Geography: it's lava first sight

Jena-Lee Ashley (She/Her) 4th year Environmental Governance Student

[krgeog2260-deactivated20241207]

My Dream Research Project

My Proposal and Background:

My ultimate research project would be broadly centred around walkable communities, sustainability and its connection to the improvement of individuals’ health and climate change. Throughout my time as a student and media consumer, I’ve found an interest in creating spaces that enhance a group’s ability to live a healthy lifestyle and the aspects that come into that from the development level. I know there are research and work being done or analyzed already as this is not exactly a new concept. That being said, I would hope my work is substantial enough to be proposed to higher levels of municipal government or private companies in the city development sector, to show its significance and connection to their existing projects. A summarized version of initial observational findings and oral interviews would be the start of my proposal, and I would use historical data of climate change statistics and existing walking cities to highlight my focus of connecting the two variables.

There are locations such as Boston, Massachusetts or London England that have created an environment with a higher walkability score compared to other major cities (Armitage, 2018). Research shows a correlation between a person’s residence walkability score and their individual health. I want to build off that and create research and possible expansion plans.

Acorn Street, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Who would benefit from my research?

This project would theoretically benefit a huge demographic of anyone who resides or utilizes the walkable community. The demographics are not very limited in regard to criteria, allowing as many individuals as possible to live a healthier lifestyle and participate in the popularization of more sustainable living practices. In the long run, the goal would be to be a part of a project that changes the way development comes together or to shift old priorities to something more innovative and current.

Ethics:

Due to my research involving human participants and the examination of their quality of life, my work would need to go through a REB review process (Hooykaas, 2021). With my hopes of taking the findings to the municipal government level, research ethic clearance is necessary to ensure the safety of my participants and maintain the credibility of the work. While probably minimal, I would also need to take social or economic risk into consideration. Of course, we are always aiming for minimal risk within the ethical research world!

Example of a “Walkable City”

I would be using this project as a chance to enhance my research and leadership skills while working to create a city that I and like-minded people would really enjoy inhabiting. It would also answer a lot of my personal questions about my career because it would let me figure out if a career in city planning or qualitative research is something I want for myself.

Questions for my classmates:

Have you ever found yourself in a particularly walkable city? Did anything stand out to you?

Would you be inclined to settle in a walkable and more sustainable city, even if it might cost you a bit more?

Is the visual aspect of a city important to you? Why or why not?

References: 

Armitage, H. (2018). “The 10 Most Walkable Cities in the World”. Retrieved from: https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/articles/the-10-most-walkable-cities-in-the-world/ 

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

Hooykaas, A. “Ethics” University of Guelph, 2021.

[jageog2260]

Hi Kirsten!

I really enjoyed your post and your proposed research project. It really caught my attention as I was unaware what was meant by walkable cities. After reading your post I certainly learned something new, and can support this research project. I enjoy the correlation within your proposed research project, that is, sustainability, individual health, and climate change. While you acknowledge that research has been done and that this is not a new concept, I still believe your research would be significant. With our current climate, advocating for walkable cities could reduce some of the emissions that negatively impact our environment. I really like the long run goal you’ve discussed in your post. If your research could be used in the future to change the way we develop our communities that would truly be something. 

To answer the questions you asked, I have not found myself in a walkable city. However, I think I would enjoy visiting or even living in one. I honestly do not like parking and I get very stressed out trying to park, especially in areas that are particularly busy. I certainly would be inclined to settle in a walkable community, even if it was more costly. For me, the visual aspect of a city is important. If you had to live somewhere that was not well taken care of, I would think it would be a pretty awful experience. I chose to move to Guelph because it was a city with a small town feel. Plus Guelph has an abundance of beautiful trails and parks for recreational use. 

Have you lived in our visited any walkable cities? Which ones?

[jageog2260]

Generational Trauma Experienced by Canada’s Indigenous Population

What Would I Research?

A decade seems like a far way off and selecting one topic to research has proven to be a difficult task for myself. However, as a graduated student with limitless resources, my ultimate research project would have to be something I actively enjoy the materials of. I never really pictured myself as a researcher in my future, but if I were to do research, I would choose something that impacts my peoples’ communities across Turtle Island. Canada’s history with the colonization of Indigenous peoples has certainly had an impact on the lives of the Canadian Indigenous population. That being said, I would research Generational Trauma among the Indigenous Population of Turtle Island.

Background Information

Indigenous peoples in Canada and their rights are often neglected. Within Canadian society, Indigenous peoples face disproportionate representation in health and life expectancy (Chase, 2018). According to Chase (2018), “[Indigenous] individuals are much more likely to die young from violence or trauma” and they also face higher rates of mental health disorders and addictions. Many Indigenous children were placed in residential schools and forcibly removed from their homes and culture (Chase, 2018).

The goal of these residential schools was to “get rid of the Indian problem” (McDougall, 2008).

Image retrieved from (McDougall, 2008).

Duncan Campbell Scott, the man responsible for the quote, worked for the Department of Indian Affairs – which has since been dissolved and replaced by two new departments: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Serves Canada. Duncan also expanded and enforced the residential school system (McDougall, 2008). The outcome of the residential school system resulted in the death of over 6,000 children – and this number doesn’t count for those who were sent home to die (Chase, 2018). My proposed question for this research project:

How does the treatment of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island lead to generational trauma, and what are the effects?

Methods

Interviews

Focus Groups

For this research project, I would conduct interviews with a variety of Indigenous peoples from one community. In qualitative research, individual experiences of places and events is important (Hooykaas, 2021a). While I recognize the discussions surrounding generational trauma could bring up plenty of emotions, I would also conduct open (not guided) focus groups where participants in my research could have meaningful discussions in a larger group.

Who Might Benefit from my Research?

Participant

Within this research, I would be hopeful that my participants benefit in the sense that they would have a safe space to have difficult, meaningful conversations that they might otherwise avoid. 

Society

I believe my research would provide non-Indigenous members in Canadian society with the knowledge they need to truly understand the impacts Indigenous peoples are still experiencing from events that happened in Canada’s past. 

Me as a Researcher

When conducting this research, there are many important considerations to be made. This research would involve many difficult conversations, and to ensure that my participants feel safe I would want a trained counsellor or elder (preferably from the community) to be present. I would emphasize that if at any point my participant(s) feel uncomfortable or unsafe, that they are able to withdraw from the research (Hooykaas, 2021b). Since this research would involve living human participants, my research would require a REB review (Hooykaas, 2021b).

References

Chase, J. (2018). Healing Generational Trauma in Aboriginal Canadians. Voices in Bioethics, 4. https://doi.org/10.7916/vib.v4i.6015

Hooykaas, A. (2021a). Week 1: Introductions [PowerPoint Presentation]. GEOG2260, Guelph.

Hooykaas, A. (2021b). Week 3: Ethics [PowerPoint Presentation]. GEOG2260, Guelph.

McDougall, R. L. (2008, August 11). Duncan Campbell Scott. Retrieved February 08, 2021, from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/duncan-campbell-scott

[jkgeog2260]

Living in Siberia for 70 Years – Agafia Lykova

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68&feature=emb_title

The VICE study takes place studying a 70 year old lady names Agafia Lykova, she has been living with total disconnect from the rest of the world. Agafia lives deep in the woods of Siberia and is 160 miles from the nearest town. Agafia’s family moved up into Siberia because they belong to a form of Christianity called Russia’s Old Believers and were worried about persecution from the Stalin rule. Agafia has lived in isolation for most of her life and every time she has went into the city she has fell ill. This is not the first time that Agafia’s family had researchers study her way of life in 1978.

The VICE documentary sent researchers to go live with Agafia in the Siberian Taiga to examine her way of life and try to get a greater understanding of what it is like to be completely disconnected from the industrial world. The research that was conducted consisted of the researchers participating in subsistence activities such as cutting firewood and shovelling snow off the roof. The researchers also conducted a series of structured interviews about her life, religion and what Siberian life is like

The researchers seemed to be considerate of Agafia and even brought her a goat as a thank you for the opportunity. The researchers also seemed to understand possible ethical concerns and risks. The researchers did not impose their own values on Agafia and were compassionate, this was shown in their interviews. The researchers at VICE made a conscious effort to minimize their impact of Agafia’s life and even stayed in their own tent. This helped avoid the researchers possibly giving Agafia any illness.  

The invisible backpack of the researcher include money, this gives the researchers access to a variety of services that include access to a helicopter if someone was to get injured. The researchers also have access to cell phones to contact others. However, the researchers did a very good job of minimizing the prominence of this invisible backpack. Apart from their modern clothes and tent, VICE did a good job at making the study as non-intrusive as possible.  

If I were to be conducting this research, I would be interested in participating in all her daily activities and chore that she does daily to tend to the house and survive. I believe that this would be the most engaging and would offer the most insight on what it is like to live off the land. I also believe that doing research in this way helps embrace Agafia’s culture and values and would minimize the presence of cultural differences.  

Citation

VICE (Producer). (2013). Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years (Full Length) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68&feature=emb_title

[jageog2260]

Hi Jonah,

You have a great and interesting post with a lot of valuable thoughts! I agree with you on the research techniques used, that is, participant observation and interviews. I think it is important for the researchers to immerse themselves to see how Agafia lives her day-to-day life without disrupting her regular routine, just as you similarly stated in the ethics concerns VICE may of had. While you discuss the invisible backpacks of the researchers quite well, how would your own compare to theirs? Or Agafia’s? If you were to conduct the research on Agafia, how would you approach any ethics concerns or any barriers that may be between yourself and Agafia?

Hope to have more conversation with you another time!

Jena

[ahgeog2260-deactivated20211210]

Surviving the Taiga

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

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

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

Research Techniques

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

The Invisible Backpack

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

Ethical Considerations made by VICE

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

My Research

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

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

[jageog2260]

Hi there!

I really enjoyed your post. You showed a great understanding of the documentary and shared some really great thoughts. I also stated in my post that the researchers used research techniques such as interviews and participant observation. I thought the invisible backpacks of the researchers were similar to your thoughts. While they weren’t really covered in the film, you can assume certain aspects. For example, the researchers were educated, which wasn’t really covered but it is something you can assume. How would you compare your invisible backpack with the researchers in the film? I really like your suggestion for if you were to conduct the research. That is, when you state that you would use raw footage it to ensure that you are portraying it as is. How do you think the researchers did in this film in terms of raw footage?

Hope to talk again soon!

Jena

[jageog2260]

Old Believers in the Sayan Mountains

The Film

Agafia Lykov

In an effort to gain understanding of Agafia’s living arrangements, a team of researchers created a short documentary, produced by VICE. Agafia, born in 1944, is the last surviving member of the Lykov family. In 1936 before she was brought into the world, her parents fled from Stalin’s oppressive leadership with two of her older siblings. They lived over 160 miles away from any signs of civilization in the Sayan Mountains of Siberia – they stayed there for more than 40 years without experiencing any contact from outsiders. This changed in 1978 after the family received Russian geologists as visitors – they were spotted by a helicopter. A series of unfortunate events occurred in 1981:

Agafia’s mother passed away. She starved herself to death in order to ensure her children and husband had enough food to eat.

Agafia lost three of her siblings within weeks of each other. This was likely due to pneumonia from the visiting Russian geologists.

Agafia lived with her father for six more years before he died in 1987, leaving Agafia alone in the mountains. That is, until years later when she got a new neighbour. A Russian geologist had moved into the cabin down the hill from her.

Research Techniques

While there was no explicit discussion surrounding the research techniques that were used, I would say there was a combination of qualitative method of participant observation with a bottom-up approach and interviews. The researchers partake in a plethora of observation. They assist Agafia with her daily chores, this way, they gain experience on what life is truly like for Agafia. This also helps the research build a more personal relationship and understanding. They went into filming and researching without any expectations for Agafia. They left it up to her to decide on what information to share or not share in her interviews. A lot of information was gathered simply by observation.

Invisible Backpacks

One way to ensure that we are thinking about being critically reflexive is the idea of invisible backpacks.

“Peggy McIntosh first suggested the idea that we have invisible backpacks when exploring women’s studies. She found that the experiences of women and underrepresented races were similar – experiences of oppression, denial, and disadvantage”

(Hookyaas, 2021, slide 14).

While there were no explicit conversations surrounding the privilege of the researchers, it should be noted that there is a visible difference in the social status they carry versus that of Agafia. The researchers are all white males likely coming from societies that are economically advanced in comparison to Agafia. The job titles they hold provide them with an income to support themselves and their family. Agafia does not make an income, she spends her days findings the resources she needs to survive in the wilderness. The researchers likely have access to healthcare, which benefits them and their families. Agafia did not have access to this privilege when the last of her family members were ill. The researchers have an education, otherwise they wouldn’t be researching. Agafia lived the entirety of her life only gaining knowledge from her family and a few Russian geologists.

Ethics Considerations

In the creation of this film, there were likely many ethics considerations made. It’s visible that the researchers do their best to limit their interference. By just listening and observing they are not acting in a domineering way. Consent is an important aspect in the filming of Agafia’s lifestyle. As the researchers enter her home, and ask personal questions, consent would have been given. I can only assume that there would have been terms such as maintaining her privacy. Her location secrecy seems of the utmost importance to her. I also wonder about the level of the language barrier between Agafia and the researchers. Another thought that crossed my mind while watching the film: what were the efforts to protect Agafia from any illness the researchers may have brought with them? Especially when you take into consideration the fact that several members of her family died after making contact with the Russian geologists.

W.W.J.D?

So what would Jena do? I think that if I had the opportunity to conduct the same research, I would use the methods similar to these researchers. Observations and interviews with a bottom-up approach seemed to be the most valuable without getting Agafia to remove herself from her regular daily routines. In order to effectively engage in this research, I need to recognize my own invisible backpack. I am a Canadian university student that grew up in Northern Ontario where I had access to all the resources I needed (i.e., food, shelter, water, electricity etc.). While I obtained my first job when I was 14, I did not rely on that income to survive. Another set back would largely be the language barrier between myself and Agafia. To avoid issues with this I would want a crew member to assist in the translation process. I would also want to ensure that she was comfortable with my presence. I would stress the importance of consent and that she is allowed to disagree or not answer anything she didn’t want to. After all, it is her life.

References

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 2: Philosophy, Power, Politics, and Research Design [PowerPoint Presentation]. GEOG2260, Guelph.

Vice (2013, April 9) “Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years (Full Length)” Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68

[kmgeog2260]

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

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

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

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

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

How Might I best Serve this Country?

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

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

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

[jageog2260]

Hey Kaya!

I really enjoyed reading your post on the effects of climate change on Kiribati. I loved how you discussed the importance of recognizing that you have an outside perspective on what is happening. I think we are in agreement on the role of power, that is, that direct power would be ideal but it is likely that indirect will play a significant role. When I say this I am not saying that direct power does not play a role at all, however, the research we conduct could help when/if policies are implemented to reduce carbon emissions. I completely agree with the stance you have on objectivity within this research. It is disappointing however that in this case, specifically pertaining to climate change, that numbers are often ignored. That is why I also believe that subjectivity and intersubjectivity are just as important. I also enjoyed reading about the human geographic approaches you would use, as I believed that a historical approach would be great, but after reading your post I also believe that a critical approach would crucial. 

I hope that we can have a conversation in the future as I feel like we would have a lot to discuss!

[aatgeog2260]

Humans Can’t Grow Gills

The country Kiribati is drowning. Climate change has caused almost half of the population to move to the nation’s capital and this mass migration is causing pollution, disease, and poor sanitation (AJ+). The high tides are extreme and it is no longer a matter of if people will have to abandon their country, but when. 

The Role of Power

The research involved is indirectly powerful through the participants’ stories which can change how these people are perceived (Hooykaas). It is frequently assumed that all peripheral countries have uneducated populations. However, the people of Kiribati understand that climate change is happening and are taking action to preserve the coastline.

The power dynamics of the general social situation are problematic because they are unequal. I was amazed to learn that “Kiribati has no carbon emissions to cut” (AJ+). How ironic is it that the people who are being affected by climate change the most and contributing to solutions are not even causing the problem? Core countries have more power over peripheral countries therefore have the power to prevent harm. But are they doing anything? 

The Kiribati government is involved even though it doesn’t hold enough power to permanently repair the damages. “The country’s president has lobbied for international treaties to cut carbon emissions for over a decade; he has grown impatient with the lack of urgency he has seen from industrialized nations” (AJ+). The president’s actions appear insignificant to wealthier countries.

There is also a power dynamic between myself and the informants. Thinking about my invisible backpack, I am a white, English-speaking, educated female from a wealthy country who would hypothetically be interacting with these people. This could be a potentially exploitative relationship as “the researcher may be in a position of greater power than the research participant (Hay 36). Critical reflexivity is important here so that the relationship feels trustworthy to the participants.

Overall, the research would have power if it goes to the people who want to make a difference and who have the resources to do so.

Objectivity, Subjectivity, and Intersubjectivity

Being objective in this situation would be difficult, as I would have to detach myself from the people and their stories. Strictly presenting numbers could be an option, though maybe ineffective, as climate scientists have been presenting numbers for decades and many people look away.

Subjectivity would require me to acknowledge my own experience along with the participants (Hooykaas). I am very privileged to live in Canada and have no immediate climate threats, but this situation in Kiribati is threatening now and involves families, homes, and children.

The way you perceive the informants and the way that they perceive you is intersubjectivity (Hay 39). To avoid issues such as stereotyping, critical reflexivity is crucial. As a researcher, you must truly listen to the people and understand what they are telling you, but on the other hand, it’s important to show yourself as someone who wants to listen so they are comfortable sharing their stories.

Human Geographic Approach

Critical geography would help challenge unequal power relationships and work to make political change and social justice. Ethnography would help pay attention to social structures, behaviour, and the meaning of them to the participants (Hay 443). The people of Kiribati have an important connection to their ancestors and their land, something the future generations will never experience if it is underwater.

I think it is essential to allow for Indigenous methods. The textbook states that “frequently, (research) is just a translation of knowledge already commonly held by Indigenous communities to a non-Indigenous audience” (Hay 85). They have ideas too and should not be ignored.

What Can Be Done?

Because this is global climate change, the best solution would be changing the world system - affluent countries would need to drastically change their consumerist lifestyles. Governments would need to stop using economic growth as an excuse to delay climate action. As an individual, I could potentially listen to what these people have to say, think about the power dynamics, critically reflect, share this problem as much as possible and eventually help implement their ideas. However, time is running out - this documentary was made in 2014. The year is 2021 and the depressing truth is that I wouldn’t be surprised if soon people of Kiribati were coming to Canada as refugees. Unfortunately, humans can’t grow gills.

References

AJ+. (2014). Kiribati: The Sinking Islands Being Destroyed By Climate Change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P7jXveokDY

Hay, I. (2016). QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN HUMAN GEOGRAPHY. Don Mills, Ontario: OXFORD UNIV PRESS.

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

[jageog2260]

Hi there April!

First of all I wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading your post. I also really enjoyed the title you chose, while it is an unfortunate situation, humor is always a great practice to maintain. I also agree with you on the idea that indirect power plays an important role in this research. However, I also believe that direct power plays an important role. I say this because the research I conduct could have a direct impact on the citizens of Kiribati. I completely agree with you on the fact that remaining objective in this research could prove to be extremely difficult. While the idea that you can’t argue numbers is present, numbers relating to climate change are often ignored however, I still believe it would be important to include in this research. When discussing subjectivity, I personally would insert my personal opinions on climate change but also my understanding of having a spiritual connection to the land as an Indigenous person in Canada. I was very interested when reading about the human geographic approaches you would use as I had selected a different one, that is, a historical approach. Overall I loved you post and I am looking forward to conversations with you in the future!

[jageog2260]

A Helping Hand for Kiribati

Image retrieved from (AJ+, 2014) 

“It’s no longer a question of if we will remain in the country forever, it’s a matter of when we will have to leave”

-Andrew Teem (Senior Policy Advisor on Climate Change)

          Kiribati is a South Pacific Nation that is being threatened by the impacts caused by climate change. Kiribati is experiencing their homeland disappearing under the rising ocean and is now calling on other countries to reduce their carbon emissions. While conducting research on Kiribati, it will be important for myself as a researcher to understand the roles of power, objectivity, subjectivity, and intersubjectivity. It will also be important for me to choose the best human geographic approach that fits how I want proceed with my research.

Role of Power

          Within the research to help the Kiribati government mitigate the issues they are currently facing; I believe there is a role of both direct and indirect power at play. According to Hay (2016), “Power intersects research in a number of ways.” (P. 35). This research would have a direct role of power as it could have a direct impact on the citizens on the islands. By this I mean the research I conduct could help the citizens of Kiribati lobby other governments to reduce their carbon emissions. The research conducted could also be indirectly powerful as stories about the citizens could be used to help change the ways they are perceived (Hooykaas, 2021).

Roles of Objectivity, Subjectivity, and Intersubjectivity

           Traditionally, the role objectivity plays within research has been related to quantitative methods – which is emphasized in geographic discussions (Hookyaas, 2021). Objectivity contains two components: first, personal involvement and second, my independence from the object of the research (Hookyaas, 2021). Objectivity is complicated as doing this research could require personal perspectives and stories to gain more insight when researching, that is, it is extremely difficult to remain entirely objective.

           Subjectivity, as explained in our textbook, “involves the insertion of personal opinions and characteristics into research practice” (Hay, 2016, p. 39). The role of subjectivity in this research would include my personal opinions on climate change and my personal understandings of what it means to be Indigenous and the importance of maintaining a spiritual connection to my homeland.

           Intersubjectivity can be understood as myself as the researcher, my participants, and the nature of the interactions we have will not change throughout my time researching (Hay, 2016). This means that when I am gathering and interpreting information, the personal characteristics and my social position cannot change or be fully controlled. According to Hay (2016), how I am seen by my participants, and how I see them, and the ways we interact during the research project are determined partially by societal norms.

Human Geographic Approach to my Research

           While conducting research for the Kiribati government, I would use a historical approach. This will help understand the sea-level rise taking place on the islands, and also help when understanding the culture and practices of the islanders. Many Indigenous to Kiribati have been tracking the sea-level rise and have been building and rebuilding walls to slow down the flooding. They would have a great understanding of when flooding has occurred and would be able to orally provide information related to the impacts they are facing. This historical approach would also help those who choose to read my research understand the importance of maintaining their connection to the land. This could help sway countries to implement policies to reduce their carbon emissions with the hopes of halting the rising sea-level so that the citizens of Kiribati do not have to flee their homeland.

What can I do to help Kiribati?

           The people of Kiribati clearly do not want to have to flee their land. I think the best thing for myself to do to help Kiribati is to help convince other countries that reducing their overall carbon emissions is the right thing to do. Kiribati is not an industrialized country; they cannot reduce emissions if they are not creating them. It will be up to other countries to make a switch to more environmentally friendly energy sources. International laws are not legally binding, and efforts in the past have been made to reduce carbon emissions however the goals are not often met. To make matters worse, many countries that lead in carbon emissions have dropped out of various agreements to reduce their emissions. My job as a researcher is to provide perspective on what is happening to those who do not have a great understanding.

References

AJ+ (Director). (2014, December 8). Kiribati: The Sinking Islands Being Destroyed By Climate Change[Video file]. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P7jXveokDY

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

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 2: Philosophy, Power, Politics, and Research Design [PowerPoint Presentation]. GEOG2260, Guelph.

[ekgeog2260-deactivated20231114]

How Geography Piqued My Interest and How I Consume Reliable Information

First and foremost, I would like to give a bit of background on myself so you can understand where I am coming from when you read my blog posts throughout this semester. I am a third year Arts and Sciences (ASCI) student here at the University of Guelph. ASCI is a double minor program, in which I am minoring in both Geography and Ecology. However, I started my program by minoring in Ecology and Anthropology and switched to geography at the beginning of second year. Currently I’m living in Guelph along with my brother and friend, who also study at UoG.

When I first entered university, geography was not on my radar for an area of study I would enjoy, and I didn’t take any geography courses in my first year. I came into the ASCI program thinking about minoring in History, however I quickly learned that history was a topic I was interested in as more of a hobby rather than as an official field of study in University. I quickly shifted to anthropology, as I had taken a first-year anthropology class and I enjoyed learning about different cultures and groups of people. However, anthropology didn’t fit as well as I would’ve liked with my ecology minor. This is where I discovered geography.

At the beginning of second year, when looking through the courses I would be able to take in a geography minor (during one of my anthropology classes no less), I became very excited to see courses like Environment and Resources, Food Systems, and Environmental Governance. There were many courses that I was interested in and that I am looking forward to taking in the future. Applied Human Geography is a course I originally overlooked but decided that it could be interesting to examine and learn about the human side to geography. I’m excited to see what this class will teach me about geography and our world.

Now, we are going to hit the brakes on that train of thought and abruptly change directions. I hope the ride isn’t too bumpy for everyone. Geography is an area of study that is influenced by many different aspects of the world and our global societies. We are all consumers of knowledge, whether that is about geography or not, and that makes it important that we can be safe consumers and can pick out reliable information from unreliable information. Personally, I do my best to ensure the information I consume is reliable, and to double check my information when I am unsure. For assignments in university, I make sure to use academic databases like Omni and Google Scholar to receive reliable and accurate information. During my everyday life however, I very rarely use academic databases for information. Instead, I rely on news and social media for my information. When consuming news, I make sure the information I’m consuming is from a reliable outlet like CBC, BBC, or local news sources, and that it is being reported by various outlets. On social media, I’m very skeptical and almost always make sure to double check my information using Google and news outlets when consuming important news.

Do you think I consume information appropriately? I would be interested in hearing if anyone has any tips for consuming information reliably and reasonably!

[jageog2260]

Hi Eric!

It’s nice to meet you. I am also currently living in Guelph and I love it, living at home can be stressful enough without being a full-time student, it’s nice that you have family here with you! I find it interesting that you enjoy History as a hobby, for me I have a difficult time staying interested, Although, I do enjoy Canadian history. What first year Anthropology course did you take? I remember taking Anth*1150 with Tad (which I really enjoyed!). Also I noticed you said you were interested in taking Environmental Governance in the future, I took that course last semester and have zero complaints! There was a large term paper but honestly, I had fun writing it. I’m personally taking this course concurrently with Soan*4210, but am still very excited to complete it.

When you state “I do my best to ensure the information I consume is reliable” something crossed my mind. Do you think people who consume unreliable information know the information is unreliable? I honestly think people truly believe the false information they read is true, which in itself is quite frightening. I, like most people my age, enjoy endlessly scrolling through various social media platforms. Mostly because I enjoy knowing what my friends and family are reading. I also will double check the information to see if I can find it elsewhere. I find often when news stories are large, they are spread across multiple news outlets which to me confirms the authenticity. I do believe you consume information appropriately, especially in the era of mass media we live in. 

[ekgeog2260-deactivated20231114]

Hi Jena-Lee!

Nice to meet you too! Guelph is an awesome place to live and go to school as a student! Do you live with ant friends?

I also took ANTH*1150, but I had mine with Victor Gulewitsch, who I found an excellent professor in my first semester of my first year of Uni. I’m happy to hear that Environmental Governance is a good course! I’d be interested to hear if you have any other courses that you really enjoyed and found interesting too. Which class is SOAN*4210? I tried to look it up on the course description site but couldn’t find it.

To address your question, I don’t think that people who consume unreliable information know that their information is reliable at all. If they do and are still seriously consuming it, then I’m honestly not sure what to think. Social media has been notorious for becoming an echo chamber for its users. Just look at creating a new account on Tumblr: it asks for the subjects you are interested in and then bombards you with information pertaining to those topics. I think this is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because users can find the information and content they want to consume much quicker. A curse because that information and content can end up being the only information users consume, which is dangerous and unhelpful if that content is unreliable. This echo chamber effect also perpetuates the confirmation bias for people consuming information. I think its important to double check the information you consume and I find that working towards a post-secondary degree reinforces that behaviour. However for the average person consuming information, if they are getting the information that they want to hear or that they agree with, they won’t bother double checking it.

I hope that my thoughts make sense and that I’ve answered your question! Thank you again for commenting on my post! I look forward to continuing this conversation and/or talking with you again in the future!

[jageog2260]

Hi Eric,

I do not live with any friends. I actually got an apartment with my partner in July in Guelph, I guess I could still consider him my best friend though! I really enjoyed EDRD*2650 from second year, it helped me really consider applying for environmental law after I graduate. It’s called Introduction to Planning and Environmental Law. Also, SOAN*4210 is Indigenous-Settler Relations in Canadian Society and it’s a seminar-based course that explores Indigenous knowledge systems. It has a lot of readings assigned weekly, but I honestly read article like that in my free time anyways so I’ve enjoyed it so far!

Thank you for your answer to my question! I love how you described the targeted marketing as both a blessing and a curse! I actually had a live lecture last week where we were talking a lot about Almond Butter and how the price has gone up, and a student said “I hope everyone is wearing headphones otherwise you’re going to see a whole lot of advertisements for Almond Butter.” It’s definitely a lot funnier when you’re being targeted by product advertisements over fake news though. 

[kgeog2260]

Geography!

           Hi everybody! I just wanted to introduce myself, my name is Karina Martins and I am a fourth year Environmental Governance major, also minoring in geography here at the University of Guelph.

Geography was never important to me when I was growing up and only became a topic of interest during my first year in Guelph, when geography courses started becoming extremely engaging and interesting. I originally started off in first year majoring in Sociology whilst taking multiple geography electives due to the fact that my friends said they were easy. However, I found myself becoming more interested in the material I was learning in my geography courses which ultimately lead me to switch my program to Environmental Governance and pick up my Geography minor.

           This is what started my interest in geography and learning about environmental processes, which has escalated to where I am today! I became much more engaged in my classes and came to the realization that I wanted to pursue a career within this field. Switching to a full course load of environmental and geography courses allowed me to develop a more in depth understanding of how our world is structured and the way in which the environment works.

           After taking multiple geography courses, I find that majority of my information I rely on comes from a variety of online journals that I used almost every day during the school year, which I find through omni search. I find these journals are the most reliable in terms of finding creditable sources, especially articles that have been peer reviewed. This method for finding information is my favourite when I am doing schoolwork, but the internet is a source where I also find a lot of my information. This can be considered a less credible source, but I find when I properly fact check through multiple sources, this is one of the best and most reliable sources of information! Lastly, the main method of information is my courses here at the university, as well as my professors. I have learned so much in the last four years and find that majority of information I learn in each course overlaps with information I learn in my other classes, so I know its reliable.

           I am super excited to be taking this course and really looking forward to this semester. I can’t wait to read everyone’s posts!

[jageog2260]

Hi Karina!

It’s so nice to meet another Environmental Governance student! I definitely feel like there are very few of us! It’s really nice to hear that you discovered a program that interests you so much. I was never totally interested in studying geography until university. Before that I had only taken the required grade 10 geography at my high school. 

I often get nervous when I am looking for reliable sources that are not from Omni. I tend to stick with Omni as I know I can trust it. However, when I am just catching up on the news stories of the day I find myself searching through multiple media outlets just to ensure that I can trust it. I also find that there is so much overlap in our courses, and I have used articles assigned as readings from one class in an essay for another class. I love this because it also helps me apply knowledge from one course to another, which I believe is important in our program. 

Can I ask what your favourite and least favourite EGOV courses have been? I think one of my favourites was EDRD*2650 Introduction to Planning and Environmental Law. My least favourite would probably be FARE*2700 Survey of Natural Resource Economics, to be honest, I have no idea what I learned in that course.  

[ekgeog2260-deactivated20231114]

How Geography Piqued My Interest and How I Consume Reliable Information

First and foremost, I would like to give a bit of background on myself so you can understand where I am coming from when you read my blog posts throughout this semester. I am a third year Arts and Sciences (ASCI) student here at the University of Guelph. ASCI is a double minor program, in which I am minoring in both Geography and Ecology. However, I started my program by minoring in Ecology and Anthropology and switched to geography at the beginning of second year. Currently I’m living in Guelph along with my brother and friend, who also study at UoG.

When I first entered university, geography was not on my radar for an area of study I would enjoy, and I didn’t take any geography courses in my first year. I came into the ASCI program thinking about minoring in History, however I quickly learned that history was a topic I was interested in as more of a hobby rather than as an official field of study in University. I quickly shifted to anthropology, as I had taken a first-year anthropology class and I enjoyed learning about different cultures and groups of people. However, anthropology didn’t fit as well as I would’ve liked with my ecology minor. This is where I discovered geography.

At the beginning of second year, when looking through the courses I would be able to take in a geography minor (during one of my anthropology classes no less), I became very excited to see courses like Environment and Resources, Food Systems, and Environmental Governance. There were many courses that I was interested in and that I am looking forward to taking in the future. Applied Human Geography is a course I originally overlooked but decided that it could be interesting to examine and learn about the human side to geography. I’m excited to see what this class will teach me about geography and our world.

Now, we are going to hit the brakes on that train of thought and abruptly change directions. I hope the ride isn’t too bumpy for everyone. Geography is an area of study that is influenced by many different aspects of the world and our global societies. We are all consumers of knowledge, whether that is about geography or not, and that makes it important that we can be safe consumers and can pick out reliable information from unreliable information. Personally, I do my best to ensure the information I consume is reliable, and to double check my information when I am unsure. For assignments in university, I make sure to use academic databases like Omni and Google Scholar to receive reliable and accurate information. During my everyday life however, I very rarely use academic databases for information. Instead, I rely on news and social media for my information. When consuming news, I make sure the information I’m consuming is from a reliable outlet like CBC, BBC, or local news sources, and that it is being reported by various outlets. On social media, I’m very skeptical and almost always make sure to double check my information using Google and news outlets when consuming important news.

Do you think I consume information appropriately? I would be interested in hearing if anyone has any tips for consuming information reliably and reasonably!

[jageog2260]

Hi Eric!

It’s nice to meet you. I am also currently living in Guelph and I love it, living at home can be stressful enough without being a full-time student, it’s nice that you have family here with you! I find it interesting that you enjoy History as a hobby, for me I have a difficult time staying interested, Although, I do enjoy Canadian history. What first year Anthropology course did you take? I remember taking Anth*1150 with Tad (which I really enjoyed!). Also I noticed you said you were interested in taking Environmental Governance in the future, I took that course last semester and have zero complaints! There was a large term paper but honestly, I had fun writing it. I’m personally taking this course concurrently with Soan*4210, but am still very excited to complete it.

When you state “I do my best to ensure the information I consume is reliable” something crossed my mind. Do you think people who consume unreliable information know the information is unreliable? I honestly think people truly believe the false information they read is true, which in itself is quite frightening. I, like most people my age, enjoy endlessly scrolling through various social media platforms. Mostly because I enjoy knowing what my friends and family are reading. I also will double check the information to see if I can find it elsewhere. I find often when news stories are large, they are spread across multiple news outlets which to me confirms the authenticity. I do believe you consume information appropriately, especially in the era of mass media we live in. 

[jageog2260]

Geography & Me

Considering this will be the first contribution to my blog for the Applied Human Geography course at the University of Guelph, I will start by introducing myself a bit. My name is Jena-Lee Ashley but most people call me Jena, I don’t have a preference. A huge part of who I am relates to my identity, which is something I love talking to people about. I am an Indigenous Woman with ties to Kashchewan First Nation which is located on the western side of James Bay. I was born in Moose Factory and only lived there for a little while; however, I was raised in New Liskeard, Ontario, which is a small town about an hour and a half north of North Bay. I am currently in my fourth (and not final) year here at the University of Guelph majoring in Environmental Governance.

Thinking all the way back to grade 12, I knew I wanted to attend the University of Guelph. My older sister had attended, and I remember going on her tour when I was in grade 10 thinking this is exactly where I want to be. I instantly fell in love with Guelph, it reminded me of New Liskeard in the sense that it had a small-town vibe – everyone was so kind. When I was looking at programs to major in, my first choice was Chemical Physics, my second choice was Environmental Governance – so I applied to both. I was not accepted into the Chemical Physics program but was offered acceptance into Chemistry. At this point I had begun thinking is this really what I want to do with my life? I was always interested in science, but I could see myself continuing down that path. I remember looking into Environmental Governance more and seeing that it was largely a combination of Geography and Politics courses. I was extremely unsure about this because my high school did not offer politics, and only offered the required grade 10 geography. Looking back on this now, accepting my offer into Environmental Governance was the best decision I have ever made. I have learned how much I actually love geography. In the last three and a half years, I have to say with total honesty, geography has been one of my favourite course subjects. I was raised by my amazing grandparents (who had retired by the time I came into their lives) so they had nothing but free time to hangout with my sister and I. Every weekend we would go out on adventures hiking the beautiful trails in north eastern Ontario. My grandpa signed us up for Cross-Country skiing which I believe started my love of the outdoors.

As of right now we live in a time where information can be accessed easily. This leads to a lot of problems for others who lack the education to determine the reliable sources from the unreliable. When I hear the words disinformation and unreliable, I swear I can hear my grandmother singing a tune with the words don’t believe everything you hear. I had never truly thought about this until my first year in university where we were taught how to fact-check and ensure the information you’re consuming is reliable. Personally, I rely on scholarly articles (especially when I am researching sources for essays and assignments). For more current sources I rely on the news and various media outlets. In this case I will read several articles about the same topic to ensure there is no change and to potentially allow for biases to be limited. Other times I find articles online that are not through the University of Guelph’s portal. In cases such as these I will check to see who wrote it, also I believe it’s important to see if the topic in the article is discussed throughout because often when they go off on tangents that are unrelated you can assume it will not be the greatest source to use.

[jageog2260]

Disclaimer

This blog was created for GEOG2260, University of Guelph.

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the University of Guelph.

The University of Guelph is not responsible for the accurarcy of any of the information supplied by this blog.