Geographical Project Research Articles

A framework for regional smart energy planning using volunteered geographic information

Abstract. This study presents a framework for regional smart energy planning for the optimal location and sizing of small hybrid systems. By using an optimization model – in combination with weather data – various local energy systems are simulated using the Calliope and PyPSA energy system simulation tools. The optimization and simulation models are fed with GIS data from different volunteered geographic information projects, including OpenStreetMap. These allow automatic allocation of specific demand profiles to diverse OpenStreetMap building categories. Moreover, based on the characteristics of the OpenStreetMap data, a set of possible distributed energy resources, including renewables and fossil-fueled generators, is defined for each building category. The optimization model can be applied for a set of scenarios based on different assumptions on electricity prices and technologies. Moreover, to assess the impact of the scenarios on the current distribution infrastructure, a simulation model of the low- and medium-voltage network is conducted. Finally, to facilitate their dissemination, the results of the simulation are stored in a PostgreSQL database, before they are delivered by a RESTful Laravel Server and displayed in an angular web application.

Medical Anthropology in the Time of COVID-19.

Medical Anthropology in the Time of COVID-19.

Food and Agricultural Product Pilot Selection for Geographical Indication Projects

This study assesses methodologies used during the selection of pilot products for the support to development of sustainable geographical indication projects by using the FAO/EBRD project as a case study. Relevant pilot products are essential to provide stakeholders with concrete experience, demonstrative effects and lessons learned in order to disseminate bets practices and facilitate scaling-out of sustainable GI processes. Qualitative data were transformed to quantitative data for product selection because data for local products were insufficient, and standard data were unavailable for each product. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP), simple scoring and geographical indication assessment form were used together as product selection methods. Gemlik Olives, the first registered geographical indication product in the Bursa province, was included during assessment as a control group. Six local products with a potential for GI registration were considered for pilot product selection to serve as demonstrative process. Results suggest that the most important selection criteria were “reputation of the product” and “power of the organisation” and first two ranked products selected for the project were Bursa Black Figs and Bursa Peaches.

RESEARCH ON QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF GLOBELAND30 UPDATE DATA

Abstract. GlobeLand30 update data is one of the important products of the Construction Maintenance and Update of Geographic Information Resources Project (hereinafter referred to as the Update Project). It provides important basic information for national geographical conditions monitoring, eco-environmental assessment and global geographic information integrated services. Different from the land cover classification data in National Geoinformation Surveying and Monitoring Project, GlobeLand30 update data is a completely new type of scientific research outcomes with new setup of resolution, its data format and data structure are newly set according to the requirements of the Update Project. Therefore, current inspecting methods are of limitations and incompatibility and cannot be firmly reasonable for inspecting the accuracy of GlobeLand30 update data. Combining with the practice of quality control for the Update Project, this paper proposes a set of methods and processes for the quality inspection of the GlobeLand30 update data. It also summarizes the key points of its inspection and analyses the common errors found in the actual inspection practice of the Update Project from 2017 to 2018. It can provide a certain technical reference for the quality control and quality improvement of GlobeLand30 update data in the Update Project.

Disrupted Geographic Arbitrage and Differential Capacities of Coping in Later-Life: Anglo-Western Teacher Expatriates in Brunei

North-South migration by relatively privileged skilled or lifestyle/retirement migrants has been analyzed, using the concept of geographic arbitrage (i.e., the use of North-South migration as a cross-border social maintenance or advancement strategy). However, little research has examined what happens when such projects are prematurely disrupted in later life. This article addresses this gap by drawing on interviews with 25 Anglo-Western teacher expatriates in Brunei. While these “middling” expatriates have been able to capitalize on their positions as desirable native English-speaking teachers to kickstart or continue their expatriation, recent shifts in Brunei’s political economy, coupled with its exclusionary citizenship and immigration policies, have posed unforeseen disruptions to their original geographic arbitrage projects. By examining individuals’ differential capacities to cope with this unexpected situation in later life, this article urges migration scholars to be attentive to individual circumstances (e.g., age, marital and familial situations, migration history) that produce in-group mobility inequalities. This focus adds nuance and texture to the geographic arbitrage thesis.

A canvas model for risk assessment and performance estimation in public–private partnerships

Public-private partnership (PPP) is being widely used to meet the growing infrastructure and service demand. However, previous literature draws attention to distressed or failed PPP projects due to significant risks. In the quest for assessing risks and estimating the performance at the outset of a project, there is a need for a practical tool allowing in-depth analysis of the project conditions. This paper aims to develop a PPP Canvas which enables assessment of the project risk factors and determining the related compensation mechanisms that can be used to mitigate these risks or allocate them to the parties in a balanced way. The Canvas also helps to estimate a project performance score based on the significance coefficients determined by the Analytical Hierarchy Process. AHP results show that stability of economic environment, political support and government intervention are the most important risk factors in the local context. AHP can be repeated for each specific PPP project, as part of the PPP Canvas process, to foster discussion and analysis of the risks and compensation mechanisms across different geographical locations and PPP project types. The paper adds a new dimension to PPP risk assessment by making use of the Business Model Canvas approach and the inclusion of contractual compensation and penalty mechanisms. As the stakeholders become more informed of the project conditions and the risks involved, they can make better decisions throughout the project life-cycle and can benefit from the identified compensation mechanisms in contract drafting.

Folklorist and Ethnological Research Supported by the Board for the Research of Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia in Prague during the Interwar Period

Abstract The paper focuses on selected folklorist and ethnological activities during the inter-war period, financially supported by the Board for the Research of Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia, which was established on the initiative of T. G. Masaryk as part of the newly created Slavic Institute in Prague in 1928. This institution aimed to support links between Slovakia and the so-called Czech historical lands and the expressions of “mutuality” in the scientific, cultural or ethnic and language area, etc. The Board provided grants for conducting dialectological, folklorist, geographical and other projects, e.g. for the collection initiative of F. Wollman and his students in Bratislava and Brno in 1928–1947, covering Slovak and (yet unprocessed) Moravian folk fiction. Support was also granted to the research of music culture (D. Orel, K. Hudec, F. Zagriba, etc.), the collection of anthropological and ethnographical materials (K. Chotek, K. Domin, etc.), the study of Slovak folk embroidery (V. Pražák), folklore customs and practices (P. Bogatyrev), folk wood architecture (V. Sičynskyj, D. Stránská), Slovak dialects studied, for example, by V. Vážný, member of the Board, etc. The Slovak Encyclopaedia project, today already forgotten, was not completed. Its editors included historian V. Chaloupecký and, in particular, K. Chotek who prepared the concept of the work in 1930.

Dane dotyczące miast jako przedmiot badań geograficznych

W pracy przedstawiono problemy, z jakimi można się spotkać podczas analizy danych o mieście, od ich pozyskiwania, poprzez czyszczenie, aż po zapis w odpowiednim formacie. Problem ten jest na tyle istotny, że powinien być jednym z podmiotów badań geograficznych. Zwrócono uwagę na potrzebę dyskusji o danych geograficznych i jej prezentacji na łamach czasopism naukowych. Zasygnalizowano możliwości korzystania z nich i udostępniania w repozytoriach otwartych danych w ramach „otwartej nauki”.

The social cleansing of London council estates: everyday experiences of ‘accumulative dispossession’

London’s council estates and their residents are under threat like never before. Council tenants are being forced out of their homes due to estate renewal, welfare reforms, poverty, and the precarity of low-income work. Social cleansing can be understood as a geographical project made up of processes, practices, and policies designed to remove council estate residents from space and place, what we call a ‘new accumulative form of (state-led) gentrification’. We outline these accumulative processes, practices and policies, but more importantly we present grounded, empirical evidence of council tenants and leaseholders’ everyday experiences of dispossession, focusing our lens on three south London boroughs identified as eviction hotspots.

COMPARING INSPIRE AND OPENSTREETMAP DATA: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THE TWO WORLDS

Abstract. The beginning of our century has seen the rise of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) and crowdsourced geographic information projects. This study analyses and compares the most relevant initiatives for Europe in both contexts: INSPIRE, the Directive aiming to establish a pan-European SDI used for environmental policies, and OpenStreetMap (OSM), the largest and richest crowdsourced geospatial database. Similarities and differences, advantages and disadvantages of the two initiatives from an end user perspective are presented for a number of characteristics: underlying approach and governance, spatial scope, data structure and encoding, data access, and licensing framework. Overall, both initiatives have developed specific strengths and have achieved different types and degrees of interoperability, which would make their integration highly beneficial to multiple stakeholders. From the pure technical perspective, such integration is fully enabled by the maturity of the available FOSS4G, which offers specific support for both INSPIRE and OSM resources, also reviewed in the paper.

THE TRANSGRESSION OF CONTEMPORARY STRATEGIES OF COLONIALISM

If we analyze the history of the formation of the European space, then the obvious is the ambiguity and uncertainty of its conceptual foundations. It is difficult to imagine Europe solely as a geographic project. Rather, it is a theoretical-ideological structure, which is the result of the work of prominent thinkers of the past. Or as an operationally effective strategy to implement the policy of colonialism, because the cultural and political component is dominant in defining the European one. Therefore, widespread thoughts on understanding Europe as a form of ideology, myth, discourse practice. Confirmation of this thesis may be the existing discrepancy between nominally articulated provisions and actual events and political decisions. The main content of these concepts form the idea of European values, historical and cultural, philosophical and world-view. However, this phenomenon is rather a reification of the abstraction of pure abstraction. In addition, the ideologues of the Old and New Europe contradict each other. If the traditional world-view paradigm of Europe postulates immutable substantive values, then non-classical post-colonial practice forms the discourse of the unity of diversity. We note only that the motivation for such a unification is the civilization-technological processes of globalization, which forms the axiological basis of a new ideology. That is, the rhetoric of the unity of the various is an integral part of the implementation of the policy of Eurocentrism, since engagement in the European space implies acceptance of the logic of relations and interaction, which are verified by European discourse as proper.

Spatial-temporal Evolution and Completeness Analysis of OpenStreetMap Building Data in China from 2012 to 2017

Abstract. OpenStreetMap (OSM), as a typical volunteered geographic information project, is an online map with free content and everyone can edit and use it (Goodchild 2007). A range of applications has been proposed using OSM data, including routing and navigation, crisis mapping, 3D modelling, land use/cover mapping. This is because the OSM data is not only free of use, but also has a global coverage and high currentness. In despite of the above advantages, however, most of the OSM data were contributed by ‘non-professional’ or ‘amateur geographers’ (Goodchild 2008; Haklay 2010). Therefore, a lot of concerns have been paid attention to the quality issue of the OSM data. Assessing the quality of OSM data has become a hot topic in the field of geographic information science.Extensive studies have been carried out on assessing various quality measures (e.g. positional accuracy, completeness and attribute accuracy) of OSM datasets in different countries or districts such as Germany, England, France, Italy, Canada and the United States. In the meanwhile, the road feature of an OSM dataset has been paid much attention to. To our knowledge, however, not any study has been focused on assessing the data quality of OSM building data in China, although it may be an essential data source for urban planning and management, 3D modelling and indoor navigation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the OSM building data in China. More precisely, an analysis of the spatial-temporal evolution and completeness of OSM building data in China from 2012 to 2017 was carried out. The tenet of our study was to employ two quality indicators, i.e. building count (Gröchenig et al. 2013, Barron et al. 2014, Fan 2016) and building density (Zhou 2018), for the analyses. First, the numbers of OSM building data from 2012 to 2017 were calculated in terms of both provincial- and prefecture-level divisions in China; The OSM building count were then compared among different divisions and also different years (2012–2017) for analyzing the evolution of OSM building data in China in both temporal dimension and spatial scale. Moreover, the correlations between OSM building counts and four potential factors (i.e. gross domestic product (GDP), population, urban land area, OSM road length), which may influence the development of OSM building data in China, were respectively investigated. Second, a 1 × 1 km2 regular grid was overlapped onto the OSM building datasets in urban areas for calculating the OSM building density of each grid cell; Moreover, high-density grid cells (whose OSM building data were almost complete) were extracted and analyzed through a simple clustering method, in order to investigate the spatial pattern of OSM building data in urban areas. Results showed that,1) The OSM building data in China increased almost 20 times from the years 2012 to 2017, especially for those located in the eastern coastal regions of China (e.g. the provincial-level divisions: Jinagsu, Zhejiang, Guangzhou and Shandong and the prefecture-level divisions: Beijing, Nantong, Shanghai, Tianjin, Suzhou, Yangzhou and Dalian). In most cases, both the GDP and OSM road length factors had a moderate correlation with the OSM building count. 2) Most of the grid cells in urban areas still had no building or their building densities were equal to 0%, which indicated that the OSM building dataset in China was far from being complete. From analyzing the high density grid cells, two typical spatial distribution modes, i.e. dispersion and aggregation, were found in different prefecture-level divisions. As an example, the high-density grid cells for some prefecture-level divisions (e.g. Luoyang, Yueyang and Dalian) were mostly aggregated in the city cores; while those for some (e.g. Beijing Tianjin and Shanghai) were located in the hot spots such as business districts, attractions and transportation hubs.The above results may benefit for users (especially those researchers and educators) to choose appropriate study area(s) from the OSM building dataset in China. In the meanwhile, the volunteers around the world may be motivated to contribute more OSM building data in this region. Further research work may include: developing quality indicators for quantitative completeness estimation of OSM building data, especially in rural areas; and investigating other quality measures (e.g. positional accuracy and semantic accuracy) or geographical features (e.g. railways, land uses, and points of interest) in China’s OSM dataset.

The influence of sampling design on spatial data quality in a geographic citizen science project

AbstractGeographic citizen science has much potential to assist in wildlife research and conservation, but the quality of observation data is a key concern. We examined the effects of sampling design on the quality of spatial data collected for a koala citizen science project in Australia. Data were collected from three samples—volunteers (n = 454), an Internet panel (n = 103), and landowners (n = 35)—to assess spatial data quality, a dimension of citizen science projects rarely considered. The locational accuracy of koala observations among the samples was similar when benchmarked against authoritative data (i.e., an expert‐derived koala distribution model), but there were differences in the quantity of data generated. Fewer koala location data were generated per participant by the Internet panel sample than the volunteer or landowner samples. Spatial preferences for land uses affecting koala conservation were also mapped, with landowners more likely to map locations for residential and tourism development and volunteers less likely. These spatial preferences have the potential to influence the social acceptability of future koala conservation proposals. With careful sampling design, both citizen observations and land use preferences can be included within the same project to augment scientific assessments and identify conservation opportunities and constraints.

Dimensions of knowledge governance in a multi-PMO project context

Purpose Knowledge is recognized to be a key asset to achieve the strategic objectives of an organization. To that end, it is necessary to count on governance mechanisms that ensure the alignment between the knowledge resources and processes and the business strategy. Given that knowledge management is often performed by project management offices (PMOs), the purpose of this paper is to explore if the dimensions for PMOs governance suggested in the literature are also valid for knowledge governance and what problems do exist. Design/methodology/approach This research has been done using case study methodology. A large complex project in the IT industry was deeply analyzed. This project brings together most of the elements that can be found in current organizational contexts (e.g. geographical dispersed project teams, multicultural environment, technical complexity, etc.), thus reinforcing the applicability of the results obtained. Findings The study findings indicate that knowledge flows between PMOs take place along the dimensions defined for PMO governance, thus confirming the suitability of those dimensions also for the governance of knowledge. This research also validates the connection between the barriers to knowledge sharing and the knowledge governance mechanisms, and provides empirical evidence of the importance of informal knowledge governance to foster knowledge sharing behaviors. This is of key importance to overcome daily operational issues. The observations made are, in fact, valuable lessons learnt for future projects and a valuable input for further research. Originality/value This study explores the similarities between PMOs governance and knowledge governance in multi-PMO settings on the basis of a case study, thus contributing additional empirical data to the literature. Previous work with this approach has not been found.

Corporate Editors in the Evolving Landscape of OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap (OSM), the largest Volunteered Geographic Information project in the world, is characterized both by its map as well as the active community of the millions of mappers who produce it. The discourse about participation in the OSM community largely focuses on the motivations for why members contribute map data and the resulting data quality. Recently, large corporations including Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook have been hiring editors to contribute to the OSM database. In this article, we explore the influence these corporate editors are having on the map by first considering the history of corporate involvement in the community and then analyzing historical quarterly-snapshot OSM-QA-Tiles to show where and what these corporate editors are mapping. Cumulatively, millions of corporate edits have a global footprint, but corporations vary in geographic reach, edit types, and quantity. While corporations currently have a major impact on road networks, non-corporate mappers edit more buildings and points-of-interest: representing the majority of all edits, on average. Since corporate editing represents the latest stage in the evolution of corporate involvement, we raise questions about how the OSM community—and researchers—might proceed as corporate editing grows and evolves as a mechanism for expanding the map for multiple uses.

How marginality leads to inclusion: insights from mobilizations of Chinese female migrants in Paris

ABSTRACTThis article examines the collective actions undertaken by two groups of Chinese female migrants in Paris: sex workers who opposed a new law on prostitution, and manicurists who joined trade unions and went on strike. These women share similar geographical origins and migration projects; many came to France alone, and thus have much weaker social capital than other Chinese migrants in Paris, which pushed them to choose professional sectors viewed as marginal or even stigmatized. Despite their precarious situation, their marginal position has created conditions for collective action, enabling them to develop strong sense of collective belonging and receive support from organizations outside the community. These findings show how a marginal position in an ethnic community can be a triggering factor for migrants’ inclusion and political engagement in the host society.

Participatory geographic information systems use in Copan Ruinas, Honduras: the development and evaluation of an environmental restoration public participatory Geographic Information System project

Sustainable development is the challenge of the 21st century, and public administration will play a part in finding new ways of meeting human needs within the constraints of natural resource systems. The nature of sustainable development has led to expanded forms of governance and new partnerships among non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profits, and governments at all levels. This paper examines a participatory geographic information system project being developed in Copan Ruinas, Honduras and its effect on the community stakeholders. pecifically, the participatory geographic information system project will focus on the development of a geodatabase and usable maps that integrate: small-scale (less than five hectares on average) agroforestry projects, and highland habitat restoration projects. During this research, we will focus on the geographic information system project, public participation and how the project meets the standards of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) pillars of participation and core values.

Assessing the validity of crowdsourced wildlife observations for conservation using public participatory mapping methods

Public participatory mapping is a method of crowdsourcing where the lay public can contribute spatial information for a range of applications including conservation planning. When used to collect wildlife observation data, participatory mapping becomes a type of “geographic citizen science” that involves collaboration with members of the public. While the potential of crowdsourcing to assist in wildlife conservation appears to be large, the quality and validity of the observational data collected remain a key concern. In this study, we examined the quality and validity of spatial data collected in a public participatory mapping project implemented in northern New South Wales (Australia) in 2018 where the public was asked to identify and map the location and frequency of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) sightings using an internet mapping application. The iconic koala is a nationally-listed threatened species and has wide public recognition, making it an ideal test of our approach to examining the value of citizen science for wildlife. We assessed the validity of koala observation data from two perspectives of validity-as-accuracy (positional accuracy and data completeness) and validity-as-credibility (characteristics of spatial data contributors). To assess validity-as-accuracy, we analysed the distribution of citizen observations of koala sightings compared to an expert-derived probability distribution of koalas (likelihood model). To assess validity-as-credibility, we analysed the survey data to determine which participant characteristics increased the credibility of observational data. We found significant spatial association between crowdsourced koala observations and the likelihood model to validate koala locations, but there was under-reporting in more rural, remote areas. Significant variables contributing to accuracy in koala observations included participant knowledge of koalas, age, length of residence, and formal education. We also compared the crowdsourced results to a field-based citizen science koala observation project implemented in the same region and found crowdsourced participatory mapping provided comparable, if not superior results. Crowdsourced koala observations can augment field-based koala research by covering large geographic areas while engaging a broader public in conservation efforts. However, effective geographic citizen science projects require a significant commitment of resources, including the creation of community partnerships, to obtain high quality spatial data.

AN OPEN SOURCE APPROACH FOR THE INTRINSIC ASSESSMENT OF THE TEMPORAL ACCURACY, UP-TO-DATENESS AND LINEAGE OF OPENSTREETMAP

Abstract. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is the most popular crowdsourced geographic information project. The main factor that still limits the practical use of OSM is the lack of quality assurance. OSM quality assessment is thus a well-studied topic in literature, with most of the studies evaluating the quality by comparison against reference datasets. In contrast to these extrinsic approaches, OSM intrinsic assessment evaluates the quality by only analysing OSM itself. This study contributes to OSM intrinsic assessment by introducing an open source procedure to evaluate the temporal accuracy, up-to-dateness and lineage of OSM. Two workflows are presented: the first allows accessing the historical evolution of single OSM objects through an interactive web application, while the second aggregates and stores results on a user-defined grid to enable further GIS processing. The methodology is applied on the OSM nodes in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, by computing the following measures on the cells of an hexagonal grid: total number of nodes, average date of creation and last edit of nodes, average update frequency of nodes, average number of versions of nodes, average and total number of different contributors on nodes. Results highlight the mapping dynamics driven by the Dar Ramani Huria project, focused on increasing flood preparedness and resilience. When moving from the peripheral areas to the city centre, OSM is characterized by a progressively higher density of nodes, created earlier in time and updated by a higher number of contributors, which are all indexes of a general higher data quality.

Three stories of Noah: Navigating religious climate change narratives in the Pacific Island region

This paper makes a case for spiritualising climate change, outlining the importance of bringing diverse religious understandings into climate change responses, particularly in the Pacific Island region. It situates this as part of a wider geographical project of rendering climate change locally meaningful, and story‐telling multiple climate change narratives, including Christian ones. It identifies one of the major obstacles to this spiritualisation: the treatment of religious thought as a barrier to climate change action by much of the existing social science research in the Pacific Islands. Rather than attempting to purify scientific and religious knowledge, this paper proposes an alternative approach, tufala save: the balancing of multiple epistemologies of climate change, exploring their convergences and tensions. This paper draws on four months of ethnographic fieldwork in Vanuatu, and over 60 semi‐structured interviews with religious figures and individuals engaged in climate change adaptation and advocacy across the Pacific Island region. It applies the tufala save approach in order to explore one recurring narrative, the biblical story of Noah and the flood, due to the contentious associations between this story and climate change denial in Oceania. The paper traces three discursive manifestations of the Noah story within the Pacific Islands: rainbow covenant as a basis for denial, Noah as an icon of preparation, and Islanders as unjustly outside of the ark. The contrasts between these three articulations – in terms of the relations between the different knowledges and the possibilities for climate change action they encourage and foreclose – demonstrate the heterogeneity of religious responses to climate change and the potential for fruitful connections between religious and scientific knowledges. They highlight the potential for more‐than‐scientific yet not anti‐scientific responses to climate change that are locally meaningful and morally compelling.