Amy Nevills @angeog2260 - Tumblr Blog

A Glimpse of the Semester...

Everyone always says how fast semesters go once they get going, and it’s true once again! It is crazy to think that we are already writing our final blog posts for this class, and it feels like last week that I was creating my first Tumblr account and following all of my classmates who I did not know anything about. I am not sure whether it is the format, the class, or the layout of our discussions but it feels as if this semester has had some of the most engaging and interesting discussions while I have been at university. I find it difficult to take a whole semester of readings, course content, assignments, and discussions with peers, and pack it into a relatively small blog post… but I am going to do my best!

3 Things I Know About Human Geographic Research

1. The first thing I can say I know about human geography, is more broadly what it is, and how qualitative methods of human geography are used in human geography. The first chapter of the textbook does a really good job at outlining from the beginning what it is, and how its complexity and open-endedness can be used. What I mean by that is exactly what the textbook says, that qualitative methods in human geography are concerned with “elucidating human environments and human experiences” (Hay 2016, p. 5). Fundamentally, all of the analysis, research, interpretation, and methods employed by qualitative human geographic investigators circles back to the goal of answering questions related to social structures and or individual experiences (Hay 2016, p. 5). At the beginning of the course, this idea of tackling both structural macro questions/issues along with individual experience or micro issues was hard for me to conceptualize. At this point I have a better understanding of the goal of qualitative research, human geography, and the methods employed to find answers about social and human behaviour.

2. I mentioned the breadth of human geography in my first point, which leads me to the second thing I know about human geography. I know now how much is captured in the term human geography, or human geographic research. Not only was the idea of human geography not clear to me, but the ideas and sub-topics of human geography were not either. From the textbook readings, weekly course content, and our newest Digital Storytelling Project, some of the most prominent subtopics of human geography have become more clear to me. We have all taken a different approach and topic in our group projects; from social, cultural, economic, political, health, environment, and the list goes on (Hooykaas 2021). These are only a few subtopics, and the important thing I realize now is that human geography is everywhere we look, and it matters in order to find answers and ask more questions about the world we live in!

3. Since the topic of human geography is so broad and all-encompassing, I now know how important and diverse the use of research, knowledge, and analysis can be in the real-world with the help of human geography. The specific example from this course that allowed me to value knowledge, analysis, reflection and research most was the way we can use it to break down social barriers of knowledge. Using cross-cultural research methods, ethics, and relationships, we can impact more inclusive research methods and break down previously colonial ways of understanding knowledge (Hay 2016, p. 45). Specifically from chapter 4, we gained an appreciation and understanding of the way colonial values and power shaped our understanding of the validity of knowledge (Hay 2016, p. 76). Using different, and equally valuable knowledge like feminist and indigenous approaches to research in geography can not only further our research in human geography, but can keep strong subjectivity and equal value in different kinds of knowledge, from people, cultures and places around the world (Hay 2016, p. 85).

3 Things I Am Confused By

1. I am still confused by concepts about Foucaldian Discourse Analysis in chapter 14. This might be too narrow of a topic to take for this blog, but the idea of discourse analysis still does not seem to make complete sense to me. I understand Gordon Waitt explains it as an “interpretive approach in geography… used to make sense of the world within particular social and temporal contexts” (Hay 2016, p. 288). This still teams like too large of a definition, or unspecific an explanation to make sense to me, or make me understand that it is in fact important and integral to the way we see the social structures we live in.

2. The second thing I am confused by still is in that discussion about the broad topic of human geography. I know it relates to most, if not every thing in our social and physical lives, but when is it not human geography? That may seem unclear as a question, but it seems confusing to me to try and place human geography within a boundary. Every topic or research method has parameters in which it focuses, but this seems like such a broad idea that I am not sure I can wrap my head around what is and what isn’t human geography, if it actually relates to everything.

3. The last thing that is considerably still confusing to me is the idea of universal objectivity and situated knowledges. We read about these topics in chapter 19, and I still am having a hard time understanding them individually and how they exist together. Situated knowledges is explained in the text as one of the most useful approaches to “contest universalist forms of knowledge” (Hay 2016, p. 400). This idea however, still gives me a hard time to fully understand it.

3 Things I Know About Myself as Human Geographic Researcher

1. I can’t assume that I am a human geographic researcher now, and that my road to learning, analyzing, research, reflecting, and creating is done just because this course is coming to an end. I can however, distinguish the very few things I know about myself so far, as a human geographic researcher. The first is that I know I won’t place inherent value on a specific type of research or knowledge. I mentioned it earlier briefly, but I feel that the impacts from assuming a type of knowledge or method of research is “correct” compared to another is problematic, and has the power to perpetuate age old colonial values. I know I will use the skills I have learned and will continue to learn, to provide reflection and knowledge of my own, while never discounting or taking for granted the knowledge of others.

2. Secondly, I know I am a people person. I have known this for a while, but specific to human geographic research, I will always feel more confident and comfortable having discussion, reflection, or doing research in groups, or with others rather than alone. I found that although it was a lot of fun too, this blog post forum made this class a lot more enjoyable and gave me an environment to discuss and reflect with others! This comment goes along with now knowing the power of critical reflexivity in research and discussions, and to not discount the value of discussion with peer researchers, interviewees, or during the research process.

3. The final thing I have learned about myself as a human geographic researcher is my interest in qualitative methods of human geography, over quantitative ones. Although I understand the importance of having both, I much prefer the use and methods in qualitative research rather than quantitative. This ties into my interest in group work and working with people, instead of numbers. Asking questions, making inquiries, participants in research, and listening to the stories of people (Hay 2016, p. 117-120) is what I find most interesting and appealing about this type of research method.

3 Things I Need To Spend Time On

1. Having expressed my interest for qualitative methods of human geographic research, I need to start focusing and learning more about quantitative methods. I think its important to have a wholistic view and understanding of human geography, and I can’t do that if I isolate myself from an entire side of geographic research. I understand that this textbook is aimed directly at qualitative methods, however, there are lessons from quantitative research that can be used in qualitative research as well. Organizing, analyzing, coding, and surveys all can be used (as seen in chapter 18) as a means of communicating and interpreting qualitative research (Hay 2016, p. 373). Yet, these are different skills than interviewing, listening, or reflecting on the very typical qualitative methods of research. I need to spend time on the things that don’t come to me as easily, or interest me as much, to give myself a general confidence in human geographic research.

2. The second area of human geography I need to more fully appreciate and understand is the value in historical perspectives and accounts and research. I find myself interested in human geographic research now, and interested in the future of social structures and individuals. Historical geography and reflecting on the past seemed boring or unproductive to me. I discredited the research that can be done contemporarily, based on the history of social identities, and not just solely focusing on the research that has yet to be done or discovered. This specific need relates to chapter 11, when Roche discusses historical research and “archival sources” (Hay 2016, p. 226). Michael Roche even discusses interest he has had in the past “30 years of being a historical geographer (Hay 2016, p. 225). There is something here I have yet to find interest in, but again, in order to further my skills and my full research potential, this is a crucial part of human geography I need to spend more time on.

3. Lastly, I find myself rushing to get answers or skipping ahead to find the ultimate “research findings” when I am reading, or even trying to do research of my own. I need to work on my patience as a researcher, and not be so set on finding a single concluding answer in research. Instead, I need to assume that the process of research and analysis is the answer, and that the answers will appear sometimes in the wait or in the depths of research. Finding definitive answers is exciting, but especially in a field as broad and open as human geography, I need to build my ability to reflect on and analyze answers that come from the research process.

I hope this small amount of information has given you all a glimpse into my perceptions of the course, and my own learning along with it. I truly did not know the importance of human geography, qualitative research, or its actual application in the real world. I have really enjoyed being a part of this class and sharing blogs with one another every week! I hope you all have had a similarly educational, interesting, and engaging semester in this blog forum. All the best to everyone this summer!

References

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

Hooykaas, A. (2021). https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/668082/viewContent/2730478/View

angeog2260

Hi Aden!

This semester truly did fly by and it is crazy to think that it is another exam season coming up on us quickly. I find this class very interesting in the way that it is laid out. This class has definitely provided me with a social aspect, that not many of us have with the underlying circumstances we are living in.

First of all, this post and all of your past posts show that you have a good understanding of human geographic research. I enjoy reading about the ways you apply these "textbook" concepts to real life scenarios, as often I struggle to use what I have learned in class to the 'real life'. Human geographical research can incorporate many different concepts and topics (that I never would have considered to fall under), and with this being said, different analysis and research structures are required.

With most topics, there are often things that we can be confused by, and use this to allow for improvement. I really like the way you mentioned the 3 things you are confused by, as there are often those questions in the back of our head that we question to ourselves, but not always other people.

Relating to the three things that you know about yourself as a human geographic researcher, being a people person is an asset in any future endeavor. Humans are naturally social creatures, so I definitely think using that asset of yours will benefit you. Like I mentioned before, this class made up for the social aspect that we all needed. It almost feels like we know everyones tone (over Tumblr of course!) but it will be nice to get to campus and put faces to the names we have talked to throughout the past year.

In conclusion, your posts allowed me to get a better understanding of human geography as a whole because you do have a really interesting and applicable approach to the situations we have engaged with in our blogs. Anyways, congrats on the final blog post and wishing you the best of luck in the future and a great summer!

Amy

krgeog2260-deactivated20241207

My Final Blog Post!

For the final blog post, I went back and reacquainted myself with all of the course’s content from previous weeks to ensure I had a wide range of topics to include. Throughout this semester I have found GEOG*2260 to be very informative from a theoretical perspective. I’ve picked out some important course content that I can reflect on that also falls into the 4 sections given in the prompt.

Three things I know for certain about human geography research:

My first certainty within human geography research is the concept of ethics. Throughout times in the course, we were introduced to ethical research, ethics clearance and other types of welfare in the field (Hooykaas, Week 3, 2021). With the current world, we’re living in today, too many people are experiencing injustice and to say society is damaged would be an understatement. I paid extra attention to this aspect of the course because I want to make an active effort to help others (however that may be) throughout my life and career. Gaining this insight was important to me and I’m glad I have more resources than I did before starting 2260 “before beginning research that involves people” (Hay, 2005, Chapter 2).

After some time in the post-secondary realm, I’ve grown very confident with my ability to measure validity (Hay, 2005, Chapter 19). After working through week 5 content of “literature reviews”, I know the benchmarks that articles have to meet in order for me to include them in my university work, and what I look for when reviewing news or stories that help me decide if I believe what I’m reading. The inclusion of Brown’s criteria for evaluation (Hooykaas, Week 5, 2021) gave me a more detailed list than what I had before, which now include the paper’s purpose and scope, among others.

Lastly, for my list of certainties, I’d like to talk about the invisible backpack. This topic will be the number one thing I take from this course because I had never thought about perspective and experience in the way I did in this course. Using the invisible backpack that comes from my identity and experiences spilled over into my regular life, and allowed me to change my thinking towards judgment and perspectives/opinions of others because everyone engages in the world differently. The invisible backpack has taught me another analysis technique that helps me form strong academic points and research! (Hooykaas, Week 2, 2021).

Three things I am still confused by:

Grounded theory gave me trouble because I couldn’t quite connect its importance like I could for other concepts. I believe that I don’t fully grasp this theory because I haven’t had a field experience where I am sifting through pages of data having to identify theories within it. Grounded theory is “an exploratory and inductive way of forming an in-depth understanding of the entire case” (Hay, 2005, Chapter 7, pp;138).

The next thing I was confused by in the beginning was coding. While I could understand the significance and was able to make an attempt in doing my own, it seemed to me as if it were just another organizational style (Hooykaas, Week 8, 2021). Deductive coding seemed more my speed rather than inductive, which is why I picked that one for the activity. I see the appeal for rigour and analysis of data, which is why I don’t doubt its valuable role in the research process (Hay, 2005, Chapter 18).

My last point of confusion were the bottom-up and top-down approaches that were talked about during week 3. Since it was more than a couple weeks ago, I can’t seem to connect these approaches to the rest of the research theories and data analysis. I also would like to find further writings about these approaches because our textbook didn’t include information on the topic (Hooykaas, Week 3, 2021).

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

As I move on in my schooling and as a human geographer, I realize how much more I probably have to learn. But when it comes to what I’m certain about myself at this moment, I know my social skills will allow me to develop meaningful connections in research. I’m able to relate and empathize with people well.

Another asset that I have that will benefit me is a hardworking attitude and ability to stay productive to finish long and complex projects. If I am passionate about something, for instance a research project, I would be a valuable asset to any research team.

Lastly, I know that I’m in the right schooling avenue because I genuinely enjoy the content I’m learning about. I’m getting very excited about all of the opportunities I’ll have in the future after going through the rest of my undergraduate degree.

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

I would like to spend more time on interviews and constructing productive questions. Since I have never experienced conducting a formal interview for research purposes, I want to revisit this concept as a whole when I have another opportunity to. It could be any of the types of interviews that we learnt about (over the phone, online, semi-structured, open etc.) (Hay, 2005, Chapter 8).

Secondly, I’d like to do something similar to my first, but with questionnaires. I can see a career in data collection for research and working for agencies that provide statistics so I would like to gain additional experiences in forming open or closed questions and using the questionnaires for mass research. The guideline in the textbook of a productive questionnaire caught my eye as interesting during that assigned chapter! (Hay, 2005, Chapter 12).

The last concept I want to spend more time developing came from this week’s (Hooykaas, Week 11, 2021) content involving the feelings of imposter syndrome. I have felt the feelings of fraudulence before when having academic or workplace success and resonated highly with the youtube video and information from the 2260 lectures. After being introduced to this topic, I want to dive deeper and see if I can apply that logic to other courses and achievements in my day-to-day life.

Thank you all for reading all my work throughout this semester!

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.

angeog2260

Hi Kirsten!

During our online university situation, I hope you are managing well. Hopefully in the fall we can get back to campus!

First of all, I must highlight that your post is very intriguing with the pictures you have inserted throughout it. I also like your approach and analysis on ethical research. I absolutely agree with you and believe that there are many many societal, economic, environmental and even more issues that need to be addressed in a way that incorporates inclusion and equality all around. This just shows how many concepts in this class can be applied to real life situations outside of this class!

For the three things that you highlighted that were confusing to you, coding stood out to me and seems to be a common issue among these blog posts. I find it hard to pinpoint the relevant information, especially when I believe all of the data collected in qualitative research is important to interpret.

I think confidence in yourself to excel in the future is important so I like when you mentioned the skills you have and how they could be beneficial in a research standpoint.

We all have those areas where we know that would be an asset if we improved, and sometimes it's hard to recognize them. Practicing these skills can only better your future!

This final blog post allows us all to reflect and understand where we exceed also while highlighting our 'needs improvement' areas. Finally, I really enjoyed reading your work throughout the span of the semester. It appears you have a clear understanding of this class and all of the content associated with it. Good luck with upcoming exams and all of your future endeavours!

Amy

Reflection on Applied Human Geography (GEOG*2260)

Throughout Applied Human Geography, GEOG*2260, I not only learned about the research process as a whole, but I also gained skills I will continue to use in my future. Below, I will express my thoughts regarding my knowledge and topics I found confusing on human geographical research.

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

Deconstruction of media events and textual material is something I know for certain as I used this approach for the DSP. Textual information and analyses are predicated on a constructionist epistemology, meaning that the world is socially constructed and mediated (Hay, 2016, chapter 1). While the media is often a common source of the portrayal of information, it was interesting to apply my skills to analyze research articles and ensure that I am limiting common problems in human geographic research.

Another thing that I know for certain (and one of my favourite things to learn about), was Peggy McIntosh’s concept of invisible backpacks. Initially, she began using this term to explore women's studies and how women and underrepresented races were in experience of oppression, denial and/or disadvantage (Hooykaas, 2021). I find this to be very interesting because it can not only be applied in this class but in other social aspects of life. For example, while we live through unprecedented times with the ongoing pandemic, we all need to realize that others are impacted differently and have different underlying circumstances.

The final thing that I know for certain is the idea of focus groups in a study. A focus group method involves a small group of people to discuss a topic or issue defined by a researcher (Hay, 2016, chapter 10). Focus groups allow individuals to speak their truth on a matter more specifically while also allowing a semi-structured interview style. This creates a more accepting environment, enabling the participants to feel more at ease and more thoughtfully answered questions (Hooykaas, 2021).

These three things I am still confused by:

Although I do have a strong understanding of the research process and everything that is incorporated and associated with that, there are still some topics that confuse me. I often find myself questioning how to start a research process, more specifically, what approach to take. I find that often there is overlap between the best approach to take, and I believe with a bit more practice (as I am still a `rookie’ researcher), I would be able to confine to the best approach to take.

I also got confused with the flat coding type, versus a hierarchical coding type. I understand the basis of it, but reviewing back to the blog post about coding, I had a debate with myself of which one is more practical to use and how to apply this to a scenario. After reading up and allowing myself to understand and engage in the coding frames, I was able to determine what is best for that scenario, but I still often get confused with the difference between them.

The third thing that I get confused with is ensuring that I am evaluating reliable sources for my studies. The media is often so easy to get swayed one way, and although it may seem reliable, it has the possibility of being biased or misrepresentative of the topic. With the help of this class, I have been more adamant about checking the source of the article and their credentials. The process in qualitative research requires that writers explicitly state the criteria by which a reader can assess the trustworthiness of a given piece of research (Hay, 2016, chapter 19).

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

I am confident in some of my skills as a human geographic researcher, one of them being understanding how power can influence a study. Power relations exist beyond the relationship of the researcher and the participant (Hay, 2016, chapter 2). It is crucial to consider these aspects of direct and indirect power in a study as this can alter the final outcome of the study, and perhaps enhance potential biases as well.

I also understand the concept of reflexivity and how to apply it to human geographic research. Reflexivity is a process of constant, self-conscious scrutiny of the self as a researcher and of the research process (Hay, 2016, chapter 2). In ‘easier to understand’ terms, it is simply analyzing the situation as if it were something you were studying (Hay, 2016, chapter 2). This is important to consider and break down the social relations that are being enacted and how those relations can influence the data.

Another thing that I know for certain about myself as a human geographic researcher, is that if I were to do research in the future, I would lean more to quantitative data rather than qualitative data. Although I do enjoy hearing other people’s stories and gaining insights on topics that are crucial nowadays, I enjoy the quantitative aspect more.

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

I need to spend some time developing and applying my knowledge in the field to real-life scenarios. Understanding the course content from a literal context differs from the application to case studies and other geographical problems in human research.

Another issue that I need to spend some time working on is coding. Coding allows the researcher to confine their studies. The purposes of coding are for data reduction, organization and a substantive press of data exploration (Hay, 2016, chapter 18). I think with more assistance on how specifically to code, and understanding what data is relevant to the study versus what is not would assist my confidence.

I understand the research process as a whole, but there are aspects in the process that if I worked on, I would feel more confident. One of my biggest worries as a researcher would be the process of writing up analyzed data and confining it to ensure that there are no biases. I would look to use a latent content analysis, which is searching the document for themes (Hay, 2016, chapter 8). This would be an asset because I could find the common themes that arise, then code them based on that matter.

Resources:

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

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

kgeog2260

Disease outbreaks more likely in deforestation areas, study finds (an evaluation)

Article:

The article I chose to review for this week’s discussion was titled “Disease outbreaks more likely in deforestation areas, study finds” written by Jonathan Watts for The Guardian and published on March 24th2021. The key message of this article is stated directly in the title, and is made very clear throughout the reading. Outbreaks of infectious diseases are more likely to occur in areas in which deforestation and monoculture plantations, and epidemics are projected to increase and biodiversity declines (Watts, 2021). Watts discusses the trend between forest cover and disease control through the ability of species to filter and block diseases in healthy ecosystems. By displacing our forest ecosystems, we risk losing natural disease regulation, as well as the multiple environmental benefits.

Sources:

The author made it very clear throughout the article which sources he was using to back up his statements, including multiple research articles published by Frontiers in Veterinary Science. The main paper referenced multiple times throughout the recent article is “Outbreaks of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Are Associated with Changes in Forest Cover and Oil Palm Expansion at the Global Scale” written by Serge Morand and Claire Lajaunie, both members of the French National Centre for Scientific Research. The statistics and research collected and used within the research are collected from the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the Food and Agricultural Organization and the Gideon epidemic database. Watts also conducted an interview with Morand in which he received direct quotes on their research, as well as other individual case studies that highlighted how land use changes are linked to epidemics.

Research Methods:

The research methods used for the information collection throughout the article seemed to be validity and authenticity techniques. This method is used to include continuous validation of data through checking for representativeness of data and using expert consultants (in this case Morand and Lajaunie) (Hooykaas, Week 9, 2021). Direct quotes from Morand throughout the article also gave me the impression of a semi-structured interview in which the researcher discussed his opinion on climate change and public health.

Consumer Expectations:

I personally believe those who choose to read this article are curious about environmental issues and their impact on our society, such as deforestation and the link to increased epidemics. Therefore, it is expected that consumers reading this article have a somewhat understanding of the issue at large and want to know more in order to build their knowledge on the subject. I don’t believe there are any further expectations or responsibilities for the reader to take simply due to the fact that it is an informational piece with the goal to let people know the future predictions for the state of our planet and nothing more. Although some may choose to further educate themselves on the issue, there is no required responsibility.

References:

Hooykaas, A. (2021). GEOG*2260 Course Notes. Retrieved from: https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/668082/Home

Watts, J. (2021). Disease outbreaks more likely in deforestation areas, study finds. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/24/disease-outbreaks-more-likely-in-deforestation-areas-study-finds

angeog2260

Hi Karina,

I really liked the topic/article you chose, as disease outbreaks like COVID-19, and deforestation are current and ongoing issues. This is a very interesting article and study that personally, I never would have originally thought to have an association/correlation with each other. As per the sources of this article, it appears at they are reliable sources with scientific evidence to support their claims. I find it intriguing that whether people are using this class to figure out if research is what they want to do, or looking to assist their knowledge in qualitative research, or simply took it because it was mandatory, that we can all use this class to analyze media (which is so present nowadays) and news sources to determine if it is valid information that we can use to our own benefit, or even share with others! I also like how you mentioned that it is used to display the future that we could be seeing. Overall, very well done and I hope you have a good rest of your semester!

Best,

Amy

Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumours: Are They Valid?

Article quick link:

https://thehockeywriters.com/maple-leafs-barabanov-scott-andersen-marleau-trade/

The article that I have chosen to demonstrate for this blog post regards trade rumours within the hockey industry, more specifically the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is an article written by The Old Prof. After further research, he was a professor at the University of Alberta, with two degrees. He does not suggest where he finds the information, but he does mention that these are possible rumours and rumours within the sporting industry are extremely common. After engaging and learning about the research process and all of the ethical considerations, I can realize what should have been done to ensure a proper and valid article. Instead of collecting his information from (most likely) other news sources, he could have conducted an interview with people directly involved with the Leafs or the sporting industry as “interviews are an excellent method of gaining access to information about events, opinions, and experiences” (Hay, 2016). This was also not validated or verified simply because the information stated is not accurate and has not occurred. Subjectivity involves the insertion of personal opinions and characteristics into research practices (Hooykaas, 2021). Within this article, we need to consider the subjectivity placed as well as the biases of opinions that are inserted in this article. This website is not intended for educational purposes and is used for the general public to use lightly and read with caution.

References:

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

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

https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/668082/viewContent/2673139/View

The Old Prof. (2021). Maple Leafs News & Rumours? Scott, Anderson, Marleau & Coming Trade? The Hockey Writers.

https://thehockeywriters.com/maple-leafs-barabanov-scott-andersen-marleau-trade/

amfgeog2260

Coding Through Time: Social Geography

Coded Sources

The two articles I decided to code and analyze were ones I have been using to gain a better understanding of the current perspectives and definitions of social geography. The first article is a news article by Aljazeera which provides a spatial analysis map of all the anti-racism protests of solidarity around the world, after the murder of George Floyd (Haddad 2020). Although our group’s project has the ultimate goal of answering the question: “What is Social Geography?”, my specific portion of the project is to focus on and identify the present/contemporary perspectives, changing definitions, and understanding of social geography in today’s world. This article provides a really important, and very current look at how topics of social injustice, racism, inequality, social movements, beliefs, and justice play a role, and shape our current understanding of what social geography is, and how it will inevitably change.

The second source I decided to code is a peer-reviewed journal article that focuses on the intersectional inequalities which have been exacerbated and highlighted during the global pandemic of COVID-19 (Ho and Maddrell 2021). This is another very current look at what social geography means, and how specifically the COVID-19 pandemic has changed, and elevated our understanding or knowledge of weak social systems to reduce social, gender, and racial inequality.

Type of Coding & Framing of Codes

Although both articles have topics and discussions about similar issues that would have been fairly easy to detect a set of codes to follow prior to analyzing the documents, I decided on an inductive coding approach instead. This way, I avoid any bias of searching for a predetermined set of codes, and I can analyze the articles for what they are and allow the important codes to be highlighted and evaluated as I am going through them (Hooykaas 2021). Especially with issues relating to intersectionality, racial and social inequality, and the COVID-19 pandemic, I did not want to miss out on potentially new and useful codes by pre-determining a set of codes in the deductive coding approach. I chose to weigh each code equally, therefore using the flat coding frame (Hooykaas 2021). The reason for this is similar to the last, I felt that all of the codes I was using was equally applicable, relevant, impactful, and rigorous as the others, and I did not feel it would be as useful to me to map them out in hierarchy of importance, but rather use all of them as individually important elements of a larger coding framework.

Codes

CODES: World, Justice, Intersectional, Cultural, Inequality, Race

As I said previously, both of these articles were focused directly on current wide-spread social inequalities, and both articles varied in how focused or broad they were. The first article I looked at was specifically discussing the inequality of George Floyd, and the wide cross-cultural and international response to it. Whereas the second article took a more macro view of the intersectional burdens that COVID-19 has had on underrepresented populations around the world. Both equally important topics, discussing similar issues from micro and macro perspectives. I finished my analysis with six codes, which I think pertain to both articles well. Although the example photo I preview below in my blog shows little use of the word “world”, I felt it was an important code to add to my set of data because of the goal and general arguments of the separate articles. COVID-19 has impacted the globe, and thus increased the impacts of intersectional burdens faced by underrepresented, minority, and under resourced populations and communities around the world, and the mapping of solidarity protests in support of justice for George Floyd and anti-racism movements happened all over the globe. The article specifically mentions and lists over 100 cities in varying countries around the world who all protested in their communities and cities after the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.

Digital Storytelling Project

We are also dealing with a lot of information, data, and writing throughout the course of this project. The coding resources we used in this week’s blog is useful to provide a concise and accurate identification of themes, topics, and subjects which can be used in our digital stories, or to help inform them. I find this type of data analysis and management tool allows me to not be as distracted or lost in the large amount of writing and resources we are referencing back to. It allows me to look back on either inductive or deductive codes to stay on top of the ultimate goal, while allowing me to continue engaging more deeply with new information. My group members and I each have divided up the timeline of social geography based on historical periods (historical perspectives, contemporary perspectives, future perspectives) and this resource allows each of us to focus on our portion/timeframe of the project by extracting data and information from all of our references to provide more robust information and general themes on that one period in history or the future. Themes that emerge from the use of these codes allowed me to make connections between the articles about larger social geographic issues and topics, which will become useful in my continued research, and eventual creation of the final digital story.

References

Source #1: Online Article

Haddad, M. (2020, June 07). Mapping anti-racism solidarity protests around the world. Retrieved February 13, 2021, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/6/7/mapping-anti-racism-solidarity-protests-around-the-world

Source #2: Peer-Reviewed Source

Ho, E. L.-E., & Maddrell, A. (2021). Intolerable intersectional burdens: a COVID-19 research agenda for social and cultural geographies. Social & Cultural Geography, 22(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2020.1837215

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 8: Coding.

angeog2260

Hi Aden,

It looks like you have a lot of passion about social geography, and I think it is important to know how the topics you mentioned are important for our understanding of society and how we can educate ourselves on those topics for change to occur. I like how you used a COVID-19 related peer review journal as everyone can relate to the circumstances we are living in. With lockdown, we have had the chance to sit down, reflect and understand the issues that occur today. I chose an inductive approach as well, and personally speaking, it allowed me to gain the understanding on my topic and to ensure that there was no major topics missed. It is also really interesting to read and hear how other groups are approaching this project because the ball is in our hands. In conclusion, you chose great codes to represent your study and you are also extremely organized throughout this process. Hope your semester is going well!

Cheers,

Amy

Coding In Rural Geography

Rural Geography as a Focus

My group's focus is Rural Geography for the Digital Storytelling Project. Coding articles not only helps with organization, but it also allows for a better understanding of the research conducted. Coding qualitative material can help with data reduction, organization and the creation of searching aids, as well as analysis (Hay, 2016). The first source I used is the Impact of Industrialization on Environment and Sustainable Solutions- Reflections from a South Indian Region from the IOP Conference Series (Earth and Environmental Science), finalized by Rasmi Patnaik. The second source I used was an informative article on the Environmental Impacts of Industrialization from EcoMENA, finalized by Emily Folk. These sources relate to Rural Geography as the rural environments are typically where resource peripheries are located. We also must consider the inequality of urbanization and industrialization and how the locations outside often feel the physical impacts, such as air pollution, water contamination, destruction of habitats and ecosystems etc.

My Codes

Planning and development are highlighted in blue, impacts to the ecosystem and the physical environment are highlighted in green, pollution/waste/emissions are highlighted in pink while factory and industry are highlighted in yellow. I used the preview app on Mac to complete these.

Types of Coding

With my coding process, I would say that I took an inductive coding approach. Before conducting the research between these two sources, I did have a general idea of what I wanted to do, but I never set a definitive coding system of what codes specifically I was looking for. As I was reading through the articles I decided on my codes and what seemed to be the main focus. I used a hierarchical coding frame which allows me to organize codes based on how they relate to one another (Hooykaas, 2021). As all of my codes have some sort of significance for the other, I thought that this was my best approach to take. This coding frame allows me to organize my codes based on organizational structure (Hooykaas, 2021).

Applying to my Digital Storytelling Project on Rural Geography

I think that coding is helpful for research in order to focus on key themes and narrow the large papers down. Sometimes those large research articles can be overwhelming and it is hard to know where to start, but this technique is beneficial for organization. Since rural geography is such a broad topic, this also helps with the understanding and interpretation of the topic.

References

Folk, E. (2018). Environmental Impacts of Industrialization. https://www.ecomena.org/environmental-impacts-of-industrialization/

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 8: Coding. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/668082/viewContent/2730478/View

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

Patnaik, R. (2018). Impact of Industrialization on Environment and Sustainable Solutions - Reflections from a South Indian Region. IOP Conference Series. Earth and Environmental Science, 120(1), 12016–. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/120/1/012016

akgeog2260

Lessons Learned, and Ways Forward.

I think the portion of this course that has resonated with me the most so far would be the second weeks focus on power, politics, and philosophy. The reason this part resonated with me the most is because the knowledge and insight I gained here is the most applicable to my life beyond scholastic research.

I constantly find myself thinking about inequality, as it is something immensely bugs me. We are all born into different situations, and as we grow, we gain a socioeconomic and cultural identity. This identity is vastly influential as to what we do with our lives, and what opportunities are available to us. I have said it many times before, I believe that humans are inherently good, and the majority of our ailments and prejudices are taught and absorbed through illogical, uneducated outlooks on society and culture.

Now how does this relate to our course? Well I believe that if humans could overall exert more critical reflectivity then we as a species could become more cohesive and appreciative of each other. Critical reflectivity regarding research is a process of constant, self-conscious scrutiny of the self as a researcher and of the research process (Hooykaas, 2021). I believe that if people applied this level of reflection to their opinions on political, societal, and everyday issues it could be immensely powerful in making our world a better place.

Furthermore, understanding one’s identity is essential to being able to be critically reflective, and recognizing power dynamics. Ones identity comes from where they were born, what level of affluence their guardians have, what gender and which race they are, etc. We must encourage people to recognize their biases and be critically reflective of how their success and position in society is not fully but often incredibly correlated to their identity. All of these identities come in confluence to creating power dynamics. Being aware of power dynamics is important for people being ethical and fostering better ethics in society is an excellent way to better it.

In summary, I think that the lessons from week 2 on critical reflectivity, power dynamics, and identity can go a very long way to mending broken relations created throughout thousands of years of history. I believe that if people can be educated and learn qualities like empathy, understanding, and proper ethics, society will advance much faster.

Hooykaas, A. (2021, January 19). Week 2: Philosophy, Power, Politics, and Research Design. Lecture. Retrieved March 1, 2021, from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/668082/viewContent/2673139/View

angeog2260

Hey Adam,

First of all, I just want to highlight how powerful your post was. I agree with everything you brought up in your post. I absolutely agree that there are a lot of things that are taught in society, especially with regards to racism, prejudice, and inequalities. Younger folks use those older than them as a role model, and resembles a "monkey see, monkey do" kind of situation. I believe society also influences one another, hence why culture is so immensely different everywhere you go. I like the way you worded everything about thinking reflectively and the importance it has. Thinking reflexively and understanding that everyone carries an invisible backpack is crucial. It is important for society to recognize the inequalities that occur today (and in the past too) and to use these to make change happen in the future. This class has definitely given me a different viewpoint on concepts and I will continue to use in the future. Great work Adam!

Amy

How can the general public benefit from GEOG*2260?

Applied Human Geography was a required course for my major, and I took it having no idea what to expect. I enjoyed the quantitative statistics course I took last semester, and I do notice some similarities between qualitative and quantitative statistics. More so with the research process as a whole and having to consider ethical dilemmas and avoiding biases in research.

I enjoy the flexibility of this class. Most of my other classes are constrained to completing specific projects with strict guidelines and less leniency. Having the different project styles keeps it intriguing in this class, so we are not always doing the same thing every week. I am also enjoying the group project component of this, especially with the underlying circumstances. It is nice to have some kind of social aspect through our time with online learning.

I have always considered conducting research further in a Master’s program, and this class has allowed me to see the entire research process as a whole and understand the factors that have to be considered. I’m not sure if qualitative research is what I can see myself doing in the future, but regardless, I think that this class is beneficial for the general public to know. Understanding that everyone carries an invisible backpack and that each experience that one goes through differs from the next.

I found interest in the week two content when we touched upon critical reflexivity, power, the invisible backpack one can carry, and the paradigms/approaches to take with qualitative research. I liked learning and understanding that everyone carries an invisible backpack and that each experience that one goes through differs from the next. People engage in subjects from different viewpoints and I think that this is something that should be considered on a day-to-day basis. Talking to others and understanding their underlying circumstances and how they differ from your own can allow society to come together as a whole and look to change the issues that occur every day.

Generally speaking, I think that this type of course should be one that everyone takes part in because it has definitely given me a different viewpoint of understanding on topics and issues that occur around the world.

Amy

jbgeog2260

A Short and Meaningful Interview: Population Geography

Overview

The goal of our digital storytelling project is to represent the importance of population geography by demonstrating how it connects to different aspects of geography and the world. If I had 5 minutes to interview a key thinker of this field, I would interview Dudley L. Poston, Jr, a professor of demography and sociology. I would interview him because of his experience working in these fields for over 50 years in hopes that he could provide some insightful information to help our project. Here are the semi-structured interview questions I would ask:

1. “What specific field of population geography do you enjoy focusing on and are you researching any issues in the world today related to this field?

Since I already know what field of geography he specifies in, I would like to know what part of it he personally enjoys and what he feels is important today. By doing this, I could get a better understanding of how the interview will go and possibly think of other questions to ask based on his response.

I decided to keep my first question broad by asking a descriptive question so that I could ease into the interview and provide Poston with an idea of the questions I would be asking (Hay, 2021, p.154).

2. “What issues in our world today relate back to population geography that people wouldn’t necessarily think of being part of this field?”

By asking this, I would like Poston to explain how population geography connects to many different aspects of our world in order to hopefully prove the argument of our research project and to get other ideas we might not have thought of.

This is a storytelling question because it allows Poston to explain factual details that he wouldn’t have to add his own opinion to (Hay, 2021, p.154).

3. “What do you believe are the major drivers behind people being unequally impacted by Covid-19 and climate change due to their geographic location?”

The research we have already done on population geography has informed us that Covid-19 and climate change are currently some of the biggest issues in this field today. I would like to know Poston’s opinion on what causes people to be treated and affected differently by these two issues in order to get a good idea of how we can change these drivers and move toward a more equal world.

I believe that if we can represent the benefit of taking a population geography approach to solving world issues, we could successfully demonstrate how important this field is today.

This is opinion question provides an opportunity for a very detailed response unique to Poston, with new perspectives of why our world is so unequal today (Hay, 2021, p.154).

4. “If an understanding of population geography was more widespread, do you think there would be less geographic inequality?” And “What else do you think has to be done to reduce this inequality?”

Here, I would be trying to get Poston’s opinion on whether our project would actually be beneficial in moving toward a more equal world and if there’s anything else we should intentionally add to encourage this.

I would also use this opinion question as an opportunity for Poston to build off his last response of what drives our unequal world.

5. “Is there anything else you would like to add in regards to how we can represent the importance of population geography?”

Since this is a semi-structured interview, I would finish off with a more open-ended question where Poston could provide information that I might not have thought about asking.

I would like him to explain any additional tips that we could use in our project that would encourage people to deepen their understanding of population geography.

While researching demographers who have had a significant impact on this field, I noticed many of them have already died, or are very old. I originally thought I could use a multi-method approach and incorporate oral histories and allow Poston to provide any outstanding stories or ideas that he has not yet told (Hay, 2021, p.160). However since this is only a 5-minute interview, I believe incorporating some broad, open-ended questions would be just as beneficial.

References:

Hay, I. (2021). QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN HUMAN GEOGRAPHY. Don Mills, Ontario: OXFORD UNIV PRESS.

Liberalarts.tamu.edu. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2021, from https://liberalarts.tamu.edu/sociology/profile/dudley-poston/

angeog2260

Hey Josh,

I hope your semester is going well! It is evident that you have a good understanding on population geography, and it seems like a topic you find a lot of interest in and are passionate about. I think bringing the conversation about COVID-19 is relevant, because mostly everyone has been impacted in one way or another from the pandemic. I also like how you brought up inequality that occurs on a geographic aspect. For the digital storytelling project, my group studied rural geography and we examined the inequality that rural areas often face socially, economically and environmentally.

As I was reading your post, I had a couple questions for you. How would you use the information you gain from Dr. Poston to look for a change in this field? How would you do this?

I think it is also important to consider the future of this field. I would perhaps ask where he sees the future of this field evolving, and how different processes would be impacted. Your study could be enhanced by focusing and narrowing down your study on the difference in population in rural settings versus urban settings, and how these people are impacted differently. Or perhaps even focusing on one versus the other.

Generally speaking, I think your study is beneficial in several different ways, especially since this is such an evolving field. I enjoyed all of the points you mentioned and you approached it in a respectful manner. Well done Josh!

Cheers,

Amy

Interviewing Crystal Lameman from Beaver Lake Cree Nation

For the digital storytelling project, my group chose to explore the diverse field, rural geography. As rural geography is a wide discipline with many key thinkers, I would narrow my research down to the Indigenous population. Mining prevails over land claims and treaties posed between the Indigenous population and the Provincial and Federal governments. In previous and current classes, I have been learning about the over extraction of commodities as well as the impacts these rural locations face. In the movie This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, Crystal Lameman from Beaver Lake Cree Nation is an Indigenous leader in Tar Sands country located just northeast of Edmonton, Albera. As I was watching this movie, I was empowered to listen to the way she handles environmental problems, and how passionate she is to end resource extraction and the damaging impacts of industrialization on Indigenous lands in rural communities (where the resources are abundant).

I believe Crystal Lameman is a key thinker in the Indigenous rural atmospheres. Before I interview, I would ensure that she is comfortable with myself interviewing her and give her the accessibility to not answer any questions she desires. I would also ensure that I am thinking reflexively and that my interview questions pass ethical standards. I also understand that I carry an invisible backpack. If I could ever get the opportunity to interview (in a semi structured manner) Crystal Lameman from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation these are the questions I would ask:

1. What event/time made you first recognize the impacts that your traditional territory has faced from the extraction of oil?

This question is a very brief primary question, looking to initiate discussion and allow Crystal to speak on a personal level.

2. Can you tell me the history of the constitutional rights and treaties that have been in place with the Albertian and Canadian government and your traditional lands? How have these been violated?

To understand the inequality between Indigenous lands and government actions, this question allows the researcher to gain understanding on everything that has happened, to eventually understand the present and future.

3. How do these environmental issues impact the Beaver Lake Cree Nation socially? What is the importance of understanding the environmental issues and associating them with social issues?

This question is a present question, meaning that it allows her to talk about today before jumping ahead too much. This also allows her to speak on behalf of her people/family and what she believes is crucial for change to occur.

4. How do you think the Tar Sands industry will evolve in 5 years? 10 years? Why is this important for the future of climate change?

This question allows the researcher to understand the evolution of this field and how it impacts the “grand scheme” of things (how her kids and future generations will be impacted). It can also correlate local issues to an international level to understand and possibly lead to a future of a sustainable economy.

5. Is there anything else you want to add for people to know?

This allows an open opportunity for her to discuss anything else on her mind that I have not directly asked her. This question also allows a deeper understanding of the Tar Sands in Alberta.

I decided to use these questions for numerous reasons. One being that it allows her to speak openly about what she believes. I also used a past-present-future approach because I believe that to understand the future of a field, we have to understand the history and the evolution of it. I am performing a semi structured interview so I believe that these questions are open-ended to allow for more conversation. I think that this is a crucial topic in understanding rural lifestyles from an Indigenous perspective because it typically is understudied.

References

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

https://curio-ca.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/en/video/this-changes-everything-8754/

angeog2260

Agriculture: The Future

If I were to conduct a research project in the future, I would look to direct research based around my home roots. Growing up on a farm my entire life with a beef business, which eventually transferred to crop research, has allowed me to gain knowledge first hand on the farm. With my family being heavily involved within the research agriculture industry, I believe that having this experience would maximize my potential research. I enjoy looking at how soil conserving techniques (no-till practices, crop rotation, cover cropping, and something as simple as rotating the direction the crops are planted) and how that can benefit crop yields in the future while also preserving the soil. More specifically, I would look to conduct this research in Ontario. It would be impractical to study worldwide to account for all of the different regions, climates and soil types so I would restrict my studies to Ontario. I would look for support from the Agriculture Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO). The ARIO’s mission statement states that “ARIO is dedicated to the strategic use of science and innovation to enhance the sustainability and profitability of Ontario’s agri-food and rural sectors” (ARIO, 2021). This is an Ontario Government website so I could use it as a reliable and valid source.

Conducting the research itself is an expensive task so having limitless resources would be crucial. I would look to team up with some of the leading agriculture companies (Pioneer, Monsanto, Syngenta, etc.) and some of the more small scale companies to avoid biases. Depending on how recent the company has emerged, I would use both short and long-time research history to enhance my modern research. I would use a critical approach to my research, which “enables how society functions and how satisfactory functions can be changed” (Hooykaas, 2021). Having my family’s agriculture business help me ensure that I meet the requirements would be critical.

One of the most significant things I would be sure to do is conduct this research in different locations (with contrasting climates) with varying soil types and compositions (clay, silt, sand) in Ontario. This would allow diversity within my study and so that I am not restrictive in my research. Most of my research would be considered as long term observable analysis because of the changes that can occur depending on weather, season, crop, and soil composition. I would need more prolonged periods of time to ensure that I am getting all of the data necessary for this study to be useful for the emergence of the future in agriculture. With this, I would be using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods to ensure that the limitations of one research method will be enhanced by using the other.

I am confident that agriculture is an industry that is heavily relied on, whether one knows it or not. Farming provides endless opportunities and jobs within the sector and it is also a significant contributor to the economy and society. I would like to say that most people would benefit from this research, but more specifically, the agriculture industry as a whole (farmers, insurance companies, people relying on agriculture as the primary food source, families, seed researchers).

I believe that conducting more research within this industry is pivotal because it increases crop productivity. Higher yields allow the production of large quantities of agricultural output at a lower cost, improving the economy. With the help of new technologies that are continually emerging to keep up with the demand, this is a critical movement into the future of agriculture. What are your thoughts on agriculture research?

This is a picture I took on an agricultural research planter. This is different than the "normal planter" as there are two people ripping envelopes and dumping them into the planter one at a time. This creates plots that each have different breeds of a crop.

References

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

Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO). (2021). Retrieved February 04, 2021, from http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/research/ario/institute.htm

angeog2260

I decided to add one more image above to show how different the planter is compared to the "typical" one.

Agriculture: The Future

References

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

Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO). (2021). Retrieved February 04, 2021, from http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/research/ario/institute.htm

akgeog2260

Aluminum, Big Fossil Fuels Worst Nightmare

Research Project:

I think my ultimate research project would be researching the benefits of aluminum and standardization of containers towards the sustainability of our planet. My research project would involve lobbying for a combination of a select group of companies alongside a regional level government to switch from plastics to aluminum containers, and to implement an intensive recycling system. To properly attain results from this experiment it would take multiple years, and the coordination of many governmental agencies and corporation executives. My proposal would be that in the long-term the use of standardized aluminum containers in combination with an extensive recycling centre would lead to lowered costs to corporations, and lowered levels of environmental degradation. Aluminum is a cheap, infinitely recyclable, and doesn’t deteriorate into harmful micro particulates if the material gets into our environment. The focus of my research would be on firstly, convincing an entire region, and a variety of commodity chains to buy into this project. Secondly, reviewing the findings and compiling everything into a report. Lastly, I would hope that my findings were that aluminum was a better option for sustainability, and to lobby for these changes to be made at the provincial or federal level.

Ethics:

In regard to ethics, my research could impact many people. Plastic production is massive industry linked to fossil fuels (as plastics are fossil fuels), and the outcomes of this research could potentially reshape that entire industry. The goal of my research is to prove my hypothesis that aluminum is a better alternative to plastics, and therefore my goal is subsequently to lower the amount of plastics created every year. As much as the people employed by the plastic industry might lose their jobs, there would also be new jobs created in both manufacturing and recycling of aluminum. The people that would benefit from this research would be literally every single human on the planet. This research would have the potential to vastly impact global warming rates (for the cooler), as well as it could begin to address the planets plastic pollution problem. I would like to do this research as soon as I am able, as I believe that if we do not change our logistics systems now, plastic will be choking our food supply indefinitely and it will be a mess far to impossible to clean up. There are certain power dynamics to be observed here. I must note that my livelihood is not intertwined with plastic production, while many family’s livelihoods are. It’s important to not assume that since I am researching within my own country that there is no hierarchy of power finically, and socially.

How I’ll Make it Happen:

I will use a participant observational research method, that includes being involved in designing the recycling system, lobbying to get as many organizations and regions involved as possible, and attaining data from places like landfills, grocery stores, municipal governments, etc. I believe that this project would need a full team of researchers across a variety of different disciplines, as I myself am not yet exactly a waste management engineer.

Disclaimer:

Obviously this blog post doesn’t include any facts or beginnings of the research as this concept of mine is just theoretical, but I do truly hope to explore this one day, as I think it would be one of the best ways for me to help save our planet from devastation, and that truly has been my only goal in life (well besides drinking beer anyways). Hope you guys enjoyed this read, can’t wait to hear what you have to say 😊.

References:

DeJonge, M. (2008). Comparison of the Fuel Needed to Transport Plastic Recyclables Verses Aluminum Recyclables from Yellowstone National Park. DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/envstudtheses/5/.

Onstad, E. (2019, October 17). Plastic bottles vs. aluminum cans: who’ll win the global water fight? Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-plastic-aluminium-insight-idUSKBN1WW0J5.

I didn’t use any specific ideas from these ^, just good reads if anyone wants to get a gist of the topic!

angeog2260

Hi Adam,

First of all, I really like the points you brought up in your post. I believe with how crucial our waste management is for future of climate change, your study would be a huge success. One downside of research is how time consuming it often is, but it seems like you are extremely passionate in what you do so it would pay off and you would get the results you wished for. I like when you brought up how although people within the plastic industry would lose their jobs, they would be provided new opportunities with the aluminum industry. If you were to have the power to make this happen, how would you ensure the employees are placed at a job (and location as moving is a huge factor for most people) that is able to provide for both them and their families? As working with metal is a bit more complicated than plastic (hence why plastic is so heavily used) how would you ensure that the workers are safe and in a comfortable workplace where safety and health is #1? I enjoyed reading all of the aspects that you brought up in your ethics proposal and how aware you are with the situation as well as the research process. I think this is an excellent idea and it provides a potential in reducing the anthropological impacts that humans have created. I do believe that with your research process that you have created that could be the start of something new! One more question for you: Would the aluminum containers be reusable so that it was not just a one time use?

Hope the semester is going well for you so far!

Cheers,

Amy

awgeog2260

Blog 1

Hi everyone. My name is Alanna and I’m an Environmental Governance student. I am technically in my 5th year at the University of Guelph. I deferred last semester as I was working on a farm in Cawston, BC, and the semester before that I spent at the Haida Gwaii Institute (which was an incredible experience and if anyone wants to chat more about this feel free to reach out). This is my first semester doing remote learning, and I am ready for the ride.

What first drew me to Geography was my passion to learn about the natural environment. This led me to take an Environmental Geography class in highschool, where I began to dive into the relationships between society and nature. I realized that beyond my desire to learn about nature and environment, I was fascinated by how much my life revolved around the Earth’s processes, and visa versa. This led me to want to learn more about these connections between humans and the land and sea. I am excited for this class because this is the first research based course I’ve taken in undergrad. I am also looking forward to this blog format to be able to hear different perspectives from all of you.

For my information, I rely a lot on online independent news magazines such as The Narwhal and The Tyee (based out of British Columbia). I can ensure the information is reliable because on both of these websites the author, sometimes a journalist, sometimes a University Professor, lists their credentials at the top of each article. Also, these are both majorly funded by readers, and not by advertisers. In addition to these sources, I get lots of information from books. I like following independently owned book stores on instagram who post books that are often of interest to me, for example the Bookshelf in Guelph. I know these books are credible by checking out the index or the back of the book where the author’s credentials are provided.

I am definitely guilty of getting some information on social media platforms like instagram and twitter, but I am making efforts to ensure that if I go to an article that I found on socials, that I check to make sure it is from a reliable source before indulging. I do this by googling the authors’ name to see who they work for, what kind of groups they’re a part of, or what education they have.

-Alanna

angeog2260

** reposting my comments so it appears on my profile for easier access for the peer evaluations **

Hi Alanna. First of all, I want to make note about how intriguing it was to read about your brief story prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Oops, did not mean to send that quick. Still trying to figure out how to use this website haha. Anyways, back to what I was saying… I think that is extremely cool that you still had the ability to work during these unprecedented times. It caught my eye seeing that you worked on a farm. I’ve grown up on a family farm my whole life, and my parents own an agricultural research business in Southwestern Ontario. Because of this, I have been helping out on the farm ever since I can remember. I truly enjoy hearing about others and their encounters within the agricultural industry so I would love to hear more about it, if you were willing to share! Also, the way you phrased your passion for geography was quite interesting with the connections you made between society and nature. Apparently there is a word limit on comments so my apologies for the spam. Everytime I go outside I always see something new and often catch myself thinking about how and why that has occured. You made some extremely valid points stating reliable information sources. Having these sources be funded by readers gives more of a practical standpoint and allows you to compare it more easily. Finally, I enjoyed reading your post! Amy

rhgeog2260

The Taiga Frontier

invisible backpIn 1936, premonitions of war and a coming violent change were floating around in Russia. Religious Old Believers were in danger. It was during this year that Old Believer Karp Lykov moved his family into the Siberian mountains, into the treacherous biome of the taiga - a zone primarily filled with coniferous trees and lots of snow. This area became the home of the growing Lykov family, including the birth of Agafia in 1944. Her life had been gruelling - no contact with the outside world, an intense environment, and more. In fact, once during a food shortage, Agafia’s mother starved herself to death so that her 4 children could eat. When the Lykov family was contacted by geologists in 1978 after 40 years of isolation, they had not even known about World War II. With these researchers came a presumed disease which killed 3 of the 4 Lykov children, leaving only Agafia. She lived alone with her animals for another 25 years before the return of one of the geologists, Yerofei Sedov. Incidentally, their relationship does not seem to be a happy one, as Agafia has to do most things for him. Additionally, she finds some of his actions sinful.

There are several research methods that can be utilized in the field of human geography. In this case, I feel that the team that produced the documentary Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years utilized the emperical-analytical approach. In this approach, researchers were physically in the location, taking in experiences and interacting with their subject rather than “viewing from afar”. They absorb hands-on information as opposed to simply studying literature or a perceived reality. Additionally, the researchers in this case were able to actually form a relationship with their subject. They stayed with Agafia for several days and observed her daily habits. They got to take part in some of her daily activities, such as fetching firewood and cooking the (albeit little) food she had. This immersive experience is certainly beneficial in getting an “inside” perspective into the world you are trying to learn more about. Through talking directly with Agafia, the researchers have potentially learned more about life isolated in Siberia than they could should they had only read books and taken on information second-hand.

The “invisible backpack” taken on by these researchers is a way in which we can refer to their struggles in ascertaining accurate first-hand knowledge. For example, while Agafia gets around either by walking or on homemade skiis, the research team was able to fly in on a helicopter. Another factor would be the fact that Agafia wears homemade clothing, while the researchers are adequately bundled up. Agafia is 70 years old, and not only takes care of herself and her house, but takes care of her neighbour as well. I would personally say that the only point in which these researchers do not have an “invisible backpack” is that they slept in tents in the Siberian mountains, while she has her heated house (albeit probably heated only by a wood stove). Despite all this I felt the documentary team was fairly ethical in their filming. They silently observed Agafia while she practiced her faith, singing prayers and reading from centuries-old texts. They aided her with some of her daily activities that she would have otherwise had to perform herself, such as the exhaustive work of sawing down a tree. They seemed to ask as few questions as possible in order to allow her to speak freely, adding to the conversation or stopping it when needed.

Should I conduct this research on my own, I would personally immerse myself even deeper into Agafia’s life. As such, I mean that I would stay a longer time, in order to primarily make my own clothes as she has, learn and actively perform her daily chores, cook food with items readily available in the area, and perhaps even build my own temporary shelter to resemble that of Agafia’s. Overall, I would like to not just ask her about her daily life, but I would actually live her daily life. I would have some bias in that I have lived in a suburban area my whole life, so I would naturally find this experience more difficult in contrast. I would try to mitigate this bias by leaving behind things like cellphones and “first world comforts”, as well as staying there for a longer time period than three days, as mentioned before. In this case I would identify more as a “participant” than a researcher.

Agafia Lykov could be considered very inspiring in the 21st century - as we disconnect further and further from reality and nature, this woman has no other choice than to connect so incredibly deeply to the world around her. While that world may not have many people in it, one could argue Agafia is better off for it.

Many people talk about living off the grid some day. Watching this documentary may inspire either hope or fear into those with this specific desire. While a nice cottage in the woods sounds idilic to some, Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness For 70 Years really shines a light onto the potential difficulties that come with living strictly off the land in modern times.

angeog2260

Hi Robin,

I hope all is well with you! First of all, (as cliche as this sounds), your post was enjoyable to read, and I like the view you approached with this. I think Agafia and her story that she carries is truly inspiring and I think it would be a cool test to see if people like "us" (who are so fortunate to live with the resources we do and have the accessibility to basic services), could maintain and adapt to a northern life as Agafia does. Although sometimes it is nice to have someone live nearby, it is clear that she gets annoyed with Yerofei and often wishes she could have the privacy she had for the 40 years that the cabin remained undiscovered from civilization.

With the empirical-analytical approach, I believe that this allows the researchers to get to know her life and her as a person. It’s clear that she has the biggest heart and always remains optimistic (especially when faced with massive animals face to face). Personally speaking, I would learn from observing, getting to know her, and helping her with her daily tasks. I would maybe look to limit the amount of "interviews" that were conducted. The invisible backpack that you mentioned is very accurate, as they were extremely privileged, including the brand names on their clothing and bags. I think with the concept of the invisible backpack, it often happens that society forgets the weight that some people carry, and everyone’s life is truly different from the next.

Lastly, I liked the approach you took with how you would conduct the research. It stuck out to me when you said, "I would like to not just ask about her daily life, but I would actually live her daily life." Have living/growing up in a suburban area, would you prepare before conducting this study (allowing yourself to get a feel for this lifestyle), and if so, how would you do that? Would you use some of the ethical concerns in this study to enhance your research?

Overall, very well done, and I agree with the points you highlighted in this case study! Agafia is truly an inspiration.

Cheers,

Amy

What is it like living in some of Earth's harshest conditions?

Overview This case study highlights the Lykovs family history, with the most significant focus on 70-year-old Agafia Lykov. It all started when Agafia’s family was concerned with Hitler’s power, and her family fled into the Sayan Mountains of Siberia in 1936. Agafia Lykov was shortly born in harsh environmental conditions in 1944. The Lykov’s went untouched with no social contact with any outsiders for 40 years, creating a life when some of the temperatures got to minus 30, an abundance of wolves and bears, minimal food, and no civilization within 160 miles. The scarce food availability left her mother to pass away from starvation to provide for her children in 1961 and her father to die 27 years later. Agafia’s three older siblings died within a week of each other from pneumonia contracted from the geologists that discovered their hillside farm. In 1997, one of the geologists settled nearby and is currently living there. After looking into her story more to see what she is doing to date, she still survives the Siberian Wilderness. Agafia is continuing to persevere, living the same life that she was born into.

Research Techniques The research techniques displayed in this film were the use of oral techniques and qualitative analysis. The researchers asked semi-structured questions (also open-ended) to Agafia about her history and the current life she is living and briefly interviewed her neighbour. These researchers incorporated focus groups, as Agafia and her family’s lives were the film’s highlight and the critical focus.

Invisible Backpack and Ethical Considerations The invisible backpack that the researchers carried was based on their socioeconomic status. First of all, the researchers had a “relatively” easy way of accessing Agafia’s cabin (in comparison of how complicated it would be for her to get to the closest town), and had access to technology and cameras, clothes, money and education. In the helicopter ride, most of the researchers had brand-name clothing and bags (North Face, for example), while Agafia’s clothes were made by hand and clearly worn. These privileges are noticeably subtle within the film, but usually is not something that people consider when watching this film. I do believe that ethics were taken into consideration, with the exception of a few comments that appeared to be intrusive on Agafia’s personal life and with her neighbour. Throughout the film, the researchers appeared to be considerate of her own space, especially since she is used to privacy. It became visible that Agafia was enjoying their presence as the interviewers helped her with complicated and exhausting tasks.

If I were to research… If I got the opportunity to conduct the same research like this, the first thing I would do is prepare better. As I would fall under a different socioeconomic status as Agafia, there could be doubt and intimidation from her in conducting my studies. I would look to remove the privileges I have to portray myself as less intimidating and open myself up with a welcoming heart as she clearly has. Although there were times when she enjoyed the interviews, you could often see the intimidation in her eyes in those uncomfortable situations. I would stay for a longer period of time to analyze her life through her day-to-day activities. I would be sure that she was always comfortable and keep the flexibility in her hands so that it ensures the most ethical and comfortable situation for her to be in.

In conclusion, I think that this video not only shows that humans can live in harsh environments like this, but it shows how privileged we are to live with the resources and accommodations we have access to. This film shows how inspiring she is, and I believe that we can use her life story to bring more awareness to the folks living in these conditions while being completely independent. Overall, it makes me wonder how many people have similar stories that remain undiscovered.

Stay safe everyone,

Amy

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