Debtor spaces: Austerity, space, and dispossession in Michigan’s emergency management system

In recent years, debt has become a major focus of geographic research as debt relations have become increasingly central to today’s financialized capitalist economy. This paper bridges two aspects of the debt literature: (1) the emergent literature on debt spatiality, which argues that space plays an active role in the creation and maintenance of debt relations, and (2) the broader literature examining processes of debt-driven dispossession (e.g., foreclosure, eviction, austerity, etc.). Recent literature in geography, led by Harker’s work on debt spaces, has argued that debt should not only be understood as a temporal relation (a promise of future labor) but a spatial relation as well. This literature has examined the active role of space in creating debt relations but has been less attentive to the ways in which debt is a key mechanism of dispossessive economies. Analyzing Michigan’s emergency management laws, a system of forced, localized austerity, I chronicle how the social production of space is central to dispossessive debt projects. I conclude by offering a new concept, debtor spaces, to characterize the socio-spatial formations which enable practices of debt-based dispossession.

AN EVALUATION OF VISUAL PRIVACY LEVEL IN RESIDENTIAL UNIT'S LAYOUTS IN KHARTOUM, SUDAN

Visual privacy is one of the vital aspects of Islamic house designs. This paper aimed to analyze the level of visual privacy in the layout of different residential apartment unit samples in Khartoum, Sudan based on Islamic values and Sudanese culture and how modern apartment unit designs respond to these needs. Models included four units from courtyard-villas and two units from apartment buildings. The architectural layout plans, spatial relation, functions, and space zoning were applied to assess the level of visual privacy of each unit. Findings showed that the courtyard-villas had a higher degree of privacy and cultural values, reflecting more of the Sudanese lifestyle than the apartment units, even though the design of the apartment units pays more attention to the nuclear family privacy. This study would assist designers in enhancing the visual privacy in apartment unit layouts by highlighting factors that diminish or enhance the visual privacy level to create appropriate designs for Sudanese Muslims and Muslims in general.

Virtual Reality-Based Fuzzy Spatial Relation Knowledge Extraction Method for Observer-Centered Vague Location Descriptions

Many documents contain vague location descriptions of observed objects. To represent location information in geographic information systems (GISs), these vague location descriptions need to be transformed into representable fuzzy spatial regions, and knowledge about the location descriptions of observer-to-object spatial relations must serve as the basis for this transformation process. However, a location description from the observer perspective is not a specific fuzzy function, but comes from a subjective viewpoint, which will be different for different individuals, making the corresponding knowledge difficult to represent or obtain. To extract spatial knowledge from such subjective descriptions, this research proposes a virtual reality (VR)-based fuzzy spatial relation knowledge extraction method for observer-centered vague location descriptions (VR-FSRKE). In VR-FSRKE, a VR scene is constructed, and users can interactively determine the fuzzy region corresponding to a location description under the simulated VR observer perspective. Then, a spatial region clustering mechanism is established to summarize the fuzzy regions identified by various individuals into fuzzy spatial relation knowledge. Experiments show that, on the basis of interactive scenes provided through VR, VR-FSRKE can efficiently extract spatial relation knowledge from many individuals and is not restricted by requirements of a certain place or time; furthermore, the knowledge obtained by VR-FSRKE is close to the knowledge obtained from a real scene.

Spatial Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hungary

This paper examines the spatial dynamics and regional distribution of the novel coronavirus epidemic in Hungary in an effort to obtain a deeper understanding of the connection between space and health. The paper also presents comprehensive epidemiologic data on the spatiotemporal spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of the epidemic waves. Following a comparison of the growth rates of infection numbers, the current study explores the geographical dimension of the three pandemic waves. The partial transformation of spatial characteristics during the three epidemic waves is among the most important results found. While geographical hotspots influenced the first wave, newly confirmed coronavirus cases in the second and third waves were due to community-based epidemic spreading. Furthermore, the western-eastern spatial relation and the core-periphery model also affected the regional distribution of new cases and deaths in the initial two waves. However, a new spatial pattern - realised by the northern-southern spatial orientation - appeared during the third wave. The outputs of this paper offer feasible suggestions for evidence-based policymaking in pandemic prevention, mitigation, and preparedness.

ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN SPASIAL MATEMATIS DITINJAU DARI PERBEDAAN GENDER SISWA KELAS VIII

ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan kemampuan spasial matematis siswa yang ditinjau berdasarkan perbedaan gender pada pelajaran matematika Pokok Bahasan Bangun Ruang Sisi Datar kelas VIII. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas VIII SMP Negeri 2 Praya. Subjek penelitian ini adalah 4 orang siswa dari 27 siswa kelas VIII dengan ketentuan 2 subjek bergender laki-laki dan 2 subjek bergender perempuan yang memiliki kemampuan spasial matematis tertinggi dari semua siswa. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah tes kemampuan spasial matematis dan wawancara. Teknis analisis data dilakukan dengan cara mereduksi data, menyajikan data, dan menarik kesimpulan. Pengecekan keabsahan data menggunakan triangulasi teknik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada kemampuan spasial visualization subjek laki-laki dan subjek perempuan memiliki kemampuan yang sama ditunjukkan dari kemampuan dalam menentukan komposisi suatu objek setelah dimanipulasi posisi dan bentuknya. Sedangkan dalam menyelesakan masalah yang terkait dengan spatial orientation dan spatial relation subjek laki-laki lebih dominan menggunakan kemampuan spasialnya dibandingkan subjek perempuan.Kata Kunci: Gender, Kemampuan Spasial Matematis ABSTRACTThis study aims to describe the students' mathematical spatial abilities based on gender differences in the VIII grade Mathematics subject. The population in this study were eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Praya. The subjects of this study were 4 students from 27 students of class VIII with the provisions of 2 male gender subjects and 2 female gender subjects who had the highest mathematical spatial ability of all students. The instruments used in this study were tests of mathematical spatial abilities and interviews. Technical data analysis is done by reducing data, presenting data, and drawing conclusions. Checking the validity of the data using triangulation techniques. The results showed that the spatial visualization ability of male subjects and female subjects had the same ability as indicated by the ability to determine the composition of an object after being manipulated in its position and shape. Meanwhile, in solving problems related to spatial orientation and spatial relations, male subjects are more dominant in using their spatial abilities than female subjects.KeywordsGender, Mathematical Spatial Ability

Fluid-inclusion petrography in calcite stalagmites: Implications for entrapment processes

ABSTRACT Fluids trapped in speleothems have an enormous potential in frontier fields of paleoclimate and paleohydrological research. This potential is, however, hampered by diverse scientific and technical limitations, among which the lack of a systematic methodology for genetically characterizing fluid inclusions is a major one, as these can have different origins, and thus, the trapped fluid (usually water), different meanings. In this work, we propose a systematic petrological classification of fluid inclusions, based on: 1) the temporal relation between fluid inclusions and the host calcite, 2) the spatial relation between fluid inclusions and the “crystallites” and crystals aggregates, and 3) the phases (water, air) trapped inside fluid inclusions. The first criterion allows dividing fluid inclusions in two main categories: primary and secondary, whose identification is critical in any research based on trapped fluids. The other two criteria allow the definition of eight types of primary and four types of secondary fluid inclusions. Primary fluid inclusions contain the drip water that fed stalagmites at the time of crystal growth, and can be intercrystalline, i.e., located between adjacent crystallites, or intracrystalline, i.e., with the fluid trapped within crystallites. We differentiate six main types among the intercrystalline fluid inclusions (elongate, thorn-shaped, down-arrow, interbranch, macro-elongate, and bucket) and other two among intracrystalline inclusions (pyriform and boudin). In primary inclusions, water is the main phase, while gas is much less abundant. The presence of gas could be related to slow drip rates or degassing in the cave, but also to later leakage due to changes in temperature and humidity often occurring during inadequate handling of speleothem samples. Secondary fluid inclusions were clearly related to younger water inlet through stratigraphic disruptions or unconformities. They are formed after water infiltration, but sealed before the renewed crystal growth. We differentiate four main types of secondary inclusions: interconnected, rounded, triangular, and vertical fluid inclusions. The identification of primary and secondary fluid inclusions in speleothems is a key for interpretation in paleoclimate studies. Integration of petrological results allow establishment of three different genetic scenarios for the formation of fluid inclusions, whose identification can be relevant because of their predictive character.

On the Line - Revitalising Place Identity: A Case Study in Balintore, Scotland

<p>Once proud fishing villages in the North of Scotland used to be lively and industrious gateways to the ocean for much of the country’s population. Modernisation and industrialisation of the fishing industry has seen a depletion of not only fishing stock but also a sense of identity that accompanied these historic coastal settlements (Scottish Government “Socio-Economic Briefing on Rural Scotland”). Balintore is a powerful example of this issue, where an ageing population has a disconnection from their distinct cultural identity (Brookfield 6). The settlement now has less than one percent of its population employed in the fishing industry (Streetcheck). This thesis will explore how identity can be revitalised with reference to the fishing industry and grounded with the unique characteristics of Balintore, such as landscape types, cultural tradition, climate conditions and architecture. An aquaculural insertion to the site will act as a driver to feasibly revitalise the struggling economy and allow explorations into how an experience with the product can create place identity, alluding to fishing industry history. The experience of place aims to portray unique characteristics of the site, cultural traditions and an engagement with the product which associates a contextual relationship between the two. The landscape of Scotland is intrinsically tied to the cultural identity and therefore the sense of place which people possess (Robertson 154). The fact that the identity in question is fundamentally based on a spatial relation, despite having cultural, social and economic factors, allows landscape architecture to act as a useful framework in exploring possible scenarios. This thesis will seek to once again provide an integral bond between the people and their environment which can foster a revitalised place attachment, one which will transcend generations and provide a sustainable sense of place in Scotland’s future.</p>

On the Line - Revitalising Place Identity: A Case Study in Balintore, Scotland

<p>Once proud fishing villages in the North of Scotland used to be lively and industrious gateways to the ocean for much of the country’s population. Modernisation and industrialisation of the fishing industry has seen a depletion of not only fishing stock but also a sense of identity that accompanied these historic coastal settlements (Scottish Government “Socio-Economic Briefing on Rural Scotland”). Balintore is a powerful example of this issue, where an ageing population has a disconnection from their distinct cultural identity (Brookfield 6). The settlement now has less than one percent of its population employed in the fishing industry (Streetcheck). This thesis will explore how identity can be revitalised with reference to the fishing industry and grounded with the unique characteristics of Balintore, such as landscape types, cultural tradition, climate conditions and architecture. An aquaculural insertion to the site will act as a driver to feasibly revitalise the struggling economy and allow explorations into how an experience with the product can create place identity, alluding to fishing industry history. The experience of place aims to portray unique characteristics of the site, cultural traditions and an engagement with the product which associates a contextual relationship between the two. The landscape of Scotland is intrinsically tied to the cultural identity and therefore the sense of place which people possess (Robertson 154). The fact that the identity in question is fundamentally based on a spatial relation, despite having cultural, social and economic factors, allows landscape architecture to act as a useful framework in exploring possible scenarios. This thesis will seek to once again provide an integral bond between the people and their environment which can foster a revitalised place attachment, one which will transcend generations and provide a sustainable sense of place in Scotland’s future.</p>