4:30 PM - 4:45 PM
[HGG03-11] Mutual referencing between earth and social sciences in the study on sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship
Keywords:human-environment interaction, global change, sustainability
1. Revised triangular relationship
Furuichi et al. (2024a) reviewed the discussion in Ueda et al. (2022, 2023) and pointed out that there is distinct difference between earth and social sciences regarding their positions against the society, and therefore revised the Ueda’s triangular relationship by replacing ‘the society’ with ‘sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship’. The revised triangular relationship has secured the equal positions for both earth and social sciences by recognizing the fact that geoscience does not aim to investigate the relationship between the environment and the society and that, likewise, the social science does not aim to investigate the mechanisms and characteristics of natural resources and the environment. The revised triangle has emphasized the attitude that the earth and social sciences should refer to each other's findings, because both sides are commonly dealing with the theme of sustainability of natural resources and the environment. The mutual referencing will enable various discussions, not only on institutional and technical theories/systems of social implementation of the scientific knowledge, but also on the concept and/or purpose of social implementation for sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship. This will then enable to constantly review the socio-cultural significance and direction of social implementation by timely developing discussions from different angles and depths.
2. Mutual referencing of research findings
Furuichi et al. (2024a) also illustrated how earth and social sciences refer to each other for the sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship through reviewing the studies on the characteristics, changes and impacts of land-use (especially, terraced paddy fields) on society and natural resources/environment in northern Vietnam (Sekine and Isoda 2024; Furuichi et al. 2024b). Earth science can refer to the findings on social factors of land-use change and the effects of geomorphic processes (and their changes) on the society that social science analyses from the socio-economic data and fieldwork findings, and social science can refer to the findings on land use-change and geomorphic processes that earth science analyses from remote sensing data and field monitoring, measurements and observation. Such exchange of the knowledge to effectively capture the integrated, in-depth reality of sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship is an approach that geography has been working on as its own raison d'etre in science (Matthews and Herbert 2008).
3. Various themes where mutual referencing and dialogues are encouraged
Matthews and Herbert (2008) listed five themes that natural geography (an earth science) and human geography (a social science) can (and should) work together: (1) Regional geography; (2) Historical geography; (3) Geography of human-environment interaction; (4) Geography of global change; and (5) Landscape geography. While recognizing the inevitable segmentation of science required to uncover the mechanisms, structure and history of nature and the society, we must also be aware of the need to seek solutions to the current situation and changes recognized as challenges, which are deeply related to sustainability of society and natural resources/environment, as typically found in Theme (3) and Theme (4). In facing the reality of modern society, where we have to find solutions, we should broaden our perspectives on each theme and deepen our discussions by more consciously exploring the direction (attitude) in which the earth and social sciences can refer to each other's findings.
References
Ueda et al. (2022) JpGU2022, HGG01-10.
Ueda et al. (2023) JpGU2023, HGG01-09.
Furuichi et al. (2023) JpGU2023, HGG01-P03.
Furuichi et al. (2024a) JpGU2024, HGG02-05.
Furuichi et al. (2024b) JpGU2024, HGG02-P04.
Matthews JA, Herbert DT (2008) Geography: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
Furuichi et al. (2024a) reviewed the discussion in Ueda et al. (2022, 2023) and pointed out that there is distinct difference between earth and social sciences regarding their positions against the society, and therefore revised the Ueda’s triangular relationship by replacing ‘the society’ with ‘sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship’. The revised triangular relationship has secured the equal positions for both earth and social sciences by recognizing the fact that geoscience does not aim to investigate the relationship between the environment and the society and that, likewise, the social science does not aim to investigate the mechanisms and characteristics of natural resources and the environment. The revised triangle has emphasized the attitude that the earth and social sciences should refer to each other's findings, because both sides are commonly dealing with the theme of sustainability of natural resources and the environment. The mutual referencing will enable various discussions, not only on institutional and technical theories/systems of social implementation of the scientific knowledge, but also on the concept and/or purpose of social implementation for sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship. This will then enable to constantly review the socio-cultural significance and direction of social implementation by timely developing discussions from different angles and depths.
2. Mutual referencing of research findings
Furuichi et al. (2024a) also illustrated how earth and social sciences refer to each other for the sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship through reviewing the studies on the characteristics, changes and impacts of land-use (especially, terraced paddy fields) on society and natural resources/environment in northern Vietnam (Sekine and Isoda 2024; Furuichi et al. 2024b). Earth science can refer to the findings on social factors of land-use change and the effects of geomorphic processes (and their changes) on the society that social science analyses from the socio-economic data and fieldwork findings, and social science can refer to the findings on land use-change and geomorphic processes that earth science analyses from remote sensing data and field monitoring, measurements and observation. Such exchange of the knowledge to effectively capture the integrated, in-depth reality of sustainability of human geo-ecology relationship is an approach that geography has been working on as its own raison d'etre in science (Matthews and Herbert 2008).
3. Various themes where mutual referencing and dialogues are encouraged
Matthews and Herbert (2008) listed five themes that natural geography (an earth science) and human geography (a social science) can (and should) work together: (1) Regional geography; (2) Historical geography; (3) Geography of human-environment interaction; (4) Geography of global change; and (5) Landscape geography. While recognizing the inevitable segmentation of science required to uncover the mechanisms, structure and history of nature and the society, we must also be aware of the need to seek solutions to the current situation and changes recognized as challenges, which are deeply related to sustainability of society and natural resources/environment, as typically found in Theme (3) and Theme (4). In facing the reality of modern society, where we have to find solutions, we should broaden our perspectives on each theme and deepen our discussions by more consciously exploring the direction (attitude) in which the earth and social sciences can refer to each other's findings.
References
Ueda et al. (2022) JpGU2022, HGG01-10.
Ueda et al. (2023) JpGU2023, HGG01-09.
Furuichi et al. (2023) JpGU2023, HGG01-P03.
Furuichi et al. (2024a) JpGU2024, HGG02-05.
Furuichi et al. (2024b) JpGU2024, HGG02-P04.
Matthews JA, Herbert DT (2008) Geography: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.