REEXAMINING CHINESE HUMAN GEOGRAPHY: PERSPECTIVE OF THEORETICAL STUDIES IN RECENT THIRTY YEARS
LIU Yun-gang1, WANG Feng-long2
1. School of Geography Sciences and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China;
2. Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
Abstract：Chinese human geography is developing very fast in terms of its scope of research themes,influence on the policy making procedure and theoretical depth and diversity,however,few studies have been conducted as a retrospect or an outlook of theoretical issues in this discipline,which is classified as natural science rather than social science in Chinese academic system. This paper examines the history of and traps hidden in the development of the theoretical researches in Chinese modern human geography based on the summarization and review of literatures in recent three decades. It is argued in this paper that the former problem is mainly caused by the pragmatic orientation and the extensively utilitarian treatment of the theoretical studies in the development of this discipline and the latter roots from the negligence of the questions on the rationality,justification and context of theories. To be specific,there are two major trends of dogmatic traps in the theoretical developments of Chinese human geography,i.e. the Occidentalism as the mirror of Said's Orientalism in (theoretical) academic studies and inanity in empirical studies. More critical studies should be initiated on the one hand,a discourse system with more theoretical concepts based on solid observation and abstraction of native geographical phenomena and processes should be established on the other. Consistent with some existing advocates,some advice is proposed to promote the studies of norms,methods and inquiry fieldworks in current Chinese human geography.
刘云刚, 王丰龙. 西方主义与实证主义幻象:近三十年来中国人文地理学理论研究透视[J]. 人文地理, 2013, 28(1): 14-19,9.
LIU Yun-gang, WANG Feng-long. REEXAMINING CHINESE HUMAN GEOGRAPHY: PERSPECTIVE OF THEORETICAL STUDIES IN RECENT THIRTY YEARS. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, 2013, 28(1): 14-19,9.
