Situating

This past week in class we discussed the meaning of situating in the context of Environmental Studies. Situating is a process that it interdisciplinary that studies places. Essentially, it brings together all the pieces of Environmental Studies in order to answer a framing question. Situating is almost always in relation to a place. A place is a mixture of nature, social science, and meaning. The process of situating is much like an hourglass: it starts broad, gets more condensed in the middle, then opens backs up at the bottom.

Situating research starts with a very eclectic framing question that is often unanswerable. Then, the researchers must look at the details, focusing on methodology and analysis. Most of the empirical research is done towards the center of the hourglass. Lastly, one must make comparisons and generalizations of the data they have collected and relate it back to the bigger picture.

In the readings for the week, we read a report of a study done by Professor Jim Proctor and other Environmental Studies majors at Lewis and Clark and their research done in
Swaziland. While volunteering, they went from several households in many villages throughout Swaziland and surveyed the ways in which households dealt with water, energy, and solid/human waste. In class, we related this research in terms of situating. The research began very broadly with discussing “global environmental health”. It then narrows as it moved towards the center of the project by discussing a specific study site: the Ezulwini Valley. They took into account the immense urbanization and environmental health at the scale of the household. They recorded data such as in Swaziland what was considered “improved water” was any water being pumped through a pipe. However, after further analysis, even the piped water contained a sufficient number of contaminants. Improved sanitation involved a pit latrine. Lastly, they compared there data to economic and resource sector urban versus rural differences. They related it back to how the needs for environmental health are extremely variable.

Through discussing its meaning and putting it into the context of the research done in Swaziland,  the importance of situation is evident. In order to thoroughly comprehend and do research one must start with the big picture. They must then compact and deconstruct the ideas presented into data and ideas. Lastly, relating it back to the broad scope of things. Through this process, an individual or group will be able to hold a successful mindset and obtain a well-rounded research.