IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envira/v38y2006i11p2003-2020.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Theorizing with GIS: A Tool for Critical Geographies?

Author

Listed:
  • Marianna Pavlovskaya

    (Department of Geography, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY 10021, USA)

Abstract

In this paper I explore the potential of using geographical information systems (GIS) in qualitative research by disentangling the seemingly rigid association of the field of geographic information science with quantitative geography. I examine the opposition between quantitative and qualitative methods as an extension of different epistemologies and not as indicative of their innate incompatibility, and reposition GIS within these methods seen as a continuum. I show that the always-assumed alignment of GIS with quantitative research has never been complete and the many openings in GIS enable qualitative research. I also discuss how critical geographers can engage with and transform GIS as well as enhance their explanations and social theory in general by representing spatially complex social processes and relationships.

Suggested Citation

  • Marianna Pavlovskaya, 2006. "Theorizing with GIS: A Tool for Critical Geographies?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(11), pages 2003-2020, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:38:y:2006:i:11:p:2003-2020
    DOI: 10.1068/a37326
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1068/a37326
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1068/a37326?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. S Openshaw, 1991. "A View on the GIS Crisis in Geography, or, Using GIS to Put Humpty-Dumpty Back Together Again," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 23(5), pages 621-628, May.
    2. D P Dixon & J P Jones III, 1998. "My Dinner with Derrida, or Spatial Analysis and Poststructuralism Do Lunch," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 30(2), pages 247-260, February.
    3. D Dorling, 1998. "Human Cartography: When it is Good to Map," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 30(2), pages 277-288, February.
    4. L J Philip, 1998. "Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to Social Research in Human Geography—An Impossible Mixture?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 30(2), pages 261-276, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jacobs, Sander & Burkhard, Benjamin & Van Daele, Toon & Staes, Jan & Schneiders, Anik, 2015. "‘The Matrix Reloaded’: A review of expert knowledge use for mapping ecosystem services," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 295(C), pages 21-30.
    2. Maximilian Stallkamp & Brian C Pinkham & Andreas P J Schotter & Olha Buchel, 2018. "Core or periphery? The effects of country-of-origin agglomerations on the within-country expansion of MNEs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(8), pages 942-966, October.
    3. David Adams, 2013. "Volunteered Geographic Information: Potential Implications for Participatory Planning," Planning Practice & Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 464-469, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Roberts, Susan M. & Jones III, John Paul & Frohling, Oliver, 2005. "NGOs and the globalization of managerialism: A research framework," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 1845-1864, November.
    2. Yang Liu, 2022. "Paradigmatic Compatibility Matters: A Critical Review of Qualitative-Quantitative Debate in Mixed Methods Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    3. Larry Knopp & Michael Brown, 2021. "Travel guides, urban spatial imaginaries and LGBTQ+ activism: The case of Damron guides," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(7), pages 1380-1396, May.
    4. S Openshaw, 1993. "GIS ‘Crime’ and GIS ‘Criminality’," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 25(4), pages 451-458, April.
    5. Sarah A Elwood, 2002. "GIS Use in Community Planning: A Multidimensional Analysis of Empowerment," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 34(5), pages 905-922, May.
    6. Richard Shearmur & Philippe Apparicio & Pauline Lizion & Mario Polèse, 2007. "Space, Time, and Local Employment Growth: An Application of Spatial Regression Analysis," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 696-722, December.
    7. R Flowerdew, 1998. "Reacting to Ground Truth," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 30(2), pages 289-301, February.
    8. N/A, 1991. "Commentaries," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 23(8), pages 1087-1094, August.
    9. Michael Brown & Travis Colton, 2001. "Dying Epistemologies: An Analysis of Home Death and its Critique," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 33(5), pages 799-821, May.
    10. Richard Harris & David O’Sullivan & Mark Gahegan & Martin Charlton & Lex Comber & Paul Longley & Chris Brunsdon & Nick Malleson & Alison Heppenstall & Alex Singleton & Daniel Arribas-Bel & Andy Evan, 2017. "More bark than bytes? Reflections on 21+ years of geocomputation," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 44(4), pages 598-617, July.
    11. Mitch Rose, 2004. "Reembracing Metaphysics," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 36(3), pages 461-468, March.
    12. Matthew W Wilson & Mark Graham, 2013. "Situating Neogeography," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 45(1), pages 3-9, January.
    13. Wang, Lu & Rosenberg, Mark & Lo, Lucia, 2008. "Ethnicity and utilization of family physicians: A case study of Mainland Chinese immigrants in Toronto, Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(9), pages 1410-1422, November.
    14. N/A, 1994. "Commentaries," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 26(4), pages 499-508, April.
    15. Mei-Po Kwan & LaDona Knigge, 2006. "Doing Qualitative Research Using GIS: An Oxymoronic Endeavor?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(11), pages 1999-2002, November.
    16. M A Crang & A C Hudson & S M Reimer & S J Hinchliffe, 1997. "Software for Qualitative Research: 1. Prospectus and Overview," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 29(5), pages 771-787, May.
    17. D A Griffith & P R Pryde & N R Fyfe & S Warren & É Darier & J Rees & N AlSayyad & T Harvey & W Adams, 1997. "Reviews: Review Essay: Interactive Spatial Data Analysis, Environmental Security and Quality after Communism, Law, Space and the Geographies of Power, Ground Truth: The Social Implications of Geograph," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 29(4), pages 747-760, April.
    18. LaDona Knigge & Meghan Cope, 2006. "Grounded Visualization: Integrating the Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Data through Grounded Theory and Visualization," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(11), pages 2021-2037, November.
    19. R J Johnston & N J Thrift, 1993. "Ringing the Changes: The Intellectual History of Environment and Planning A," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 25(1_suppl), pages 14-21, January.
    20. N J Thrift & R J Johnston, 1993. "The Futures of Environment and Planning A," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 25(1_suppl), pages 83-102, January.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:38:y:2006:i:11:p:2003-2020. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.