Asian GeographerPub Date : 2017-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2017.1322992
D. Kumar
{"title":"Surface temperature variability analysis of an urban area using Landsat ETM+ thermal images","authors":"D. Kumar","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2017.1322992","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2017.1322992","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The issues relating to global warming and urban heat island have praised the global inclination toward the study of surface temperature (ST) variations. ST is undeniably considered as one of the most significant parameters to assess the impact of temperature variability in any urban environment. The present work tries to extend the work beyond the thermal image processing for variability analysis with a multiscale cell division approach. Subsequently, a radical approach in conjunction with formal statistical techniques is attempted to characterize the spatial variability for the directional attributes. These methods may be helpful in detecting and quantifying the spatial variability at major and minor scales. The spatial variability is investigated to illustrate the spatial distribution of temperature over urban–rural (Rurban) areas contributing to the heat island. The results seemingly revealed that there is an aggregation of the spatial thermal gradient along Rurban areas and vice versa, whereas urban fringe exhibited very complex results of temperature variability for the various land use. The study also validated the approaches for integration of spatial variability techniques with the formal statistical approach as a reliable mechanism to monitor the thermal dynamics in the urban environment.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2017.1322992","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46118499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2017-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2017.1323654
David N. Nguyen
{"title":"An archipelagic tourism development model: the case of Okinawa Prefecture","authors":"David N. Nguyen","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2017.1323654","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2017.1323654","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper advances geographic theoretical models on the spatial and temporal effects of tourism development and modifies them to analyze archipelagic destinations. Using Okinawa, Japan, as a case study, changes in the distribution of resort hotels, transportation linkages, tourism numbers, and development policies are examined over a period of 40 years. The results of this empirical study suggest that Okinawa’s development corresponds very closely to the archipelagic model which, in turn, corresponds to other similar models predicting the spread of tourism.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2017.1323654","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48584470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2017-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2017.1325758
Yuming Jiang, Zongshan Li, Z. Fan
{"title":"Tree-ring based February–April relative humidity reconstruction since A.D. 1695 in the Gaoligong Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Yuming Jiang, Zongshan Li, Z. Fan","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2017.1325758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2017.1325758","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT High-resolution proxy data are limited in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, which inhibits our understanding of long-term climate variability in historical periods. In this study, we developed one tree-ring-width chronology of Tsuga dumosa (D. Don Eichler) in the Gaoligong Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Tree-ring-width chronology showed negative correlations with monthly temperatures in most months, especially for current year, whereas correlations with precipitation and relative humidity were mostly positive. Significant positive correlations were found between tree rings and relative humidity in February, April and June of current year and May of previous year. February–April relative humidity was reconstructed for the past 321 years (A.D. 1695–2016) in the Gaoligong Mountains, which explained 26% of the actual variance during the calibration period 1962–2004. In this reconstruction, dry periods occurred in 1808–1820, 1831–1842, 1914–1921, 1958–1964 and 1980–1988. Wet periods were found in 1700–1727, 1821–1830, 1843–1859, 1944–1957 and 1965–1979. The dry and wet episodes of our relative humidity reconstruction match well other studies in the nearby regions, which demonstrate that the new record is reliable and captures large-scale climate signals.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2017.1325758","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47539076","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2016-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2016.1250645
Anna Ka-yin Lee
{"title":"The role of private sector in built heritage conservation: a case study of Xinhepu, Guangzhou","authors":"Anna Ka-yin Lee","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2016.1250645","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2016.1250645","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The pursuit of cultural heritage conservation is particularly problematic in China as the country has been undergoing substantial changes in its governance processes in the post-reform era. As the regime becomes less authoritarian and more pluralized, a multitude of stakeholders (both state and non-state), are now involved in promoting, constructing, challenging and safeguarding a variety of meanings and values in heritage. This paper focuses the attention on the market sector and examines the extent of market forces in contributing to effective heritage conservation using the designated historic district of Xinhepu in the old residential district of Yuexiu in Guangzhou as a case. The concept of neoliberalism implies a larger role played by the market, which is defined as investment, expertise and innovations from the private operators. Informed by a review of relevant documents and publications, and semi-structured interviews with Guangzhou-based state- and non-stakeholders who have extensive knowledge on managing the historic district, this paper examines the achievements and difficulties of individual private operators face in protecting heritage buildings and historic buildings on the site. The findings suggest that Guangzhou has yet to fully embrace a neoliberal approach to heritage conservation. The conditions of extending market forces to successfully conserve the entire historic district include the formulation of a clear set of regulatory rules and the presence of implementing agencies with enhanced institutional and organizational strength, both of which are regrettably absent in the case.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2016.1250645","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59942385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2016-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2016.1252274
Zhihong Chen
{"title":"The frontier crisis and the construction of modern Chinese geography in Republican China (1911–1949)","authors":"Zhihong Chen","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2016.1252274","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2016.1252274","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The article probes into the connection between territorial nationalism and the disciplinary formation of modern geography in early twentieth-century China. It explores how a group of Republican Chinese geographers, such as Zhu Kezhen 竺可楨 (1890–1974), Hu Huanyong 胡煥庸 (1901–1998), and Zhang Qiyun張其昀 (1900–1985), reexamined Chinese traditional dynastic geography (yange dili) and defined the nature and methodology of what they called the “new geography” under the context of foreign imperialism, Chinese nationalism, and escalating frontier crisis. It argues that Chinese intellectuals’ efforts to overcome the frontier crisis led to a significant shift of major methodology in geography from textual research to actual fieldwork or on-site investigation. The adoption of this new methodology distinguished the “new geography” from the old dynastic geography. Geographers also grappled with multiple concepts and diverse traditions in physical geography, human geography and regional geography. Environmental determinism was adopted but quickly replaced by possibilist approaches. There were also attempts at reforming the traditional Chinese gazetteers using modern geographic ideas. Geographical research was imbued with political concerns. Cooperation between geographers and the state also led to the establishment of important geographical departments and study societies, providing institutional foundation for the maturation of modern Chinese geography as a discipline independent of either history or geology.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2016.1252274","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59942389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2016-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2016.1235053
K. D. Regmi
{"title":"The political economy of 2015 Nepal earthquake: some critical reflections","authors":"K. D. Regmi","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2016.1235053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2016.1235053","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A massive earthquake of 7.6 magnitudes on 25 April 2015 and a major aftershock of 6.8 magnitudes on 12 May 2015 hit central Nepal. The earthquake took the lives of about 9000 people, injured about 24,000 and affected one-third of Nepal’s total population (28 million). Despite a huge amount of money (US$ 4.4 billion) pledged by the international community, reconstruction works could not take place on time. Using participatory approach to reconstruction and development as a theoretical framework and reflexivity as a methodological tool, this paper argues that the delay in reconstruction was caused by the inability of the Government of Nepal (GON) as well as the international community, mainly donors, to encourage local participation. The amount of loan pledged by the international community has increased Nepal’s debt stock rather than really helping those who are affected by the disaster. The paper concludes that the modernist top-down model of development – that both government and donors take for granted – has created roadblocks towards understanding Nepal’s contextual realities. Sustainable reconstruction and development cannot be achieved without strengthening the capability of local communities.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2016.1235053","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59942335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2016-07-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2016.1237370
M. A. Hossen
{"title":"Participatory mapping for community empowerment","authors":"M. A. Hossen","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2016.1237370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2016.1237370","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper attempts to show how participatory mapping practices can contribute to local water resource management for community empowerment. The river bank communities such as Chapra encounter exclusion because of geographic aspects of local water development projects. To understand this exclusion, this paper focuses on the research question; why did the Ganges-Kobodak and the Gorai River Restoration Projects cover some parts of Chapra and ignore others? This question is addressed here by using participatory mapping based on qualitative and quantitative data analyses in coordination with cartographic knowledge. For these data, I use my Ph.D. fieldwork experiences in 2011–2012 on the Gorai River bank communities at Chapra in Bangladesh. My data analyses found that the projects’ boundary selection follows the top-down approach that includes some specific geographic areas and excludes others based on specific interests. To understand the effects of this approach on Chapra communities and to promote community participation, this paper is divided into three major sections: participatory mapping in the context of my fieldwork site, bottom-up mapping approach as foundation for community inclusion, and participatory mapping for community empowerment: local development and resource conservation. These sections will be helpful for responding the above research question and for developing better understanding about community empowerment by participatory mapping approach.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2016.1237370","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59942352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2016-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2016.1185639
Mahsa Mansouri, Norsidah Ujang
{"title":"Tourist’ expectation and satisfaction towards pedestrian networks in the historical district of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia","authors":"Mahsa Mansouri, Norsidah Ujang","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2016.1185639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2016.1185639","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Despite urban designers attempt to advocate walking in urban areas by upgrading the walking environment, there has been very little research done to corroborate this claim. More studies are required to investigate the connection between the walking environment and actual walking experience particularly in the context of Asian cities. This study discusses the effects of pedestrian accessibility, connectivity and continuity on tourists’ walking experience based on their expectations and satisfaction of the pedestrian networks. The study focused on the historical district of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data were gathered from questionnaire survey conducted with 330 respondents, who were tourists walking in the area. The study demonstrated that tourists’ expectations on the spatial characteristics of walkways in terms of accessibility, connectivity and continuity were greater than their satisfaction. The tourists’ satisfaction relates strongly to diverse street usages and activities. The findings of the study will be a useful reference for planners and urban designers in providing walkable places to support urban tourism activities.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2016.1185639","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59942170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2016-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2016.1197136
Barney Warf
{"title":"Geographically uneven landscapes of Asian corruption","authors":"Barney Warf","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2016.1197136","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2016.1197136","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Corruption plagues all Asian countries to one extent or another. Rather than the universal one-size-fits-all models, corruption must be understood within national and local contexts, that is, as geographically variable. This paper explores this issue in three steps. First it offers a discussion of corruption’s origins and consequences, noting the catalyzing role played by anti-democratic governments, censorship, poverty, illiteracy, and cultural norms. Second, it maps Asian corruption using data from Transparency International and correlates it with several economic and political measures, including national income, the Gini index, literacy, a Freedom House score, and the World Bank measure of government effectiveness. The third part consists of an extended discussion of national variations in corruption throughout the region, focusing on China and other highly corrupt states. The conclusion criticizes the role of anti-corruption campaigns and points to other, more substantive strategies to reduce it.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2016.1197136","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59942254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asian GeographerPub Date : 2016-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10225706.2015.1137218
Q. Tan
{"title":"Feeling/filling closet smoking spaces: negotiating public–private spheres, traversing emotional terrains","authors":"Q. Tan","doi":"10.1080/10225706.2015.1137218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10225706.2015.1137218","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Aligned with geography's efforts to recover subaltern spaces, this paper investigates the phenomenon of smoking in Singapore through the concept of the queer closet. In so doing, I argue that the closet offers a refreshing analytical framework for thinking about the spatial politics of smoking beyond the dichotomies of public and public spheres, visibility and invisibility, concealment and disclosure, among others. By employing a qualitative methodology, I examine how embodied senses of fragmented selves may vary across space as young people selectively “out” themselves as smokers. Relatedly, I demonstrate that they are to varying degrees, in and out of the closet. Additionally, I contend that they are creative agents who are capable of working around the spatio-social constraints that have been imposed by the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act.","PeriodicalId":44260,"journal":{"name":"Asian Geographer","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10225706.2015.1137218","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59942020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}