Spatially Integrated Social Sciences with Qualitative GIS to Support Impact Assessment in Mining Communities

Alex Mark Lechner, John Owen, Michelle Ang and Deanna Kemp
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Alex Mark Lechner: School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih 43500, Malaysia
John Owen: Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
Michelle Ang: School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih 43500, Malaysia
Deanna Kemp: Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia

Resources, 2019, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Spatially integrated social science is a broad term used to describe the integration of space and place in social science research using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). It includes qualitative GIS approaches, such as geo-ethnology and geo-narratives, which combine qualitative social data with GIS and represent an emerging approach with significant potential for facilitating new insights into the dynamic interactions between mining companies and host communities. Mine operations are unique in their complexity, both in terms of the dynamic and diverse nature of issues and the requirement to integrate knowledge, theories, and approaches from a range of disciplines. In this paper we describe the potential for spatially integrated social science using qualitative GIS to understand the social impacts of mining. We review current literature and propose a framework that incorporates quantitative and qualitative knowledge across social and biophysical domains within a multi-user approach. We provide examples to illustrate how our approach could support past, present, and future assessment of socio-environmental systems in large-scale mining. We conclude by discussing the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to support decision makers and local stakeholders in considering complex social and environmental scenarios.

Keywords: mining; resource extraction; social impact; environmental impacts; qualitative GIS; geo-narrative; geo-ethnography; geographic information systems; spatially integrated social sciences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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