Human Geography with Syd @skgeog2260 - Tumblr Blog

Saying Goodbye to GEOG*2260

My Final Blog Post

For some of us, we’re reaching the end of our University experience, for most of us, we’re entering into our third or fourth years. What we all share is the knowledge gained from Applied Human Geography. While I did not believe this course would be mentally stimulating, in the end it truly was thought-provoking. In my final blog post for GEOG*2260, I will review the many concepts we are all familiar with in a reflection-style assessment.

What do I know for certain about Human Geography research?

[https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/ba-human-geography-environment-industry/]

Critical reflexivity, one of the first concepts taught in this course, is a ‘constant, self-conscious scrutiny of the self as a researcher & of the research process,’ (Hooykaas, 2021). After learning this concept, I was increasingly able to apply it to the assignments in this course and in others as well. Dowling highlights how critical reflexivity is important, explaining that ‘being reflexive means analyzing your own situation as if it were something you were studying,’ (Rowling, 2016). I decided to become very acquainted with critical reflexivity, and so I can declare I know this for certain about Human Geography research.

The second thing I know for certain about Human Geography research is ethics. Per my own philosophy, ethics is imperative to treating others as you would want to be treated! Although ethics is somewhat of a broad term, it is easily understood. The core principles surrounding ethics are: concern for welfare, respect for persons, and justice (Hooykaas, 2021). I also know for certain that the discussion between Stan and Richie in Chapter 3 highlights the difficulties in always being ethical. For example, ‘exploitative research denies respect for alternative ways of knowing,’ (Howitt & Stevens, 2016).

The last thing I know for certain is the difference between qualitative and quantitative data, that is, qualitative methods attempt to understand general principles of a human experience, environment, or process by gathering, verifying, and interpreting data, whilst quantitative methods measure and record data (Winchester & Rofe, 2016). Understanding the difference is crucial to the course because it is one of the learning outcomes we are expected to have upon completing the course.

Three Confusing Concepts

[https://www.rd.com/list/confusing-road-signs/]

When I saw the title of our Week 8 lecture slides, I was not only curious but confused. As I took notes on the slides however, the coding I know is nothing like the one we learned in this course. Coding has many different subcategories, including descriptive coding, deductive coding, and inductive coding (Hooykaas, 2021). As defined by the course textbook, coding ‘is a process by which researchers structure and interpret qualitative data,’ (Waitt, 2016). This concept is confusing because it does not seem entirely time-efficient to use a method that tasks so long.

The next challenging concept is found in Week 5, surveys. This particular concept is confusing to say the least as there are so many subcategories within itself to consider. Categorical, ordinal, interval, and ratio data are some of the categories we were taught, each having their own specific instructions (Hooykaas, 2021). The designated chapter for Week 5 does not shed very much light on this topic, unfortunately, and thus adds to my confusion.

Last but not least, triangulation was another challenging and confusing concept I learned this semester. Triangulation seems to be an important part of ensuring rigour when it comes to providing trustworthiness of research (Stratford & Bradshaw, 2016). Triangulation is essentially the implementation of multiple methods, researchers, theories, and datasets to ensure rigour (Hooykaas, 2021). While this concept is confusing to me, I can understand why it is a useful tool in Human Geography research.

What do I know about myself as a Human Geographic Researcher?

[https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/researcher-center-epic-fraud-remains-enigma-those-who-exposed-him]

The number one thing I know about myself as a Human Geographic Researcher is that I will always approach my work in an organized, structured fashion. This is essential to my learning process and my ability to keep track of what has been completed and what still needs to be done.

The second thing I know about myself as a Human Geographic Researcher is that everything I have learned up until this point in Applied Human Geography will remain with me for the duration of my academic experience. This course has afforded me the opportunity to enhance my ability to integrate course material into daily activities in my life, including the enhanced confidence in my research abilities.

The third thing I know about myself as a Human Geographic Researcher is that there is still more to know! My quest for knowledge will never subside, and it is with great optimism that experiences after University will continue to educate me in ways I cannot imagine.

Areas of Improvement

[https://www.tlnt.com/5-steps-to-keep-your-team-heading-toward-continuous-improvement/]

The first area of improvement is my initiative outside the course. While I find myself captivated by material during required hours, I am often lost in many other tasks that take up several hours of my day. This means that I lack the initiative to do outside research in my free time since my free time is mostly made up of doing something that truly gives my brain a rest.

Another area of improvement is my weakness is creating complex connections. I often find it difficult to make interrelated connections as it becomes confusing and tangled to a point where I want to avoid such a thing. I want to learn to accept challenges like this as that is what University is all about! Trial and error is important and so is perseverance in attempting to make these complex connections I struggle with.

My final area of improvement is marketing my skills, a concept we had the privilege to learn in Week 10. I often find myself denying my full potential, or underestimating myself, especially after reading the content in Week 10 since the labour market in Canada is competitive for our generation (Hooykaas, 2021). I also would really like to focus on improving this area because my field of work will be towards being a Junior/Intermediate teacher. When discussing the presentation of results, Kindon believes ‘the results of your work also need to meet the requirements of the academy,’ (Kindon, 2016). I believe this is true for the career I want to head into as well since I will also have requirements when presenting results to a class full of kids that rely on me to present academically correct information.

Thank you, Dr. Hooykaas, for consistently encouraging students to engage with the material, and using Tumblr as a unique platform for students to showcase their knowledge. A special thank you goes out to my fellow classmates as well, best wishes on your future endeavours!

- karina italiano

References

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

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

skgeog2260

Hello Hello!

First of all, congratulations on completing your final blog post! This semester really flew right by.

I was so happy to read that you were able to apply critical reflexivity to your work for the remainder of the semester, it shows that you truly understand the concept, which is exactly what professor Hooykaas wanted.

Coding was also a topic that I was really unsure about, and I was not expecting to be doing something like ‘coding’ in this course. However, from what I did understand of it, it was helpful for finding resourceful data!

Approaching your work in an organized manor will be beneficial in every aspect of your life, along with being a human geographic researcher. It is a really great characteristic/quality to have! I hope that this quality enhances your desire to learn more and allows you to quench your thirst for knowledge.

Finding motivation to take initiative of your work is something that I deeply struggled with this semester as well. It is so important (and sometimes difficult) to find a balance in life. But no matter how much is on your plate, remember to make time for yourself and your mental health! Nothing can be done well if you are not in the right headspace.

Thanks so much for sharing! I am wishing you the best of luck as you wrap up your semester. Have a safe and happy summer,

Syd

amfgeog2260

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

skgeog2260

Hello!

Congratulations on your final blog post of the semester! It must feel so good to have it done! It is absolutely crazy how fast this semester flew by, but I am so excited for a break from school and some better weather!

From the looks of your post, it looks like this course did a lot for you - expanding your knowledge and opening new doors. Similarly to me, I was able to further understand what Human Geography is. Over the course of my 3 year at UoG, and the many human geography courses I have taken, I always struggled to grasp what it really was (since this is such a broad area of study).

We also share a variety of unclarity within the field the human geography. I think that our knowledge within this field will be never ending - because it is such a large area of study. Do you have any recommendations for assistance in any of these topics? Or where to find support/help?

Those are really good things to spend more time on! By expressing your interest in qualitative research, understanding the importance of historical perspectives and being more patient as a researcher, you will be a great human geographer! May I ask how you plan to spend more time on these three particular things? If you do not have a specific plan, I am sure you can apply all of this to future courses and careers!

Wishing you the best of luck as you wrap up your semester!

Have a safe & enjoyable summer,

Syd

For the first time, a major conservation body has recognized the savanna elephant and forest elephant as two separate species—and they’re in dire straits.

For this week's post, I will be critically evaluating an article that I found on National Geographic. I chose the articles Both African Elephant Species are now endangered, one critically by Rachel Nuwer because I have a huge interest in wildlife and a passion for animals. In this article, Nuwer dives into the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.

(side note - How are baby elephants allowed to be THIS CUTE?)

IUCN was a significant source for this article. Kathleen Gobus, leader of the new assessments and a member of the IUCN’s elephant specialist group stated that “Poaching is still the biggest driver of decline” (Nuwer, 2021). IUCN is a very reputable and reliable source that provides viewers with trustworthy, critical information. Below is the link to their official page;

https://www.iucn.org/

Additional sources include Scott Schlossberg, a data analyst at Elephants Without Borders, Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants and Sue Lieberman, vice president of international policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Each of these individuals prove to be well educated on this specific topic, and their work overlaps (proving it to be true). By checking the author’s many sources, I can verify that this article is valid.

I would love to know what my viewers think of my evaluation... do you agree? can you point out any further sources?

Nuwer, Rachel. (2021). Both African Elephant Species are now endangered, one critically. National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/both-african-elephant-species-are-now-endangered-one-critically

How to Code Multiple Sources!

For this week’s post, I will be independently coding two different sources of data. I have chosen to code two sources that coincide with my digital storytelling group project. These sources include Cultural Geography Going Viral by Gillian Rose, and The Importance of Cultural Geography; a Q&A with Zegrahm expert Ron Wixham. In the first source (a peer-reviewed article), Gillian Rose suggests that cultural geography can contribute to the understanding of the effects of social media in relation to place. The second source is in the shape of a transcript of an interview with Ron Wixham, a cultural geography expert. This interview gives its audience some insight on the important aspects of cultural geography and what exactly a cultural geographer does.

For this specific coding of the two sources, I will be using deductive coding, meaning I will create a defined set of codes and assign these codes to the qualitative data within the sources. Additionally, I will be using the hierarchical coding scheme (highest layer has the most information)

Coding Legend:

Geographical (red)

Historical (green)

The Importance of Cultural Geography: A Q&A with Zegrahm Expert Ron Wixman. Zegrahm.com. (2017). Retrieved 10 February 2021, from https://www.zegrahm.com/blog/importance-cultural-geography-qa-with-zegrahm-expert-ron-wixman.

Rose, G. (2015). Cultural geography going viral. Social & Cultural Geography, 17(6), 763-767. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2015.1124913

lcgeog2260

Basics for qualitative coding

This week’s lecture focuses on organizing qualitative data through coding. This entails going through your sources and highlighting the key information to make it easier to interpret feedback (Hooykaa, 2021). Three major decision must be made before actually coding your articles. The first is deciding between an inductive or deductive approach. An inductive approach requires you to read through the sources and essentially code as you go (Hookyaa, 2021). Whereas a deductive approach is starting your coding with a predefined set of codes (Hookyaa, 2021). Next, you decide whether you will arrange your information using a flat or hierarchical frame. The difference between the two is that in a flat frame each code is given the same level of importance whereas in a hierarchical frame the codes are organized by level of importance. Following that you assign colors to different codes, and begin!

Coding Economic Geography

First, what we have learned in this weeks lecture is an incredibly useful tool to use for organizing our digital storytelling assignments. To integrate this blog post into our group project, my group members and I decided to individually use the sources we have chosen for our project. This allows us to create a uniform decision on coding and prevent conflicting opinions on what information we should include into our project.

For my sources I have decided to use deductive and hierarchical coding. Deductive coding makes the most sense for these sources as my group has already outlined some common themes that we feel is the most useful for our project. I chose a hierarchical coding scheme because economic geography is an integrated discipline, meaning it covers topics from a variety of other disciplines and discusses their relationships to each other.

Coding Scheme

The central ideas we chose are, political, historical, and environmental geography. We chose these because those are the three broad categories that effectively describe the way in which economic geography is formed. Using these central themes, we breakdown the information depending on what category it falls into, and then use our predetermined phrases for each. This allows us to be able to quickly pick out which information is under what category and where the articles discuss our predefined key ideas. Our color coding system is demonstrated in the image below.

To illustrate how I did this I have attached screenshots from two sources that I have used this coding method on.

Source 1

Source 2

Works Cited

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 8. Lecture presented in the University of Guelph

Schoenberger, E. (2019). Roepke Lecture in Economic Geography—War, Capitalism, and the Making and Unmaking of Economic Geographies. Economic Geography, 96(1), 1-22. https://doi-org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/10.1080/00130095.2019.1686973

Commodity Chains. Geography, retrieved from https://geography.name/commodity-chains/

skgeog2260

Hello!

I like that you included how to set yourself up before diving into coding. You perfectly described what you will be doing and how to do it correctly. This will be really helpful for your readers!

That is really smart for your digital storytelling group to make this decision - the uniformity will be beneficial down the line for this project. Based on your overall coding of these two articles - you chose the right type of coding (deductive, hierarchical) and your coding scheme was perfect for enhancing your digital storytelling project.

Your coding was easy to follow and well done! Thank you for sharing!

Syd

ahgeog2260-deactivated20211210

A Critical Evaluation of National Geographic

Introduction

The article I chose to critically evaluate comes from National Geographic. I consciously chose this publisher because I enjoy reading their postings and they have a wide range of topics to choose from. The specific article I chose is Where can you travel safely once you’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine? By Johanna Read. I know that I’ve chosen COVID as my topic for past blog posts but it is so clearly relevant in today’s world and there are new information and articles daily. The key message of this article is clear, the present is that you need a negative COVID-19 test hours-days before arriving at your destination, and in some areas, a mandatory quarantine is also in effect (Read, 2021). The future, and the present for areas such as Seychelles, is that you must be fully inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine and able to show proof before arriving at your destination (Read, 2021).

Wanderlust is going to kick in after your jab. Here’s what to know before you book a trip.

Sources

Various sources were used in the research conducted to write this article, many of which are very reputable. The author, Johanna Read, provides readers with references to all keywords and sentences used throughout the article. For example, many of the points she makes come from various articles found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website, a very reputable source as it is a government website and referenced widely across the web. A few other sources are news websites such as NBC News, The New York Times, and Reuters News.

The Evaluation of Sources

The sources used throughout this article were evaluated by a few different methods. Upon reading through the article for the first time, I was able to identify two types of data collection I believe to have been used. The first is contextual information which is data that creates a context for an event (Hooykaas, Week 9, 2021). This event would be the current pandemic we are facing, COVID-19. The second was determined through the reported key findings that support the main topic of the article (COVID-19 and Tourism) through the verbatim of speeches, such as the quotes provided from expert consultants (Hooykaas, Week 9, 2021). By use of this data type, the author linked various findings from different sources to create another credible source, this article (Hooykaas, Week 9, 2021).

Validation and Verification

From a quick read-through, I was able to determine that validation techniques were used throughout this article to ensure the information being repeated was credible. For example, the author showed that they continuously checked for representativeness of data (Hooykaas, Week 9, 2021) as they said things like “the CDC released…” and “according to the Transportation Security Administration.” The author has used large, credible associations to validate their data. Additionally, the author used direct quotes from expert consultants in the field of study to validate their data (Hooykaas, Week 9, 2021). For example, Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor, and professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, to validate data based on COVID-19 tests and vaccines itself (the science), and Judy Kepher Gonna, the founder of Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda, to validate data based on traveling and restrictions (the tourism) (Read, 2021).

I can not confirm or deny if any verification techniques were used to credit the data throughout this article. I am unaware if the exert consultants were personally interviewed by National Geographic, or if their quotes come from other sources and are being used by National Geographic in this article. However, on the basis that this data was not verified then I would suggest that the author, Johanna Read, have the possible interviewees/experts react to the article and ask them questions surrounding if the information makes sense or if certain pieces of data appear to be misinterpreted (Hooykaas, Week 9, 2021). This would allow for reflection to obtain validation and verification.

Expectations and Responsibilities of the Consumer

The expectations of a consumer when reviewing this article could be for the information presented to be of reference from credible sources, as well as for this information to not be skewed or rephrased in a way that misinterprets it. The responsibility that a consumer may have when reviewing this article is to further their research by reviewing the references as well to ensure that the information being provided is credible and correct. Furthermore, the consumer could cross-check the facts from the article under review with other credible sources of the same topic.

References

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

Read, J. (2021, March 17). Where can you travel safely once you've had the COVID-19 vaccine? Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/what-will-international-travel-look-like-once-you-are-vaccinated

skgeog2260

Hello and happy Saturday!

First off, I like your article of choice! I also looked at National Geographic to find my article to critically evaluate. I too like this publisher -their posts are informative and interesting, and I take interest in many of the article genres that they publish. You did a good job highlighting the articles key message - and your choice of article was well done. COVID-19 is such a hot topic right now, and it has been for the past year.

Your evaluation of sources was really great as well. You were able to pick out the types of data collection from key works within the article - and explain how each of them work. Additionally, from the sounds of your validation and verification paragraph, the author used valid techniques to ensure the ensure article was valid and credible.

You did a nice job highlighting the responsibilities of a consumer; it is important that this type of information is not skewed or misinterpreted. Cross-checking the information and conducting further research is a great thing to do to ensure you have the correct information.

Thank you so much for sharing! You did a really great job critically evaluating this article!

Syd

algeog2260

My Experience With GEOG 2260

Since I am a geography major, this course is required for me to graduate. Although in the beginning I was not excited to take this, throughout the semester, I have really enjoyed this course. To be honest, it is now one of my favourite courses I have taken in university so far! I feel like in most of my other classes, we have mostly just been learning facts in order to be tested on and eventually forgetting it because we would never use that knowledge again, but in this course, I am learning things That I can apply into the real world of research. I can see myself using these research techniques in any future course or career which helps me connect with the content being learned much more effectively.

For example, the one blog post we did about organizing our own research project a couple of weeks ago really helped me dig deep to find a real potential future career. Since I have started my major study in geography, I have always known I wanted to work outdoors and in nature but I did not know what specific area I wanted to pursue. After that blog post and deciding to do research on landslides, I have started to look at potential companies/ employers through job postings for after graduation. I even found something interesting in the conservation sector just yesterday for a summer job that might be interesting to get into. Since I am in the midst of second year right now, I keep thinking I have tons of time to plan for my future, although a lot of us now know because of COVID that life goes by fast.

Another thing I have been really enjoying in this class is the digital storytelling project! I do not think I have ever done such an in-depth project with so much freedom and enjoyment in both of our group’s topic and presentation. Our group’s topic is environmental geography focusing more on sustainability. I have researched deep into some sites and have found it very interesting to me. Sometimes I post infographics or just typed some of my ideas out onto my social media accounts to educate my friends, family, and acquaintances as I think everyone should know about climate change and their human impacts on the environment. Even if they are not studying some sort of environmental degree program, they should still know.

I also enjoyed including my followers in some of our research for this project by doing a survey. This survey is about how they view themselves as an environmental citizen and their daily actions. I will post the link for all of you to take part in the survey as well in another post 😊.

Overall, I truly think this is an amazing course. I am learning so many valuable skills and developing new interests. If anyone from different majors had the chance to take this course, or something similar to this one, I would definitely recommend it!!

skgeog2260

Hi!

I could not agree with your first statement more. I am also majoring in Geography, so this course was also a requirement for me. Throughout my time here at UoG, I have not been the greatest fan of the Human Geography courses (at least compared to the physical geography courses). I find the content repetitive and dry. However, I have really enjoyed the entirety of this course so far - and I thank our wonderful professor for doing that. I truly think that her teaching style has been what has made this course so enjoyable.

Initially, I was not excited to complete blog posts throughout the semester. However, I definitely agree that the blog posts have enhanced my understanding with course content and kept me engaged with my classmates.

I love that you made a survey! I will complete it right away! What a smart idea to include your followers in your own research!

Thank you so much for sharing, I am glad you have been enjoying the course as much as I have!

Syd

Ethics in the Workspace

This week I have the opportunity to free-write about any content related to the GEOG*2260 course. To take full advantage of this opportunity, I want to touch on a topic that was brought up a few weeks ago (this would have been week 3 content). During this week, we looked at ethics, respect and justice. This content really resonated with me because I think it is so important to remain respectful and ethical, in every aspect of your life.

“Ethics in the workplace is defined as the moral code that guides the behaviour of employees with respect to what is right and wrong in regard to conduct and decision making” (Mahan, 2019).

Every summer I work at my town’s nursing home as a housekeeper. This job requires me to clean each resident’s space. Additionally, I help transport residents, serve them breakfast, dinner and lunch, and I keep common areas clean. I play a large role in the lives of these residents because of my job, and therefore, I have a set of rules and regulations that I must follow.

This includes confidentiality, respect towards the residents, and a list of other qualities that we learn during our training seminars. Not only do I remain ethical throughout my job, but I try my best to remain respectful in every aspect of my life; whether it be with friends and family, within my schooling or with strangers.

In week 3, we focused on ethics in research, to protect the human participants. Just like my workplace, it is important to use ethics in research. Respecting these human participants includes respecting their privacy and confidentiality. PIPEDA, PHIPA, FIPPA, and MFIPPA are different acts that govern how we collect and store personal information. These acts ensure that research involving a person’s privacy is ethical. Have any of you heard of these acts before?

If you do some more research on these acts - do you think they are effective in regards to a person’s privacy and confidentiality?

Mahan, William. (2019). How to Define Ethical Behaviour & Why it’s important in the Workspace. Work Institute. Retrieved from https://workinstitute.com/how-to-define-ethical-behavior-why-its-important-in-the-workplace-2/

Hooykaas, Amanda. (2020). Week 3 content: Ethics. University of Guelph. Retrieved from Courselink.

tngeog2260

My 5 Minute Interview With Michael Woods.

Rural geography is the centre focus of the digital storytelling project my fellow classmates and I are working on. Rural geography can be a very broad topic with many avenues to consider. Michael Woods, a British Professor of Human Geography and Director of the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, has many journals and books on rural geography and political geography. One paper of Woods stands out to me in particular and that is his work on spatial and social issues from developing alternative food networks and the challenges of government run solutions to climate change and food security problems (Woods, 2012). As a geographer from a small town, I am interested in learning and expanding my knowledge of alternate ways of food networks because over the years I have seen small towns turn into small cities, therefore limiting agricultural land in rural Midwestern Ontario. This concerns me, as Woods points out, rural geographers have rarely engaged in modelling and projecting the future of rural landscapes. I would be very interested in interviewing a well educated mind on such a field.

Questions I have for Michael Woods:

What first sparked your interest in rural geography and why?

I would gain further background knowledge of Woods and what life events or interest led him to the discipline of rural geography. By doing so it will give myself as a researcher a better understanding of issues and concerns he will bring forth throughout our interview.

What alternative food networks have governments explored and what are any potential risks and benefits to the climate and rural areas that are involved?

This question would form a base for a research standpoint. By asking Woods for his opinion on such an important matter it will begin to form an idea as to where rural geographers stand with the government issued solutions. Keeping in mind an unbiased mindset when conducting such research.

If planning for the future of rural geography is not prioritized, what will the landscapes of; for example, Midwestern Ontario look like?, where there is lots of agricultural land at risk.

By looking into the future and predicting what land may look like, my hope is that government and land officials will see the decline in rich and benefited land that is being exploited for residential and commercial institutions.

Will communities be forced into subsistence farming for themselves and nearby communities?

With the government controlling farming and exploring new food networks, will farmers be able to sell products to larger areas? Or are the government regulations going to cripple local farmers from selling to big cities.

What actions are needed to sustain our rural areas? Do communities have to band together and stand up for their rural landscapes? Do you think this is achievable?

People who do not live in rural areas are often the ones making the rules and regulations. So my question to Michael Woods is what can locals do to maintain their power for the land?

I decided on the questions above to gain a full understanding of where Woods comes from and more about his background, which then led me to explore his beliefs and opinions on rural geography and the implications on spatial and social differences that come with government run programs for food networks and its impacts on food security and climate change (Woods, 2012). Lastly any potential ways in which locals can regain and maintain power in decision making for the land they live upon. I found that these questions would be beneficial in starting a research project which can lead to many other solutions that come forward in the future.

Woods, M. (2012). Rural geography III: Rural futures and the future of rural geography. Progress in Human Geography, 36(1), 125-134.

skgeog2260

Hello!

For the digital storytelling project, my group is focusing on Cultural Geography, another field within human geography of course. I was really excited to read your post and learn some more about Rural Geography (which I am not very familiar with)!

Michael woods seems like a great choice of person to interview - he sounds well educated and should know his stuff! Your first interview questions was very similar to mine in regards to why they went into this field and how they got where they are today. I believe that this information would be really useful, and help accelerate out interests as well. The following four questions is where I can tell it is directed at this specific field of geography as they are not applicable to the interviewee of my choice.

I think that the questions you chose will indeed help you gain a better understanding of not only Woods himself, but Rural Geography as a whole. Even in such a short interview, a lot can be learned, especially from someone who knows what they are talking about! If the interview was able to be longer, were there any more questions that you would consider asking? If the interview was at a later time, do you think your proposed questions would be different (later as in when you complete this course and are more educated on the topic)?

Thanks for sharing!

Syd

Cultural Geography and Carl O. Sauer

If I were to conduct a brief interview with a key thinker who represents cultural geography, I would choose to interview Carl O. Sauer, who is also known as the “father of cultural geography: (Wikipedia, 2021). I would choose to interview Sauer because of his massive contributions to the field of cultural geography.

I believe that Sauer would be able to offer an immense amount of key information in regards to this study of cultural geography, allowing myself and other to enhance their ideas of this field of geography. For the purpose of this interview, I have prepared a series of five questions that I would ask Sauer. Additionally, I have included a brief explanation of what I hope to get out of each question. I have choses to ask the following questions based on their open-endedness that allows Sauer to give the answer that he feels is best fit. I also wanted to avoid intricate and time consuming questions, as this is a short interview, and I want Sauer’s words and ideas to be the main focus.

Question 1: What lead you to come up with the idea of cultural geography?

When asking this question, I hope to learn what experiences in Sauer’s life brought him to this revelation of cultural geography. I want to learn what sparked his desire to study this field of human geography and what led him to the creation of cultural geography.

Question 2: Why is cultural geography an important subject to study?

I hope to learn what sets cultural geography apart from the rest in regards to its importance to the world and the people in it. Can a world-wide study of this subject put us in a direction to a better world?

Question 3: Has your idea of cultural geography changed over time?

Carl O. Sauer was born in 1889 and passed away in 1975 (Wikipedia, 2021). So much of our world has changed since Sauer was alive. If he could see where the concept of cultural geography is at today, would he agree with it?

Question 4: What does the future of cultural geography look like to you?

The world itself and the people within it are constantly changing. The idea of cultural geography is bound to change - whether it is for the better or the worse. What does Sauer predict? Will it become a more popular topic? or will in diminish into history?

Question 5: What is the most important aspect of cultural geography?

Each field of geography is made up of a variety of components. When asking Sauer this question, I hope to get a better understanding of the concept by knowing the most important part of it and building off of these aspects.

A Bridge to a New Beginning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rhgeog2260

The Ocean’s Secrets: A Research Project

As some of you may know by now from my introduction, I have been extremely interested in Marine Biology my entire life. My dad SCUBA dove frequently before I was born, he hand-painted my nursery to appear as though you are underwater, and I was the “dolphin girl” at school. I spent my teen years sailing on a tall ship, and I now have a SCUBA license of my very own. Everything has pushed me towards marine biology - everything, that is, except for first year chemistry and physics. It is for that reason that I am now in Geography, with the hopes of eventually working in the field of Oceanography.

Should I conduct research as a graduated student with unlimited resources, I would pursue the art of ocean floor mapping, with emphasis around shipwrecks. Ocean floor mapping is an early science - in fact, as of June 2020, only 5% of the ocean floor has been mapped (Amos, J., 2020)! This means that, extraordinarily, we know more about space than our own home planet. NASA states in a 2009 document, “we have better maps of the surface of Mars and the moon than we do the bottom of the ocean”.

While many scientists may care about ocean floor mapping, I could guess that a good amount of those are not necessarily interested in mapping shipwrecks. I, however, feel this could be an exceptional tool in our historical development as a global population. With the implementation of marine archaeology, we could explore not only typical trade ships or lost freighters, but also vessels of ancient civilizations. From a historical geography perspective, we can learn a lot about the landscape of ancient civilizations based on where we locate their old boats. It is for this reason that I would propose this research project to a board of historians, most likely in Europe and Asia.

Along with learning about the geographic landscape, finding these shipwrecks and mapping them could solve mysteries, create patterns, and more. For example, the infamous disappearance of Ernest Shackleton and his entire crew in Antarctica in 1912; or, for example, the disappearance of Amelia Earhart in Additionally, patterns like the Bermuda Triangle - if many many wrecks can be pinpointed to a specific range of coordinates, that may inspire more work into the meteorological/climatological phenomena that occur in the area. This could make naval travel safer in the future. (Should you be interested in furthering your knowledge about Shackleton and the Endurance’s crew, or about Amelia Earhart, I recommend these links: https://www.history.com/news/shackleton-endurance-survival , https://www.biography.com/explorer/amelia-earhart )

As a humanity-driven individual, I truly would like to conduct this research purely for the potential of gaining knowledge and preventing future naval disasters. Additionally, as a lover of ALL sea creatures, big and small, I would ensure my research would be conducted in a manner that does not endanger the wildlife, including corals and vegetation. I feel I could implement my knowledge of GIS mapping systems, as well as my sailing experience, in order to facilitate my work. I also have a lot of experience with naval cartography working with charts, so in a way, I feel I would find oceanic mapping easier than land-based mapping. I recognize that I may, however, be wearing a set of metaphorical blinders - just because you love something does not make it easy.

All in all, I think it is vital to research something you have a passion for to prevent your work from become a chore. Passion drives discovery, and discovery drives growth. If everyone pursued what they were curious and passionate about, I truly believe we could make some amazing advancements in the near future.

PS, if anyone would ever like to talk about any of these subjects, I would be thrilled to discuss them :)

RESOURCES:

Amelia Earhart. (2020, August 20). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/explorer/amelia-earhart

Amos, J. (2020, June 20). One-fifth of Earth’s ocean floor is now mapped. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53119686

Dunbar, B. (n.d.). Oceans: The Great Unknown. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/oceans-the-great-unknown-58.html#:~:text=There were no satellites studying,about most of the ocean.

Mulvaney, K. (2020, October 21). The Stunning Survival Story of Ernest Shackleton and His Endurance Crew. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/news/shackleton-endurance-survival

skgeog2260

Hi Robin!

Your post was so fun to read because you are so passionate about this topic, and it really shows! I have also always been fascinated by the ocean, it is so beautiful and holds so much life. However it also scares me because there is so much unknown. I have heard that 95% of our oceans are undiscovered, and that truly boggles my mind. Some of the creatures that have been found from the ~5% are absolutely out of this world (I used to love watching youtube videos of weird sea creatures), so I cannot even imagine what the rest of the ocean could contain.

I like your idea of using ocean floor mapping to piece together parts of history, and I think it would be beneficial once complete. It would help our world evolve in a way that we have not been able to, and create a safer environment for ships that go through places known for bizarre disappearances. If I were to be apart of exploring the rest of the ocean, my biggest goal would be to discover new creatures. I love that you considered them and their safety in your plans, it is so important to remain ethical throughout any research.

You sound so confident about this research proposal and I believe that you would do a really great job unraveling this plan into real life work. I hope that one day you can excel in the oceanography field of work. It is so important that we follow our hearts to pursue the things we are passionate about! Have you considered any graduate programs to get you on this track? I would love to hear your plans!

Your friend, Syd

amlgeog2260

Taming the Taiga: The Story of Agafia Lykov

Her Story

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

Research Techniques

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

Invisible Backpack

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

Ethics

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

My Approach

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

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

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

skgeog2260

Hi Amber!

Agafia’s life is by no means simple. She wake up everyday at 6 in the morning to pray and get to work. Gathering, hunting, caring for her animals (and Yerofei) and so much more. I agree that participant observation and interviews were two primary qualitative research methods used to study Agafia. I also noticed oral history, as the researchers learned a lot from Agafia’s stories about her current life and past. Would you agree with this?

Although it was not indicated in the film, I do agree that the researchers carried an invisible backpack. They took an airplane to the mountains of Siberia, a helicopter into Taiga, and has warm (appropriate) clothing for the chilling weather. I was able to pull all of this directly from the film. I didn’t even think about where they came from (New York) and the privileges that come with that.

I did think that the research conducted was ethical because I had assumed that they got permission from Agafia before hand and she agreed to it all. However, you are absolutely right. The researchers have so much power over her due to their awareness of what is going on in the world. It is possible that they pressured her into conversations she didn't want to have or invaded her privacy. We do not know what happened off camera - and I can only hope that they remained ethical at all times.

I myself am not so different from the researchers. At this moment I could not afford to go abroad and study, but I believe that I have been set up in life to do so in the future if I wished to. My biggest concern would also be for Agafia. I would want her to feel comfortable and safe, and benefit from the study in any way possible. If that is even possible, I am not sure.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Syd

Agafia Lykov is a 70 year old women who has lived on her own in the mountains of Siberia. Taiga is home to a vast amount of untouched land known for its extremely cold weather and massive amounts of wildlife - it is also Agafia’s home. Her single-person village is 160 miles away from the nearest town, not to mention it is a journey to get to. In the summer, you can get to Agafia’s place by a 7 day canoe trip, and in the winter, it can only be reached by helicopter. You may be wondering... how does one end up living such a different lifestyle? Hoe does she survive in one of the most inhospitable environments?

Agafia’s father relocated the Lykov family to the mountains in 1937 to escape persecution and protect their religious lifestyle. Unfortunately, Agafia lost her mother and siblings at a very young age, and her father followed not long after. She is now the last living member of the Lykov family, and plans to carry out their family’s traditions until the day she dies. Each and every day, Agafia wakes up at 6 in the morning to pray and start her days work. She gardens, fishes, forages, cuts and stacks wood, cares for her animals and prepares meals. Aside from caring for her animals and self, she takes care of her sole neighbour Yerofie (bringing this villages total population to 2).

Guzeva, Alexandra. (2018). Lost in Taiga. Russia Beyond. Retrieved from https://www.rbth.com/lifestyle/329135-lost-in-taiga-lykov-hermit

The researcher take a very subtle and respectful approach when they studies Agafia and her lifestyle. They allowed her to share her stories and freely talk about her life. She welcomed the researchers into her home and put them to work. In order for the researchers to best understand her way of life, they had to have lived alongside her for the duration of their stay, which they did. I would classify this type of qualitative research as primarily participant observation. I also notices aspects of oral history and interview methods during this case study. I would love to hear what everyone else thinks of this... Can you spot a different research method being used?

As stated in the video, Far Out (Vice, 2013), Agafia is extremely difficult to find. Although it is not directly identified in the film, the researchers/produces most definitely war an invisible backpack (referring to the privilege that a person carries). Not only were they able to take an airplane to the mountains of Siberia and a helicopter to Taiga, they had warm clothing and were able to provide Agafia with a new goat and rooster. The average person would not be able to experience a trip like this. As far as ethics goes, I do believe that it was an ethical research topic. They had permission from Agafia to visit and learn more about her - which was the ultimate thing they needed to create an ethical study.

If I were given the same opportunity to complete research as a university student, I would approach this topic in a similar way (granted I had the money and permission from Agafia). I do believe the best way to study Agafia and her lifestyle would be to take a participant observation approach (like they did in the film). Living alongside her for a duration of time would give me the best idea of what her day to day life has been like for the past 70 years. My main ethical consideration would be Agafia. Would she be comfortable with this? Is it okay that the information I gather is shared with the public?

Taiga makes you “reflect on your actions”, it “cleanses your soul”. However it is also one of the toughest places to survive. Could you do it?

Vice. (2013). Surviving the Siberian Wilderness for 70 years. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68

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!

aatgeog2260

Thank you Jena!

I am curious, how do you think your research could have a direct impact on the citizens of Kiribati? I think it could definitely have a direct impact if governments or leaders implemented a policy or funded projects to help, but the important part here is if. Do you think that wealthy countries would give away some of their wealth to these people in need, or would they rather wait until the problem is in their face when these people need a place to live? (Not trying to be aggressive here haha, just asking questions to stir up the conversation (-: ).

Yes, I do agree that the numbers would still be important to include as well! I was just thinking that if I were to share with the general public, stories might be more engaging than numbers flying around as some people tend to tune out once statistics become involved.

I really like what you said about sharing your understanding of having a spiritual connection to the land as an Indigenous person in Canada, because this would potentially make you “insider”. Our textbook defines an insider as “someone who is similar to their informants” (Hay 40). Of course, I’m sure you have many differences as well, however, I think that if you traveled there to talk to the Kiribati people, they would appreciate that you share this understanding of land connection and may make speaking about it much easier for them.

skgeog2260

Hello April!

First of all, I absolutely loved your caption... it was so intriguing and creative (I wish I had thought of it). You also had a really great introduction and I loved your use of images.

It is so important that the Kiribati residents were aware of the role climate change had on their ongoing issues, and it is re-assuring to know that they are doing as much research/collecting as much evidence as possible. It is so unfortunate that Kiribati is one of the first to experience these effects of climate change - yet they are one of the few countries that have no carbon emissions to cut down on. Personally, If I were to have the power in this situation, I would do my best to work with the Prime Minister of Canada (and hopefully the President of the United Stated, as the two countries work closely together), in hopes to do our part in lowering our carbon footprint/contributions to climate change. In addition, I would want to help the “migration with dignity” movement to ensure that the people of Kiribati are never treated as refugees (if that time ever comes).

I found that the points we made regarding objectivity, subjectivity and intersubjectivity were very different.I suggest checking out my most recent blog post if you are interested in viewing an alternate perspective, I would also love the feedback and hear what you think (@skgeog2260). I also found that many different human geography approaches would work for this scenario, it is just depends on how you back it up and carry out the approach (for example - I recommended viewing it as a case study). So much can be done to slow down the process of climate change. It is only a matter of WHO is willing to help.

Thank you so much for sharing!

Syd

I recently watched a video about the sinking islands of Kiribati (the link is included in this post if anyone wishes to give it a watch - I highly suggest that you do!) - and I feel that the struggles that this country is facing needs to be taken more seriously and more people need to be made aware of the current situation. Kiribati is a beautiful series of islands that is located in the central Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, they are among the first to experience the effects of climate change as the rising tides have engulfed the land and deteriorated their homes. The Kiribati government is doing what they can to save/preserve their homeland, and as their president, Anote Tong, says “we are already being impacted and will continue to be impacted” and “there is real danger in the future”

Operation World. (2021). Kiribati. Intervarsity press. https://www.operationworld.org/files/ow/maps/igmap/kiri-MMAP-md.png

If I were asked by the Kiribati government to help find ways to mitigate the issues they are currently facing, I am unsure how much help I could be as a singular person. I can honestly say that I think they are on the right track (for the most part). The most significant thing that needs to be done, is other countries must get on board to help decrease the alarming rate of global warming and do whatever possible to render the effects that have already been made. As a Canadian, I would do my best to provide Kiribati with an ally, and push Canada to do as much as they can. Since Canada has such close ties with the United States of America, I would hope that they would soon follow suit. Each of these countries has the ability to create a huge difference as many of their citizens live luxurious lives and over-consume just about everything. However, the back-up plan to “migrate with dignity” is a great plan to have in place, and it is important that as many citizens are enrolled in this as possible - so no one is treated as a refugee when or if that time comes.

Objectivity is made up of two components; personal involvement and researchers independence (Hooykaas, 2021). In regards to the people of Kiribati and the research being done, the researchers are most definitely creating a relationship with the participants (being the citizens of Kiribati). At the same time, the researchers are completely independent from the events taking place in the country and cannot directly influence the ongoing effects of climate change that the country is facing. Each of the residents have their own personal opinions on the matter, and these are being integrated into the research. This is an obvious sign of subjectivity, which is playing a large role in the research being done. Additionally, subjectivity can be seen in this scenario, as neither the researchers, citizens, nor the nature of the interactions remain unchanged (Hooykaas, 2021). In terms of power, it is the most important part of the issue. Those with power have the greatest impact on others and essentially have the “power” to create a real difference.

Finally, I believe that the best qualitative research method to use to approach the ongoing issues in Kiribati is to view it as a case study. We want to “shed light on this phenomena” (Hooykaas, 2021) in order to get the world’s attention in a way where they will take the issue seriously and want to make a change.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Week 2: Philosophy, Power, Politics and Research Design. GEOG2260, University of Guelph. https;//courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/668082/viewContent/2673139/View

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