China Gazetteer: Topic Idea

ImportantDue

Due date set in Google Classroom

As introduced in the syllabus, the China Gazetteer project comprises a research essay and a poster presentation. Both depend on a well-chosen, geographically-specific topic that takes a thematic “line” as an analytical approach to understanding a geographic concern in China.

This assignment asks you to generate at least one topic idea that can fulfill the project objectives.

In the Google Classroom worksheet for this assignment, provide brief, specific responses to the following elements.

1. Specific place in China

Your topic must be related somehow to a specific place in China. This place might be affected directly by an event or policy, a location where something happens, an important example of a change or effect, or a concrete illustration of a problem.

Your place must be an area no bigger than what you could realistically see in a single human view. You might, for example, focus on a specific part of a river, a mountain, a very specific area of a province, or a city neighborhood. By contrast, entire rivers, mountain ranges, provinces, or even cities are too large to take into a single human view.

2. Your analytical “line”

Describe or define the line you aim to analyze (e.g., river, trade route, border, mountain range, etc.). Ideally this line should be closely related to your problem statement above. Explain specifically where your line is located – it may be abstract or invisible, but it must be anchored in some location or area in China. Explain as best you can what work this line does (see the list of verbs and analytical suggestions above).

NoteHere are some questions to help you evaluate a line for this project
  1. historical context:
    • How has the line changed over time?
    • Are there historical events or processes that have shaped its significance or meaning (e.g., political decisions, wars, migrations, or shifts in trade)?
  2. spatial relationships:
    • How does this line divide or connect different places?
    • What are the relationships between the areas or regions divided or connected by the line (e.g., political, economic, social, or ecological)?
    • How do people navigate or interact with this line? Is it a boundary, a corridor, or a transition zone?
  3. human impact or use:
    • How have humans interacted with the line throughout history?
    • What impact has the line had on settlement patterns, land use, trade, or cultural practices in the surrounding area?
    • How do local communities perceive or engage with the line?
  4. symbolic or political dimensions:
    • Does this line carry symbolic or political significance? What are the implications of this?
    • Are there any political, social, or environmental conflicts associated with this line? How have different groups or governments used or contested it?
  5. environmental or ecological perspectives:
    • What role does this line play in shaping the natural environment or ecology of the region?
    • How do environmental factors, such as climate, topography, or natural resources, influence or are influenced by the line?
    • Are there any ecological transitions or zones of conflict related to this line, for example, urban-rural differences, ecological borders, or conservation areas?
  6. spatial connections or movement:
    • What kinds of flows pass along or across this line – people, goods, information?
    • How does this line facilitate or constrain movement across space, today or in the past?
    • How does this line build to break down the social, economic, or political networks?
  7. comparative perspectives (in China):
    • How does this line compare to other spatial “lines” in China?
    • Can you identify other “lines” that serve similar or contrasting functions? What might this reveal about spatial relationships in China?

3. Problem that needs analysis

In order to eventually develop an analysis, and come to an argument about it, you need to choose a problem to focus on. State this like the problem statement (PS) we are regularly discussing in class. Explain the intellectual or material problem that your line presents. This should be related to the specific location in China, and should be the foundation for your eventual argument (but save that until your first draft…).