At this moment I am considering the questions to ask the local people when I am in the field. The originality of my research, compared to other studies in the area, is the assessment of resilience. The field visit will provide me with some information for resilience assessment that cannot be obtained from other places. This will involve the historical data, people's perception of events and policies, and actual practices.
I may need to read more methodology about resilience analysis and design my questions accordingly.
2007年1月12日星期五
2007年1月6日星期六
Week 14: Emerging issues
The main theme in this week is the coming pilot fieldtrip. I say it's ``coming'' but it is in fact still about 3 months away. But gosh, I have so many issues to look at during these three months.
I somehow managed to produce a review on qualitative methodology and research design shortly after New Year's day. But I am not contend to limit my project to pure human geography or anthropology study. I still want to strive for a interdiscipline research, although I do recognise the difficulty to think out an integrated approach to use both qualitative and quantitative data and to make sense of the outcomes. I think I need a quick technique which allows me to measure some ecological characteristic of the area with limited equipment and simple observation. I just do not know if it is there.
I have not successfully establish contact with anyone at home working on the Plateau. I still have time for that but lack of progress is always making me nervous.
My major task in the next week would be fund-seeking. It is somewhat like applying for positions in a course or a research program, which involves a lot of paperwork: proposal, forms, references, etc. I think this process would bring me some more benefit than financial support -- I can comb my mind through the preparation of the application and know more clearly what I will need when I am in the field.
I somehow managed to produce a review on qualitative methodology and research design shortly after New Year's day. But I am not contend to limit my project to pure human geography or anthropology study. I still want to strive for a interdiscipline research, although I do recognise the difficulty to think out an integrated approach to use both qualitative and quantitative data and to make sense of the outcomes. I think I need a quick technique which allows me to measure some ecological characteristic of the area with limited equipment and simple observation. I just do not know if it is there.
I have not successfully establish contact with anyone at home working on the Plateau. I still have time for that but lack of progress is always making me nervous.
My major task in the next week would be fund-seeking. It is somewhat like applying for positions in a course or a research program, which involves a lot of paperwork: proposal, forms, references, etc. I think this process would bring me some more benefit than financial support -- I can comb my mind through the preparation of the application and know more clearly what I will need when I am in the field.
2007年1月5日星期五
The household responsibility contract system and the question of grassland protection. A case study from the Chang Tang, northwest Tibet Autonomous Region
Munin: The household responsibility contract system and the question of grassland protection. A case study from the Chang Tang, northwest Tibet Autonomous Region
This is a similar project to what I am doing. I believe this will be an aid to my research, while also being a threshold that I must surpass to earn my degree.
This is a similar project to what I am doing. I believe this will be an aid to my research, while also being a threshold that I must surpass to earn my degree.
钱钟书，琼瑶小说以及知识暴发户
钱钟书，琼瑶小说以及知识暴发户 (评论: 围城)
要评论《围城》，有众多钱学大家在前洋洋洒洒，又有无数网民在后手持板砖虎视眈眈，要写篇不偏不倚的评论，想必并不是件容易的事。豆瓣上这位却剑走偏锋，不谈其他，单说围城里几个读书人和读书人的风雅，却也夺得满堂喝彩。我看了这篇评论以及后面的回应，也觉得有些启发。
评论的立论，就说钱钟书一点：抖落学识如富家子弟玩弄车钥匙一般看似漫不经心，这是修为。而在网上几个读书论坛拍砖的人们，倒像是知识的暴发户，呲牙咧嘴地啃完几本大部头后，便把书籍化作板砖，朝对手拍去，直拍得对手哑口无言，那便是最好，倘若对手还击，那便要去读更多的书，掉更多的书袋，非要拍服对手为止。评论者主张，读书当为乐趣而读，而非为虚荣而读。后面回应，跟着叫好的没什么意思，不过有几位异见人士的发言也是颇有见地。豆瓣上前段时间都是风花雪月不知所云的评论占据首页，大家没事都去小组里灌水。这篇《围城》的评论，总算带来了一股清凉。
反省一下自己读书的态度，小时候只要是有字的纸张，都要捧到手里看个究竟，那时读书，倒确实是全为乐趣而读，但大多数如同风拂水面，过去无痕。有印象的只有《十万个为什么》和几本科普读物，完成了我最早的常识和科学启蒙。进入初中之后忙于课业，没有太多功夫看闲书，课余都是以入门级的电脑技术书籍和没什么营养的杂志打发时间，从《读者》之类杂志学会了悲天悯人，却不知道内心的自留地抛荒已久。高中时开始关心社会，才发现自己对于这个社会如何运行竟然是全然懵懂无知，于是开始了生命中第二个好读书不求甚解的时期。从《时间简史》到《正义论》，也不管能否看懂，都先买来通读一遍，心想若一遍不懂则看二遍三遍十遍，不料翻完一遍后居然从来也没有时间再细读，于是如今这些书居然都没给我留下什么印象。回想起来，那也是一种知识暴发户的读书态度。收获不能说完全没有，但多数是停留在字面和事实意义上的零碎。
这种态度一直延续到了大学。直到来到小岛，买不起书了，才开始珍惜起手头几本不多的名著。但是还是常常为没有时间读书而苦恼，恨不能像在国内时那样博览群书。今天看到这篇评论，才总算为自己的不买书和不看书找到了理由。带到小岛上的书虽然不多，多数还是很有份量的。虽然没有买书的钱，也没有读书的时间，但抓紧每天的一个小时，细细咀嚼其中一两本书，收获也不见得比翻完一本又一本大部头小。做不成钱钟书那样的知识富豪，搞点一分钱一分货踏踏实实的小农经济还是可以的。
至于评论作者所说的全为乐趣读书，我想是个个人选择的问题。就我而言，大部分专业书看起来没有什么明显的乐趣，然而也是非看不可的。小说读来最有乐趣，对人的人格塑造可能也有助益，然而可以修身齐家，却不足以治国平天下。我以为既然是以做知识分子为目标，读书还得功利，只是这功利不是为了个人闻达于诸侯，快意于论坛，更不是为了黄金屋和颜如玉，而是有用于自我的修养和回报社会。专业和学术书籍，不一定要精读，但务求读来有自己的思考。市面流行的什么纽约时报畅销书之类，大可等十年再决定读不读。手头上一些非专业的书，读来有格物致知正心诚意的功效，文字又亲切可喜，便是我这个贫农的家当，需一读再读，不要丢了才好。
要评论《围城》，有众多钱学大家在前洋洋洒洒，又有无数网民在后手持板砖虎视眈眈，要写篇不偏不倚的评论，想必并不是件容易的事。豆瓣上这位却剑走偏锋，不谈其他，单说围城里几个读书人和读书人的风雅，却也夺得满堂喝彩。我看了这篇评论以及后面的回应，也觉得有些启发。
评论的立论，就说钱钟书一点：抖落学识如富家子弟玩弄车钥匙一般看似漫不经心，这是修为。而在网上几个读书论坛拍砖的人们，倒像是知识的暴发户，呲牙咧嘴地啃完几本大部头后，便把书籍化作板砖，朝对手拍去，直拍得对手哑口无言，那便是最好，倘若对手还击，那便要去读更多的书，掉更多的书袋，非要拍服对手为止。评论者主张，读书当为乐趣而读，而非为虚荣而读。后面回应，跟着叫好的没什么意思，不过有几位异见人士的发言也是颇有见地。豆瓣上前段时间都是风花雪月不知所云的评论占据首页，大家没事都去小组里灌水。这篇《围城》的评论，总算带来了一股清凉。
反省一下自己读书的态度，小时候只要是有字的纸张，都要捧到手里看个究竟，那时读书，倒确实是全为乐趣而读，但大多数如同风拂水面，过去无痕。有印象的只有《十万个为什么》和几本科普读物，完成了我最早的常识和科学启蒙。进入初中之后忙于课业，没有太多功夫看闲书，课余都是以入门级的电脑技术书籍和没什么营养的杂志打发时间，从《读者》之类杂志学会了悲天悯人，却不知道内心的自留地抛荒已久。高中时开始关心社会，才发现自己对于这个社会如何运行竟然是全然懵懂无知，于是开始了生命中第二个好读书不求甚解的时期。从《时间简史》到《正义论》，也不管能否看懂，都先买来通读一遍，心想若一遍不懂则看二遍三遍十遍，不料翻完一遍后居然从来也没有时间再细读，于是如今这些书居然都没给我留下什么印象。回想起来，那也是一种知识暴发户的读书态度。收获不能说完全没有，但多数是停留在字面和事实意义上的零碎。
这种态度一直延续到了大学。直到来到小岛，买不起书了，才开始珍惜起手头几本不多的名著。但是还是常常为没有时间读书而苦恼，恨不能像在国内时那样博览群书。今天看到这篇评论，才总算为自己的不买书和不看书找到了理由。带到小岛上的书虽然不多，多数还是很有份量的。虽然没有买书的钱，也没有读书的时间，但抓紧每天的一个小时，细细咀嚼其中一两本书，收获也不见得比翻完一本又一本大部头小。做不成钱钟书那样的知识富豪，搞点一分钱一分货踏踏实实的小农经济还是可以的。
至于评论作者所说的全为乐趣读书，我想是个个人选择的问题。就我而言，大部分专业书看起来没有什么明显的乐趣，然而也是非看不可的。小说读来最有乐趣，对人的人格塑造可能也有助益，然而可以修身齐家，却不足以治国平天下。我以为既然是以做知识分子为目标，读书还得功利，只是这功利不是为了个人闻达于诸侯，快意于论坛，更不是为了黄金屋和颜如玉，而是有用于自我的修养和回报社会。专业和学术书籍，不一定要精读，但务求读来有自己的思考。市面流行的什么纽约时报畅销书之类，大可等十年再决定读不读。手头上一些非专业的书，读来有格物致知正心诚意的功效，文字又亲切可喜，便是我这个贫农的家当，需一读再读，不要丢了才好。
Show me the money...
Today's meeting with my supervisors was mainly around the topic money ... well, funding. I need to find a (few) small amount grant(s) to cover my expense on travelling to and from Tibet. I am glad that my supervisors are far more experienced on this issue than me and provided me with a few leads to start my searching. The rest of the task is mine: to produce a table listing all possible funding sources I can find.
Also for the sake of funding application, we also discussed about the method I am going to use. My supervisor suggests that I look for not only geographical qualitative methods but also anthropological ones. So what's the difference between them? Right now I think the foci of the research are different between these two disciplines. Anthropology studies tend to stress on small-scale societies (Hammersley and Atkinson 1983). But what else differences are there?
I borrowed a few books on ethnography from the library. I will read them to see if I can find some input on this question. Also, the proposal draft and funding list will keep me busy for the fortnight.
Also for the sake of funding application, we also discussed about the method I am going to use. My supervisor suggests that I look for not only geographical qualitative methods but also anthropological ones. So what's the difference between them? Right now I think the foci of the research are different between these two disciplines. Anthropology studies tend to stress on small-scale societies (Hammersley and Atkinson 1983). But what else differences are there?
I borrowed a few books on ethnography from the library. I will read them to see if I can find some input on this question. Also, the proposal draft and funding list will keep me busy for the fortnight.
2007年1月2日星期二
Choosing qualitative research: A primer for technology education researchers
hoepfl.pdf (application/pdf Object)
This is an useful article for people just enter the domain of social science studies. Many issues, from research design to data analysis, are covered in this (not so) short article. I can return to this from time to time and review my study.
This is an useful article for people just enter the domain of social science studies. Many issues, from research design to data analysis, are covered in this (not so) short article. I can return to this from time to time and review my study.
2007年1月1日星期一
Week 13: Where is Santa?
The week of Christmas days proved to be quite busy. I just found that qualitative research method review, though hardly anything new, can be very time-consuming because of the possible situations and problems one may encounter during the field study. Even if I write everything on the book down, I am pretty sure that I will have further problems when I am in the field. Most content of the review comes from three books, which I find all very useful. But other points of view must also be necessary for a good review.
The funding hunt came to a halt. As I have no new idea about the possible sources of funding, I decided that I need to write a good proposal first. This in return involves determining the method I am going to use and planning for the field activities. I will try to contact some agencies to get more information and try to get some issues settled.
Because the libraries are closed during the New Year, I managed to have a few days' rest. It is good for me to temporarily escape from what I have been doing for a few months. However, in the coming week I am sure there will be again a lot to deal with once the libraries are open and my supervisors come back to school.
The funding hunt came to a halt. As I have no new idea about the possible sources of funding, I decided that I need to write a good proposal first. This in return involves determining the method I am going to use and planning for the field activities. I will try to contact some agencies to get more information and try to get some issues settled.
Because the libraries are closed during the New Year, I managed to have a few days' rest. It is good for me to temporarily escape from what I have been doing for a few months. However, in the coming week I am sure there will be again a lot to deal with once the libraries are open and my supervisors come back to school.
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