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"Historical geography -- Methodology"
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Toward Spatial Humanities
The application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to issues in history is among the most exciting developments in both digital and spatial humanities. Describing a wide variety of applications, the essays in this volume highlight the methodological and substantive implications of a spatial approach to history. They illustrate how the use of GIS is changing our understanding of the geographies of the past and has become the basis for new ways to study history. Contributors focus on current developments in the use of historical sources and explore the insights gained by applying GIS to develop historiography. Toward Spatial Humanities is a compelling demonstration of how GIS can contribute to our historical understanding.
eBook
Toward spatial humanities : historical GIS and spatial history
\"The application of geo-spatial technologies, especially Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to issues in history is among the most exciting developments in both digital humanities and spatial humanities. The book captures the wide variety of geo-spatial applications to both traditional and non-traditional subjects in history through a series of exemplary essays designed to signal to non-specialists the methodological and substantive implications of a spatial approach to the humanities. The aim of the book is to illustrate how the use of historical GIS is changing our understanding of the geographies of the past, and how it has become the foundation for new approaches to the study of history. The essays are divided into two parts. The first features new approaches to the past by focusing on current developments in the use of historical sources. The second looks at the insights gained by applying GIS to develop historiography. Together the essays form, not a 'how-to' guide for researchers, but a compelling demonstration of how GIS can contribute to our historical understanding\"-- Provided by publisher.
Book
Thinking history globally
\"Thinking History Globally means thinking about the past and the present beyond national borders, language barriers, and enclosed regions. There are four thinking strategies to gain global perspectives: comparing, connecting, conceptualizing, and contextualizing. Comparing is about contrasting between several cases and drawing new conclusions. Connecting is tracking the interdependences between cases and assessing their importance. Conceptualizing is recognizing that developments in one or several cases belong within a larger recurring pattern. Contextualizing is making sense of one case amidst developments world-wide. This book offers a practical guide into these strategies of thinking by applying them to multiple historical cases, ranging from the first civilizations and up to the First World War. While doing that, Olstein also presents the twelve branches of history that outstand in the application of these four strategies and in thinking history globally: comparative, relational, international, transnational, oceanic, global, world, and big histories, historical sociology, civilizational analysis, world-system approach, and history of globalization\"-- Provided by publisher.
Book
Mobilities II
This second report on mobilities considers some key themes in mobilities research by (mostly) geographers over the last two years or so. Following on from some of the themes outlined in the first report, this report explores accounts of historical geographies of mobility in order to put claims to ‘newness’ in perspective. Second, it surveys how mobility research has influenced methodology focusing, in particular, on ‘mobile ethnography’. Third, the report looks at the blossoming arena or research on the forms of waiting, stillness and stuckness that have become an important component of our understanding of mobility. The conclusion reflects on the continuing importance of the politics of mobility and urges greater consideration of the mobility of ideas alongside people and things.
Journal Article
Historical GIS: structuring, mapping and analysing geographies of the past
The last 10 years have seen a sudden rise in interest in the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in historical research. This has led to a field that has become known as `historical GIS'. This development started in the more quantitative ends of the discipline but has spread to encompass qualitative research as well. Interest in historical GIS is not restricted to researchers who would previously have regarded themselves as historical geographers, but has in fact led to an increased awareness of the importance of geography from across the discipline of history. This paper introduces historical GIS and critically evaluates how it is affecting the practice of historical geography.
Journal Article
Doing Evolution in Economic Geography
Evolutionary approaches in economic geography face questions about the relationships between their concepts, theories, methods, politics, and policy implications. Amidst the growing but unsettled consensus that evolutionary approaches should employ plural methodologies, the aims here are, first, to identify some of the difficult issues confronting those working with different frameworks. The concerns comprise specifying and connecting research objects, subjects, and levels; handling agency and context; engaging and integrating the quantitative and the qualitative; comparing cases; and, considering politics, policy, and praxis. Second, the purpose is to articulate a distinctive geographical political economy approach, methods, and illustrative examples in addressing these issues. Bringing different views of evolution in economic geography into dialogue and disagreement renders methodological pluralism a means toward improved understanding and explanation rather than an end in itself. Confronting such thorny matters needs to be embedded in our research practices and supported by greater openness; more and better substantiation of our conceptual, theoretical, and empirical claims; enhanced critical reflection; and deeper engagement with politics, policy, and praxis.
Journal Article
Explaining land use and forest change: more theory or better methodology?
ContextTheorizing complex phenomena like human–environment relationships is difficult and often of dubious explanatory value. If our goal is to understand causal interactions between people and the land and to explain environmental changes in the landscape, the more pressing need is for better causal–analytic methodology, not for more or better theory per se.ObjectivesThis paper presents a research methodology based on causal–historical analysis, called Abductive Causal Eventism (ACE), and makes the case that social scientists and environmental change researchers may benefit from adopting this instead of a theory-focused approach.MethodsACE is described and its application illustrated by recent research on land use change and reforestation in Saint Lucia, West Indies. Key findings are related to the literature on so-called forest transitions (FTs).ResultsEarly writings about FTs sought to theorize the phenomenon, but studies have since revealed that FTs are the outcome of diverse causal pathways and contingent events. Likewise, Saint Lucia’s recent FT reflects a variety of causal influences interacting in complex ways, and FTs have occurred there before.ConclusionsThese findings counsel against hasty theorizing and policy prescription and highlight the advantages of a methodological approach (ACE) that is adaptable to different and changing contexts and accounts for both general and contingent causes. Theories and policy that emerge from ACE research will be the richer (and wiser) for it.
Journal Article
Materialities and historical geographies
While (historical) geographers are now increasingly engaging with material things and approaches, there has been little debate about the role and place of material sources and methodologies within historical geography research. This special section of Area draws together five papers in which historical geographers explore material sources and the application of material approaches in order to make conceptual, methodological and empirical contributions to (historical) geography. These papers demonstrate the potential range of possibilities available to geographers (historical or not) attuned to the materiality of space and encourage further discussion about the relationship between material cultures and geographical research. This introductory editorial outlines the impetus for this special section. It reflects on how material culture has already been used within geographical research, considers why there is a need to debate (specifically historical) geographers' engagement with materiality in greater depth, and suggests some ways in which the papers in this special section have already contributed to this debate.
Journal Article