Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Managing Geographic Information Systems 2nd Edition
Guilford Publications
Hardback £41.00 ISBN 9781593856350
This book addresses a fundamental challenge that faces researchers that want to design solutions and techniques that are replicable and can be rolled out in other settings. It refers to a “twin pronged problem”: how to make analytical technologies work for a particular problem, and how to manage the effective use of those technologies within organisational or institutional contexts. The technology in question here is GIS: Geographic Information Systems, or crudely put, using computers to deal with information about places.
Those with a background in GIS will recognise the classic status of the original 1996 edition. This edition offers a collection of updates to original chapters together with additional material to reflect the significant diffusion of GIS and development of experience that has occurred in the last decade.
The book essentially begins with a general and relatively simplified exploration of the key contextual challenges of management and the use of the information to inform decision making. Chapters two and three are particularly valuable in this regard because they offer a condensed and extremely accessible account of why information matters and why it is of such important to a range of management and governance tasks. The basic principle here is that ‘information’ is an organisation’s lifeblood, but that simply throwing money at computer systems doesn’t necessarily help to clear the clots. There needs to be careful consideration of what an organisation’s objectives are; what the appropriate levels for decision making are; and what data are required to generate appropriate and useful information. Although the book is light on housing examples per se, it doesn’t stretch the imagination overly to see how its insights apply to housing organisations and to those that are involved in researching or advising on housing issues. The book goes on to develop a simple and cogent argument for how geography matters in most of these activities (it particularly singles out the public sector here) and hence why strategies for information need to explicitly cater for geographic information from the bottom up.
Following this contextual scene-setting, the book goes on to explore some specific issues related to geography. There is a basic plea for transparency and sensitivity on part of those who create and use geographic information. Most GIS books abound with examples of the sorts of things that can go wrong when spatial data are misused – and this volume is no exception – but the clear message that the reader is left with is that everything has its limits, including information itself and our capacity to know how to use it. Again, the value of thinking carefully about these limits within the organisational context is stressed. Inevitably this means investing in staff time (not just more software) and keeping meticulous ‘metadata’ (data about data), which in turn facilitates the sharing of information. Metadata is something that most GIS books predictably get rather evangelical over (much to the boredom of this reviewer) but at least Obermeyer and Pinto develop some pretty strong arguments for it.
One of the limitations of the book is that it does not offer a specific account of how the widespread diffusion of the Internet has impacted the way GIS can be used. The authors are aware of this limitation from the outset, and it is true that they raise the relevance of the Internet at appropriate places when considering other aspects of GIS. But, given its focus on the management of GIS within organisations, this seems a surprising omission, particularly given the increasing centrality of web-tools in nearly all aspects of research and policy making. Indeed, such has been the proliferation of GIS-enabled web-based information in the public domain that Burrows et al (2005) were prompted to remind us of its potentially dangerous impacts on local neighbourhoods and housing markets. Having said this, Obermeyer and Pinto do recognise the ‘social obligations’ that GIS professionals have (in a rather full discussion of GIS ethics). Even if one is left with the overwhelming sense that the solution is seen as democratising access to GIS and spatial data (e.g. so-called ‘public participation GIS’) rather than questioning the limits of our spatial conceptualisations of problems, these are pertinent and well argued insights.
One genuine concern that strongly features in the book is that of information privacy. There are plenty of sobering examples of how unfettered access to, and uncontrolled use of, postcoded data on individuals can disadvantage people or jeopardise public policy programmes. The hypothetical example of life insurance companies exploiting Philip Morris’ database of respondents to tobacco promotions is clearly not far fetched. The comparative value of such a database both to cigarette manufacturers and to smoking cessation services raises interesting questions.
Despite its lack of immediate relevance to the housing researcher, this is a valuable book. This is not because it is a current and comprehensive collection of chapters on the spatial technologies that underpin GIS. Rather, its value can be found in the way it conceptualises GIS as an important tool that can be used in the world of public policy and other spheres. From this it follows that a deep engagement is needed with how GIS can be used effectively within organisations and to help plan to meet strategic objectives. This implies a focus less on ‘technology’ and instead on more ‘mundane’ aspects such as staffing, data, ontology, skills and professionalism.
Housing scholars might baulk at the notion of a ‘GIS professional’ such as this book advances. But this is perhaps the logical outcome of drawing a wide definition of GIS that includes its management as well as the technology. For GIS to be truly effective, it needs to be embedded within other pursuits. Just as housing scholars benefit from the applied knowledge of statisticians, economists, historians, lawyers, and other professions, so too they can benefit from those that specialise in geographic information. It is the application of these specialisms to a substantive problem that is key.
It is fair to say that GIS (and quantitative approaches to problem solving) often attract unfavourable press, particularly among housing researchers. This may partly be because we’re now at the stage that producing thematic maps has become the norm (if not passé) and because over the last 40 years or so, the ‘first law of geography’ attributed to Waldo Tobler and the quantitative geography revolution he participated in has left us no closer to answering some of the more intractable public policy questions. But the way we use geographic information – in a more intelligent, embedded and above all honest way; to stimulate debate – still holds much promise. This book imparts much needed insight and plenty of salient reminders to help us to achieve this.
Reference:
Burrows, R., Ellison, N. And Woods, B. (2005) Neighbourhood on the Net: the nature and impact of internet-based neighbourhood information systems. Bristol: Policy Press.
Ed Ferrari
Town and Regional Planning, University of Sheffield
Friday, 16 May 2008
New Poll: Will house prices go up or down in the next 12 months?
"Will house prices go up or down in the next 12 months?"
Please leave comments on the current poll here. Click to leave a comment and join the debate.
Poll Result: "Are today's housing researchers too uncritical of the policies they research?"
Yes: 48% (12 votes)
No: 52% (13 votes)
Last months poll obviously hit a bone of contention and I don't think we can say there is a clear concensus other than we agree to disagree - how academic! There were some interesting comments left on the blog in relation to the question which can be viewed here. The answer seems to revolve around the position we are looking from. As pure academics, maybe we are too uncritical or the policies which we analyse and evaluate. But is this a case of not biting the hand that feeds us? Alternatively are we critical in ways that we ourselves don't recognise and policy makers who are at the coalface have little time to understand? Or does it depend on the arena we are in - critical for our colleagues but happy to be friendly to our funders? The debate is only likely to continue in a research area whic is applied by its very nature and has always juggled academic rigour with the needs of those "doing" housing policy.
Please use the comment pages on the blog to continue the debate!
Rob Rowlands
Editor
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
'Whaur are you Fae' - Neighbourhood identity in Stirling, over time and place
A new study examining neighbourhood identity has just been published by JRF. Neighbourhood identity is core to understanding both diversity and cohesion. Such an identity is established at a very early stage of each neighbourhood’s history, and proved resilient to change. Such identities were underpinned by social class and status – which was sometimes based on historic male employment patterns – as well as physical characteristics, including housing style, type and tenure. There was evidence of internal differentiation in each neighbourhood, often through minute differences between households, streets and, in the past, male occupations. It was also shown that external perceptions of a neighbourhoods identity were often stronger and more of a caricature than those held by people who lived there, and this has major implications in relation to their perceived popularity.
Family networks, friends and neighbours were given differing degrees of importance in people’s notions of what created a sense of community, and consequently their perceptions of cohesion or diversity. However, their presence helped sustain a sense of community and people’s own sense of involvement within that community. Notions of community were constructed through familiar, everyday social interactions within various localised settings, which were often enough to give people a powerful sense of place attachment and belonging. In each neighbourhood, respondents interviewed for the study suggested notions of community were declining in response to an ever-increasing individualism. Many respondents saw women as playing the core role in sustaining community, through their family and child-rearing roles in local neighbourhoods. With greater numbers of women now working, this role in binding communities was felt to have declined. Similar cohesion influences were provided by elderly residents who held a historic perspective as to what the community had once been, a resource draw on by many current residents.
The report, based on a recent JRF funded project, details the construction of neighbourhood identity, its relationship to social class and status, through a blending of historic and qualitative research methods. The three neighbourhoods examined were located within the Scottish city of Stirling. This work has major implications for renewal programmes, the creation of 'mixed communities' as well as planning and governance policies. A copy of the full report can be downloaded from: http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/details.asp?pubID=946
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
New Academic Publications
This article focuses on the challenges posed for representative democracy both by participatory democratic practices and by the current emphasis on (so-called) responsible participation. Based on the example of ‘community’ housing associations in Scotland, this paper explores these tensions. It is argued that the critique of responsibility may have been overstated, that, in particular, ‘community’ housing associations offer the basis for relatively more inclusive and effective processes of decision making than council housing, which relies on the traditional processes and institutions of representative local government for its legitimacy.
Flint, J. (2008) 'Governing Sectarianism in Scotland', Scottish Affairs, 63: 107-124.
This article focuses on the contemporary emergence of the governance of sectarianism in Scotland and draws parallels between the Respect and community cohesion agendas in England and Wales. It argues that the similarity lies in the ambitious attempt to bring about cultural shifts in populations and to recode social conduct. These ambitions and actions of government raise important questions about how citizenship and national identity are constructed in Scotland.
HSA Conference: The Early Career Stream – Reflections and Experiences
The Housing Studies Association conference took place at the University of York in April 2008. The conference was an especially exciting event for those embarking on their academic and research careers, with a presentation stream devoted to doctoral and post-doctoral researchers. The stream was developed to support the work and provide platform for early housing career researchers. Benefits included,
- Performing in a supportive environment.
- Entering the ‘professional’ world of academia on a more ‘formal’ platform.
- Being received by a ‘safe’ audience – a mixture of established scholars, contract researchers, - housing practitioners and postgraduates.
- Gaining feedback on your research studies and critical reflections.
My own experience of delivering a paper in the early careers stream was overwhelmingly positive. I was met by a friendly and encouraging atmosphere. The rooms allocated for the early careers stream enabled a ‘workshop’ feel. As a presenter you were close to your audience and could quickly gauge with how well your work was being received. The ‘informal’ atmosphere was complemented well by a very slick and well run event, where early career researchers were incorporated into the whole of the conference. For example, the early career stream programme and abstracts were included in the conference programme and facilities for the stream were the same as for the main conference streams. In addition, established academics were vocal in their support for the early career stream during the conference introduction. Therefore, despite being in a separate stream, the feel of the conference remained highly inclusive.
Another positive aspect was the decision to offer extended presentation times to all presenters. For qualitative researchers at doctoral stage, the work is often detailed, rich and nuanced. In addition, if you are still carrying out the research, it might prove difficult to draw out ‘key themes’ whilst still carrying out preliminary data analysis. I would suggest that the extra time was helpful in that it enabled postgraduates to talk about their ‘reflections’ and thoughts on their research. The extra time allocated to questions and discussion enabled more detailed discussion and analysis to take place.
My presentation was concerned with research methods and the role of ‘insider’ researcher. This involved discussion of what is it to complete social research into an organisation and sector where you are working as a practitioner. Given the presentation topic, it was interesting to have such a diverse audience: housing practitioners, postgraduate researchers, contract researchers and established academics. A number of people seemed to identify with methodological and ethical concerns associated with insiderness, as they themselves had worked as practitioners prior to, or alongside, their roles as housing researchers. Several people commented that this diversity amongst attendees gives the HSA conferences an interesting dimension, in contrast to other conferences that might be predominantly academic.
I ended up attending a number of the early career presentations. The reason for this was that there were so many researchers discussing ‘fresh’ empirical work. Whilst all the HSA presentations were incredibly insightful, stimulating and interesting, I personally valued the opportunity to listen to recent findings from smaller scale, detailed and (due to the nature of doctoral research) innovative studies. In this way, many of the early career presentations provided a great mix of key informant views alongside theoretical reflections and each researcher’s critical understandings.
The world of academia might be considered a ‘profession’ like any other. It has it’s own set of ‘rules’, language and career path. Accessing that world might be initially challenging. In the early stages you are working to gain confidence and ‘move forward’, in order to establish a role for yourself within the research community. Therefore, where organisations hold out a helping hand, and offer a ‘springboard’ into that world, it is gratefully received!
In addition, as an early career researcher, it is fantastic to gain feedback from a variety of sources. I certainly felt that all feedback and comments enabled me to review my work, which I believe will have a positive impact in terms of my intellectual development as a scholar. In addition, such feedback is useful for the more practical elements facing early career or doctoral researcher: further presentations, potential publications and the all important Viva.
All of the presentations in the early career stream were of a very high standard. The clarity with which presenters spoke, and the delivery of presentations hopefully offered a glimpse of the future for UK housing research. I for one, felt privileged to be part of the early careers stream, and look forward to future networking events and learning opportunities.
Rachael Dobson, University of Leeds
Governance: Theory, Policy and Practice - Symposium
The event is free but places are limited, contact Angela.Higgins@stir.ac.uk to reserve a place. All welcome – attendance is open to researchers, policymakers and practitioners.
CLG Publications
The English House Condition Survey 2006 Private Landlords Survey was published on 9 April
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/privatelandlordsurvey
Ministerial Advisory Panel: Future Regulation of Social Housing
New Immigrants and Migrants in Social Housing in England
For more information about the project please contact David Robinson d.robinson@shu.ac.uk.
The Private Rented Sector in West Yorkshire
The study team used a range of research techniques to explore the characteristics of the sector including: in-depth interviews with landlords and “key stakeholders”, such as letting agents; analysis of private rental adverts in local newspapers; and analysis of secondary data relating to the sector. A key element of the work was case studies in five areas: Moorthorpe; Girlington; the Headingley student market; Ravensthorpe and the Huddersfield student market.
The report begins by identifying the key characteristics of the sector and explores how it has changed in recent years. It then explores the relationship between private landlords and local authorities and considers the future of the sector. The final chapter offers a number of policy recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners working in the PRS in the sub-region.
A copy of the report can be downloaded from the CRESR website at: http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/
For more information about the project please contact Paul Hickman on p.g.hickman@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 4522.
Portobello and Belle Vue Housing Impact Study
For example, some residents in the study area have completed written diaries about their residential experiences. Diarists also took photographs of places, people and “things” of interest to them using disposable cameras and provided short written commentaries about why they took them. In addition, local residents produced two short films about life in the study area, working closely with a community film production company: Littlestar.
The key findings to emerge from the first year of the study are outlined in the first Annual Review Report produced by the study team. The report’s executive summary can be downloaded from the CRESR website at: http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/ For more information about the project please contact Paul Hickman on p.g.hickman@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 4522.