s not just people either, I have witnessed some questionable ethical choices by researchers that I know who work with animals too. Unfortunately, those who are the most susceptible to unethical treatment are the people who are also the most vulnerable in our society, the people who don’t necessarily have a voice (or the power) to defend themselves and their rights. This week I analyzed a case study on the UCLA Schizophrenia experiments, where researchers failed to get informed consent and essentially caused many stabilized patients to suffer extreme relapses. One person sadly lost their life due to the mistreatment. It was interesting because it brought up the question of if these people who were mentally ill were even capable of giving informed consent in their state. The families of the patients felt that the researchers viewed them as inferior to themselves, which is why they were treated so poorly. I wonder if Indigenous peoples like the ones you mentioned in your post would even be capable of giving informed consent to the western researchers, as there is often communication barriers between colonial powers and Indigenous peoples. These peoples are often exploited due to their vulnerability as a marginalized group, and I think that the consent process should take that into consideration. I would love to know what your thoughts are on this!

When Research Kills: The UCLA Schizophrenia Experiments (TW: Suicide)

The Story

In the 1980’s, individuals who suffered from schizophrenia were recruited for a research study at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The researchers were hoping to study the development of this mental illness, and any factors that might help them predict its progression. The study itself was carried out in two parts. At first, patients were given an antipsychotic medication to help them stabilize their condition. Once stabilized, the patients were then taken off the medication so that the researchers could examine how the symptoms of schizophrenia progressed from that point. Almost half of the patients suffered severe relapses during the study. Gregory Aller was one of them, his condition worsened significantly once he was taken off of his medication. His parents contacted the researchers repeatedly as they watched their son suffer, he even threatened to kill them during this period. When he was contacted by the researchers about needing medication, he said “no” due to his paranoid state. Ultimately his parents had to step in further to help him. Another patient told doctors that he was suicidal after discontinuing his medication, which prompted the researchers to just remove him from the study. He did eventually end his own life because of this experiment and his worsened condition. Complaints about this study soon began to rise and it was found to be highly unethical, not only were the patients promised that they would be returned to the medication should their condition worsen, but they were also not warned of the severe risks that could occur. The consent papers that were signed only explained that their conditions might “improve, worsen, or stay the same” and it was officially determined by a federal agency that this consent was invalid. Most of the patients believed that this study was going to offer them high-quality treatment for their condition.

The Importance of Informed Consent

This study is a perfect and horrific example of failure to receive informed consent. Informed consent is a process by which a subject is made aware of all of the possible risks, benefits and outcomes of a research project before they can voluntarily agree to join it. The patients in the UCLA experiments were not made aware of the potential impacts the study could have on them, and this caused extreme suffering. The families of these patients (many of which were young students) were outraged by the treatment. This case study also brings to light the issue of who can actually give informed consent. Is it possible for someone in a deteriorated mental state to consent to a study like this? It seems that mentally ill patients are especially vulnerable in these situations and it is very possible that some of them are not capable of comprehending the potential impacts to their lives. It is important for researchers to minimize risks to their patients. They need to keep them informed and assist them when needed. UCLA failed to keep the best interests and safety of their subjects at the forefront of these experiments and it resulted in pain and suffering for those involved.

Do you think that people with schizophrenia are capable of consenting to research on their own?

True Protection for Persons with Severe Mental Disabilities, Such as Schizophrenia, Involved as subjects in Research - A Look and Consideration of the Protection of Human Subjects, 9 J.L. & Health 349 (1994-1995)

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 3: Ethics, University of Guelph.

mtgeog2260

Interview On Economic Geography With Dr. Roberta Hawkins

For my team’s Digital Storytelling Project, we have chosen to explore economic geography and the sub-disciplines involved with it. Economic geography explores economic processes and the factors that influence these processes. Some of these influential factors include culture, globalization, etc. Economic geography is interdisciplinary, meaning it is intertwined with a variety of subfields in geography such as historical, political, and environmental geography. Because of my major, Environmental Governance, I have been introduced to many environmental and economic courses thus far. So, when it came time to choose someone to interview who would benefit our research and provide us with educated insightful information, I knew exactly who to contact. For this interview, I have chosen a professor from The University of Guelph, Dr. Roberta Hawkins.

Dr. Roberta Hawkins will be able to answer our questions surrounding economic geography with an environmental geographic approach. Before the interview, it is important that my team ensures Dr. Roberta Hawkins that she is not obligated to answer any questions that she is uncomfortable with or simply does not want to answer. Also, we will inform her that our questions have passed an ethics test and she is free to use her own words to answer these questions in any way that she deems fit. Upon being granted the opportunity to interview Dr. Roberta Hawkins, these are the questions that I would like to ask:

1. What does economic geography mean to you or could you describe economic geography in your own words?

This question is a good question to start off with because it focuses on the main subject of our research yet does not narrow in too much. This will allow Dr. Roberta Hawkins to start the interview off the way she would like to.

2. Why is economic geography relevant today or could you simply state the relevance of economic geography in general?

This question will hopefully help us get into the subfields of economic geography because economic processes can be easily influenced by these things. The answer to this question will also help us delve into historical geography because we can compare its relevance today to economic geographies’ relevance in the past.

3. What is the most important/influential moment that you can think of in regards to economic geography?

This question will help us further our discussion about historical geography in regards to economic geography. Also, this question will help us better understand which factors influence economic processes the most and which ones are most important to the growth of the economy.

4. Which sub-discipline of economic geography do you believe is the most relevant and why? (political, historical, or environmental geographies)

This question will help me to decipher which sub-discipline is the most relevant/influential to economic geography. This will help my group make our project more concise and specific.

5. How do you think globalization will change in the future? (more specifically in the next 25 years)

This question will allow my group to understand the evolution of economic geography and more importantly the processes involved with the economy (globalization) on an international scale.

I have chosen these questions because they will allow my group to look at economic geography as a past, current, and future situation. Also, these questions allow for Dr. Roberta Hawkins to have enough creative freedom when answering them. They are not too specific but will be helpful in determining the main subject to be answered.

References

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

amlgeog2260

Hi Maddison!

I was impressed by your post this week and I think that you made an excellent choice in interviewee. Dr. Hawkins was the person who introduced me to economic geography and so I would definitely say that she is a key thinker in the field! Your questions were well structured and I think that ultimately you would receive a lot of important information from Dr. Hawkins if you got the chance to ask them! Your first question was a great opener and I think it really sets the environment for the interview. The second question that you pose could give some important historical insight for your field itself, but it might not move in the direction of the subfields. Your fourth question is very direct regarding the subfields and I think that the second question might actually provide you with an idea of where economic geography is moving in the future, based on current events instead. If you wanted to go in the direction of the subfield, it might be helpful to ask your fourth question earlier on instead, and then potentially further the discussion with a follow-up question regarding the subfield that she spoke about. Also, if you are doing a semi-structured interview, you could leave your last question ‘open’ so that you could ask her if there was anything that she wanted to include that you hadn’t spoken about yet. I believe this would give you the educated, insightful information you are looking for.

Interviewing a Key Thinker in Environmental Geography

Who am I Interviewing?

My digital storytelling project focuses on environmental geography. We will be taking a deep dive into this discipline and presenting its history, its importance, and its future. Not only is it something I am passionate about, but the contemporary issues that arise within environmental geography (such as climate change) are, in my opinion, the most important and threatening issues we are facing as a species today. If I had the opportunity to interview someone in this field, I would choose David Suzuki. David Suzuki is a Canadian scientist, broadcaster and a very important environmental activist1. I have personally been looking up to him since I was very little and would love nothing more than to sit down and have a conversation with him. David Suzuki has a non-profit organization in Canada that is dedicated to conserving and protecting the natural environment through research, education and policy analysis1. He is a key thinker in the field of environmental geography.

The Interview Questions

1. What does environmental geography mean to you, and what is your role within this field?

This first question is an example of a primary question, and would serve as an introduction to the theme of the interview2. This would also give me a definition of environmental geography from a key thinker in the field, as well as set up a basis for how he has impacted it.

2. In Canada, what do you think is the greatest threat our environment is facing?

The future of this field will be determined by the threats it faces and I would hope to get an idea of what is next in environmental geography based on David’s response to this question.

3. In your lifetime, what is an obstacle that has been overcome in regards to protecting the environment, and how was this achieved?

This question serves two purposes. I am interested in knowing the history of environmental geography from someone who has been involved in the field for decades, as well as trying to find some positivity, and hope for how we might address contemporary environmental issues.

4. If you had the power to change any existing piece of environmental legislation in Canada, what would you change and why?

This question would be posed to find out what Canadians should be focusing on right now regarding environmental activism.

5. Is there anything you would like to add, address, or discuss further that you think would be essential for me to know?

The final question would be left open like this because it puts the control into the hands of the interviewee/knowledge holder to tell me what I need to know about environmental geography.

Overview

This interview would be semi-structured so that the interviewee would have the opportunity to branch out from the questions I asked if they wanted to2. The first question was descriptive in nature so that I could introduce Dr. Suzuki to the interview gently2. All of the questions left room for further discussion if needed and the loose framework of this interview would make it a more relaxed and comfortable environment2.

References

1. David Suzuki. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://davidsuzuki.org/expert/david-suzuki/

2. Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 6: Data Collection – Interviews, Oral Histories, Focus Groups. University of Guelph

skgeog2260

A Bridge to a New Beginning

If I were to conduct research as a graduated student with limitless resources I would want to study the relationship between human development/transportation and wildlife. From this research I would work towards creating more sustainable methods for roads, buildings, subdivisions and cities. I have such a deep passion for animals; this love stems back for as far as I can remember. One of the saddest things that I see on a daily basis is roadkill… and this is what has sparked this idea for my ultimate research project. I would like to re-introduce the idea of “green bridges” for wildlife to more areas of the world.

Although these bridges already exist around the world, I would love for them to be more popular. These bridges create a safe way for wildlife to cross busy roads and highways. Not only does this protect our wildlife, but it can help prevent car accidents involving large animals such as deer. This is such a brilliant idea, and has the potential to benefit humans, animals, and the environment.

I am wondering if any of my readers has seen a bridge like this (or some kind of variation of it) before? I’d love to know where and what it was like!

The goal in my research would be to study wildlife habits pertaining to highways and built up cities. I want to ensure that these bridges are effective to their full capacity with maximized benefits/results. I would strive to have these bridges over every highway at multiple locations. These bridges are proven to save thousands of animals per year (Vaiciulaityte, 2018), they can be incorporated in walking/hiking trails, and they look aesthetically pleasing.

In addition to the green bridges, I would want to create more greenery and wildlife territories in and around built-up cities (or at least work on relocating the current wildlife to better habitats). In my home town of Strathroy, On, which has been a rapidly growing town, we have coyotes roaming around the streets of subdivisions. This is happening because their homes are slowly being torn down and changed into buildings, subdivisions and other urban settings.

If we can start building these green bridges and implementing more green space into our cities - I truly believe that we can benefit people, animals, our environment and begin to improve our way of life. 10 years from now we can have more wildlife, less accidents, happier people and a greener earth.

Vaicuilaityte, Giedre. (2019). 50 Amazing animal bridges and crossings that save 1000s of animals every year. Bored Panda. Retrieved from https://www.boredpanda.com/bridged-for-animals-around-the-world/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

amlgeog2260

Hey Syd!

I worked this past summer in Windsor, Ontario as a snake field technician, and I would have to say that road mortality is one of the greatest threats that reptiles face in this province. Every day on my drive into the field I would see freshly killed animals, and it was frustrating and heartbreaking to say the least. My lead biologist published a paper a few years ago on just how bad it was getting in our area, and over his study period they recorded 2083 ‘dead on road’ vertebrates, and 446 of those were reptiles1. Thankfully, his research (and persistence) resulted in a contract with the city to build a green bridge called the Ojibway Parkway Wildlife Crossing. The hopes are that this will help keep wildlife off of the roads, and connect two ecologically significant habitats, Ojibway Park and Black Oak Heritage Park, which could mean a lot for biodiversity in the area! The renderings for this crossing came out during the environmental assessment, however, and none of us can believe the design. The crossing does go over the road (and it is busy one so that’s great), but it ends in a rail yard2! So, wildlife can cross the road safely, but they are then at risk of being hit by a train (which I think is way more brutal than a car). It blows my mind that this is what they came up with and I would love to know what you think!

1. https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1804/1791

2. https://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/Construction/Environmental-Assessments-Master-Plans/Pages/Ojibway-Parkway-Wildlife-Crossing-Class-Environmental-Assessment.aspx

When a species goes extinct, who is it leaving behind?

It has been a recently discovered dream of mine to combine my scientific background in Zoology with the things I have learned in Geography. I came to realize that I loved looking at animals through an anthropomorphic lens. I wanted to study our interactions with them, and work for animals, instead of just studying them in a lab.

If I could choose anything to study, and had unlimited resources to do so, I would like to dive in to the cultural significance of animals, more specifically, species at risk in Canada. This would mainly focus on the perception of Indigenous peoples in Canada, however I think it would be beneficial to include the non-Indigenous perspective as well, such as the locals living within the current and historical range of the animal. I would like to address what this animal means to the peoples who interact with it, and mainly, what the cultural consequences would be if they went extinct. This type of study has been done with caribou, as their decline has been significantly impacting Indigenous peoples culture who are currently (and have always) relied on them for so much more than sustenance1 . Their decline then brings to attention possible Treaty violations because they are unable to practice their culture without the animals.

There is always a case to be made that animals are an important part of their own ecosystems, and that losing one could cause a multitude of effects that would eventually impact humans, however I think that sometimes that message isn’t enough to earn them protection. I personally believe that they have intrinsic value, however it’s hard to argue that belief to policy makers. Humans don’t listen to animals, we aren’t quite there with giving nature its own legal rights just yet, but we do sometimes listen to other humans. If I could do a study that would make a case for the cultural losses associated with ecological losses, then policy-makers may be forced to step in and provide more protections and resources for the species at risk. I would like to provide a voice, not only for the animals themselves but for the people who rely on them. The relationship and traditions that exist between people and animals are spectacular and important, and I would love to be able to capture even a piece of that in a study.

There are definitely ethical concerns to consider. Hypothetically, I am dealing mostly with Indigenous peoples, and asking them to share their knowledge with me, which is a big ask considering the historical betrayals of this exact exchange. That being said, I would want to make sure at every step of my study that I would be putting them first. I want them to benefit as much and in every way possible. I will always be looking out for the core principals of ethics, concern for welfare, respect for persons, and justice, and as long as I stick to that I think I will be successful2 .

1. David Suzuki Foundation, & Assembly of First Nations. (2013). Cultural and Ecological Value of Boreal Woodland Caribou Habitat. Retrieved from https://davidsuzuki.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/cultural-ecological-value-boreal-woodland-caribou-habitat.pdf 2. Hooykaas, A. (2021). “Cross-Cultural Research: Ethics, Methods, and Relationships.” University of Guelph.

mygeog2260-deactivated20210704

This VICE documentary explores themes of wilderness living and experience through interviews with several people who live and work in the Sayan mountain region of Siberia. The main focus is Agafia Lykov, a woman who has lived off the land for 70 years. Her family was a part of a larger movement of Old Believers, a sect of orthodox Christianity, which fled persecution under Stalin by settling in remote regions of Siberia. Following their deaths, she has been self-sufficient for 25 years. The documentary follows her as she completes her daily chores and includes interviews about her thoughts and impressions on various subjects. They also include interviews with her nearest neighbor and several government park workers, who discuss what living in this area means to them and how it affects their daily life. The documentary producers ultimately conclude that Agafia’s experiences support the idea that humans are capable of surviving alone in the wilderness for extended periods.

The documentary makers use interviews as their main research technique. They seem to use two different types of interviewing techniques. They do formal individual and group interviews where they ask the participant(s) specific questions, such as the discussion about what the landscape of Siberia means to one of the park rangers or about Agafia’s thoughts on visiting the city. They also use an oral history technique with Agafia, where she discusses her family history, several significant events in her life, and how she lives currently. They then combine this with touring around her house and the surrounding area to look at the physical aspects of her life.

The documentary filmmakers do not directly reference their own backgrounds but do include several visual clues about where they come from and who they are. While discussing how they got to Agafia’s homestead they show their city of departure is New York City in the US and make several comments about the local town not being a “modern metropolis”. Additionally, they make it clear they don’t share Agafia’s religious beliefs or language.

Beyond this there seems to be a focus on a very specific definition of what wilderness means and how this relates to personal values during the course of the documentary, even if it contradicts what was stated by the participants. For example, the filmmakers conclude the documentary with the idea that Agafia is proof that humans are capable of living alone in the wilderness. However, Agafia makes several points during her interviews that she needed other people to trade supplies with and we see that she has established working relationships with her neighbour, the park rangers, and Russian media. She also states that her life is very difficult and she needs someone to come help her to survive. These factors don’t really seem to support the filmmaker’s final interpretation in this documentary. Ultimately, this film seems to conform to colonial research practices. This is defined as “research… that maintains distance from, and domination of, the marginalized “others” that it seeks to study and that denies the validity of their knowledge, ways of knowing, experience, and concerns.” (Hay, p. 439) The film also focuses on themes of commodification of resources and civilization, which are common focuses in colonial research.

However, I think part of this dissonance stems from the method they are using to communicate this story. When making a film that is interesting and is focused on keeping a viewer engaged you need to have some sort of narrative and an emotional hook to draw people into the story. The technical and ethical details that are part of doing qualitative research get left behind because they don’t contribute to the overall story. For example, we see the filmmakers bring Agafia a goat and rooster which may be a method of payment for sharing her life with them or as a polite way to introduce themselves but they don’t really go into why they have chosen to approach her this way or what ethical considerations they made before interviewing her. There are also a couple of interview questions that seem to make Agafia uncomfortable and I have to wonder if they really consulted her before adding that to their film. The part where they ask about the relationship between Agafia and her neighbour Yerofei and discuss “a sinful” act that Yerofei did does not seem like it would be something either of them would want shared to over 6 million people and could potentially cause personal issues between them as a result.

If I was to going to research the family and then communicate what I had learned I would probably not choose to do it through a film. Ideally, I would want to produce something that would also be accessible or desirable for Agafia, as she would be the main source of knowledge and this research would likely require that I either live or interact with her for extended periods of time. As she does not really like technology, it might be better to present my findings through writing. However, there are several ethical issues that would be involved if I was doing the research. My identity would probably be a drawback. I don’t speak Russian and I don’t really have any experience with living off the land. Both of these factors can be overcome but would require a large time investment and as a student researcher it would be unlikely that I would have that available.

References

Hay, I (Ed.). (2016). Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography (4th edition). Oxford University Press.

amlgeog2260

Hi!

First of all, thank you for sharing your interpretation of the documentary, I found it to be very captivating and it offered a lot of unique perspectives! I was especially interested in your criticisms that you included because for whatever reason, the way this study was done left a bad taste in my mouth. It may only be a documentary, and so we definitely don’t have the full picture, but the research team did not seem to provide the appropriate amount of respect for Agafia, who is an incredible and strong woman in my opinion. At the end they even say that part of their experience was depressing, and personally if someone lived with me for a time and studied my way of life and then called it depressing, I would be hurt. You mentioned that you wondered if they had even consulted her before putting some clips in the documentary, and with the comment I mentioned and their inclusion of her very uncomfortable interview regarding a negative experience she had with her neighbour I think you might have been on to something. It might even be the case that without access to technology to view this documentary that the researchers knew that she would never see it anyway. Overall I don’t believe that this study was done completely ethically, or with Agafia’s best interests in mind. It would be very hard for people who have the privilege that they do to even conduct this research in the first place.

All the best,

Amber

Taming the Taiga: The Story of Agafia Lykov

Her Story

Agafia Lykov is a women who defies the odds every day of her life. She is 76 years old and has lived all of her life in the harsh and remote wilderness in the mountains of Siberia (the Taiga). She was born here in 1944 after her family of Old Believers fled society and Stalin in 1936 and began what many would call a more “simple” life. Their lives were anything but simple however, as they worked hard to survive the cold weather, lack of food and dangerous animals. This was until they were “discovered” by a team of geologists in 1978, who brought influence from the outside world, as well as sickness, leaving Agafia the sole survivor of her family. She remains in the mountains to this day, with a neighbour and occasional visitors, with no interest in leaving1.

Research Techniques

The documentary created by VICE was carried out using a few research techniques. This is a case study that was carried out by using qualitative research methods in which the goal was to learn about Agafia and her way of life. The researchers used interviews and participant observation during their stay with Agafia, even carrying out chores alongside her1.

Invisible Backpack

The researchers in my opinion are carrying a heavy invisible backpack when it comes to their study of Agafia, and it wasn’t brought up once. Everyone that is identified on the team is a man, they are coming from New York, where they likely have access to food, warmth, protection, people, healthcare and other amenities at all times. They are educated, speak English, and their ability to carry out this study means that they are probably comfortable in terms of money as well. Agafia is a woman who was isolated from such comfort and people for her entire life.

Ethics

When dealing with a situation like Agafia’s it is more important than ever to make ethical decisions, as she would be considered quite vulnerable due to her lack of knowledge of the outside world. This is especially true because the researchers have a significant amount of power in comparison to her, and have the potential to intimidate her, which I think was the case when they pushed her in an interview to talk about an unpleasant experience she had with her neighbour. Ethically they should have considered concern for welfare, respect for persons and justice in their process, and I don’t believe that they did2.

My Approach

I am not so different than the researchers as far as privilege goes, I am from Canada, young, educated and living comfortably for the most part, which is important to consider. I would incorporate similar research techniques as well, however I would be very concerned at all times with how my intrusion was making Agafia feel. How could I make sure that ultimately she was the one benefiting in the end? I didn’t find that there was a clear purpose to the study done in the documentary and so I would want to be certain that if I was going to disrupt her in that way, that there was good reason for it.

1. Vice (2013). “Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years.” Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68

2. Hooykaas, A. (2021). “Cross-Cultural Research: Ethics, Methods, and Relationships.” University of Guelph

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.

amlgeog2260

I loved reading your post! You had such unique and important thoughts to contribute! I was especially impressed with your comment about personally benefiting from the system that is directly creating Kiribati’s problem. This wasn’t even something that I considered when writing my post but it is so very true and unfortunate. Even worse, many of the things that I participate in that cause emissions can be considered a luxury, such as owning a car or enjoying food from far off places. So while I enjoy things that I don’t need at all to survive, the people of Kiribati are slowly losing their culture and home to the rising sea levels that are caused by carbon emissions, some of which I am responsible for. This really puts things in perspective and although I don’t hold much power over the production and impact of world carbon emissions, it has still inspired me to at the very least be a little more critical of my contribution. I think this really shows the power that you have in this situation, even as just a student in a geography class doing an assignment. You have influenced myself (and others I’m sure) based on one sentence alone in a single blog post. This is such a perfect example of indirect power and it really goes to show just how impactful knowledge sharing can be. If this was scaled up, and your platform was perhaps even just a newspaper article instead, I think that you could inspire real change this way!

- Amber

Climate Change: A Serial Killer in the Making

Kiribati is an island country that will be one of the first and most certainly not the last, victims of climate change. As things are going now, this beautiful and culturally significant piece of land will be uninhabited by the end of this century as it is slowly sinking below sea level. This is a country with no industry, and despite their tuna fishing practices, they have still managed to declare protected lands and set examples for the rest of the world for conservation and climate mitigation1. So why are they still at risk of extinction? Industry around the globe is not getting ahead of their emissions, and the impact of this is visible rises in water level, which threaten to erase places and communities like Kiribati.

If I were sent in to this island to research and potentially make change, I would first need to recognize the power dynamics at play in this situation. Firstly, it is important to note that Kiribati as a country has very little control over their own fate. Countries with high emissions can collectively save or destroy them, and it seems that most are unaware of the problem at hand anyway. Kiribati cannot control policy in other countries and so they must bargain or simply request for change to be made. Secondly, I must look at the power I hold as a researcher. My home and culture have never once been threatened, and I have been given connections worldwide through my education that give me a platform even now. As a researcher, the knowledge I receive and present could be used both directly to help Kiribati politically and indirectly through changed perceptions about the country2. I would not be able to be completely objective in my research because I am in the field of environmental policy and as such this is an issue I am passionate about. That being said, I would still need to be reflexive in the sense that I am constantly analyzing my position in the research and the impacts it may have on the outcome2. What I believe would work best here is intersubjectivity, because I can recognize my own bias while allowing for free communication of the people of the island on their own terms.

Since the task at hand is to mitigate the issues the peoples of the island are facing, I would like to conduct a case study on the cultural impacts that they will experience (and have already experienced) due to the rising water levels as well as a historical approach to better understand how they have faced the climate crisis so far. I would then bring this knowledge to an international organization such as the United Nations as a human rights issue, and request for the highest carbon emitting countries to pay reparations to Kiribati so that they may slow their sinking process through more advanced technology (both grey and green living infrastructure).

“The climate crisis has already been solved. We already have the facts and solutions. All we need to do is wake up and change.”

- Greta Thunberg

1. AJ+. (2014). Kiribati: The Sinking Islands Being Destroyed By Climate Change [Video file]. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P7jXveokDY

2. Hooykaas, A. (2021). “Philosophy, Power, Politics, and Research.” University of Guelph

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