The socio-technical production of GIS knowledges: the discursive construction of bodies and machines at Scottish Natural Heritage

This thesis focuses on the situated use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in one government organisation - Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) - in order to explore the mutually productive and complex relationships between the social and the technical. The account is located within science and technology studies (STS) and feminist theories, both of which challenge notions of technical determinism and the neutrality of science and technology, suggesting instead that technological artefacts are products of complementary and competing discourses, and their limits. These theories, which are reviewed in Chapter One, are utilised to illustrate that GIS is a boundary object that is co- constructed as an object of knowledge and as a technological artefact through the messy nexus of social relations in which it is practised, whilst it concurrently actively contributes to the production of the social. In -depth interviews were conducted with staff who had recently been trained to use GIS as part of a major GIS implementation strategy in SNH. The methodology is described in Chapter Two. The interview transcripts were subjected to discourse analysis, in order to explore how the practice of GIS co- constructs fluid technologies, bodies and subject positions, which gain only the appearance of stability through their iterative citation in discursive practice. The empirical data are explored in three substantive chapters. Chapter Three examines the discourses which enable GIS, through the operation of power, to (re)produce particular geographies. Drawing on theories of the visual, it is argued that GIS, as a technology of realist representation, relies not merely on discourses of rationality, but also on its own inexplicability, which enables it to function as a site of spectacle and magic. Chapter Four focuses on the GIS user, exploring the practice of GIS as a site for the multiple production of bodies and subject positions. Haraway's figure of the cyborg is utilised to explore how users relate their bodies to the machine, and three possible subjectivities are proposed: the magician, the apprentice and the inept. The final substantive chapter explores how GIS emerges through the agency of both users and the machine itself as they negotiate each other. It is argued that through these complex situated negotiations GIS is multiply embodied and constructed as a sentient other. The thesis concludes by examining the relevance of feminist geography to an understanding of these processes

The SLIM (Social learning for the integrated management and sustainable use of water at catchment scale) Final Report

Background: SLIM stands for 'Socuak Learning for the Integrated Management and Sustainable Use of Water at Catchment Scale'. It is a multi-country research project funded by the European Commission (DG RESEARCH - 5th Framework Programme for research and technological development, 1998-2002). Its main theme is the investigation of the socio-economic aspects of the sustainable use of water. Within this theme, its main focus of interest lies in understanding the application of social learning as a conceptual framework, an operational principle, a policy instrument and a process of systemic change

The Pursuit of Sustainable ICT4D: Lessons from Timor-Leste

Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) initiatives often result in abandonment following a successful technical implementation. This article contributes to the literature on the sustainability of ICT4D projects by proposing a substantive theory of Cultivating Sustainability. A qualitative study, based on three ICT4D implementation cases in a least developed country, served to explore the question of how the sustainability of ICT4D could be enhanced. This paper suggests that sustainability needs to be cultivated proactively and continuously, from project initiation to benefit realization. The article indicates specific strategies that can help least developed countries achieving the long-lasting benefits donors and recipients anticipated

The DAGS Model: Relevance to Environmental Decision Support Systems

Environmental decision support systems (EDSS) involve both theoretical and applied concerns. Theoretical in terms of decision making and applied in terms of the development of actual systems to support decision making related to environmental issues. In this paper we describe a general research framework for conducting IS design research (the DAGS model), and show how that model is relevant to EDSS research. We argue that the dual goals of contributing to both theory and practice can at least in part be realized by more emphasis on the use of engineering and architecture as reference disciplines, and the use of Design science, Action research, Grounded theory, and Systems development as the components for this framework. The framework is illustrated with projects related to environmental issues

Key challenges in agent-based modelling for geo-spatial simulation

Agent-based modelling (ABM) is fast becoming the dominant paradigm in social simulation due primarily to a worldview that suggests that complex systems emerge from the bottom-up, are highly decentralised, and are composed of a multitude of heterogeneous objects called agents. These agents act with some purpose and their interaction, usually through time and space, generates emergent order, often at higher levels than those at which such agents operate. ABM however raises as many challenges as it seeks to resolve. It is the purpose of this paper to catalogue these challenges and to illustrate them using three somewhat different agent-based models applied to city systems. The seven challenges we pose involve: the purpose for which the model is built, the extent to which the model is rooted in independent theory, the extent to which the model can be replicated, the ways the model might be verified, calibrated and validated, the way model dynamics are represented in terms of agent interactions, the extent to which the model is operational, and the way the model can be communicated and shared with others. Once catalogued, we then illustrate these challenges with a pedestrian model for emergency evacuation in central London, a hypothetical model of residential segregation tuned to London data which elaborates the standard Schelling (1971) model, and an agent-based residential location built according to spatial interactions principles, calibrated to trip data for Greater London. The ambiguities posed by this new style of modelling are drawn out as conclusions

Adapting to uncertainty : exploring the intersection of climate change adaptation, social justice, and stormwater challenges in Lillestrøm, Norway

As climate change presents escalating challenges in urban environments, the criticality of effective stormwater management intensifies. This study investigates the potential role of landscape architecture in amalgamating principles of social justice, sustainability, and adaptive capacity, aiming to ensure an equitable distribution of adaptation benefits and burdens. Adopting an interdisciplinary methodology and utilizing systems thinking, this research assesses current climate-related strategies, identifies potential areas for improvement, and explores the complexities of implementing nature-based solutions in urban areas at risk. The study integrates methodologies from multiple disciplines, including a comprehensive literature review, detailed document analysis of prevailing laws and local guidelines, and advanced spatial analysis employing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and landscape architecture spatial analysis methods, such as the SCALGO Live tool for analyzing hydrological risk. Through these methods, it seeks to highlight physical vulnerabilities in the landscape that significantly impact homeowners and residents under the existing stormwater management legislation. The case study of Lillestrøm, Norway—a city grappling with high homeownership rates, rapid urban densification, and vulnerable topography—provides the context for examining how socioeconomics, urbanization trends, and legal definitions intersect with climate change adaptation strategies. The research elucidates the implications of the emerging privatization trend in stormwater management, emphasizing its potential to increase hazard exposure and vulnerability among a significant portion of the population to cloudbursts and extreme rainfall events. Results suggest that although nature-based solutions contribute to sustainable urban development, their effectiveness is impeded by the lack of a shared understanding and clarity in management frameworks. Therefore, this study advocates for a common language and consensus on the principles of climate change adaptation, social justice, and sustainability within the field of landscape architecture. While the insights gleaned from this research are rooted in the specific context of Lillestrøm, they offer broader relevance, contributing to a nuanced understanding of urban climate change adaptation challenges on a global scale, and providing valuable insights for future climate justice and adaptation strategies.M-GL

A study of the role of GIS in constructing relational place knowledge through school geography education

This thesis addresses a specific aspect of geography in school education, the role of geographic information systems (GIS) in supporting relational understanding of place. It does this by combining a literature-based conceptual analysis with schools-based empirical enquiry. The main research question that steers the thesis is: What role does GIS play in constructing relational knowledge about place through school geography education?\ud \ud The research offers new insights on the ways in which teachers can use GIS in geography education to construct relational knowledge about place. Following a discussion of place, relational knowledge and GIS in both academic and school geography, a methodology for the research is fully explained and justified. A qualitative enquiry approach is adopted via a multi-staged design consisting of case study and practitioner research. Analysis of interviews with teachers and pupils, lesson observations and document analyses yields ‘thick description’ of constructing place knowledge through GIS.\ud \ud A synthesis of the conceptual and empirical analyses provides the basis for a discussion of findings. Findings identify GIS as a powerful medium for relational spatial analysis in school geography but also reveal its limitations on relational constructions and interpretations of place. A model of geographical knowledge construction in GIS is presented as a device for developing teachers’ critical engagement with GIS in school geography. The thesis concludes with a critical evaluation and recommendations for future study