After reading Ken G. Brealey’s “Mapping Them Out” and the Millbank Atlas, the Millbank Atlas is definitely more relatable to our everyday lives because we constantly interact with urban spaces without questioning how maps shape our understanding of them. Your observation about comparing past and present maps is especially insightful because it allows us to see how cities evolve, what gets erased, and what hidden messages maps carry.
We often assume that a map simply shows what exists, but in reality, maps highlight some aspects and ignore others. An important point about how political figures and city planners use maps to organise cities. Maps are not just about navigation—they also reflect who has control, who gets access, and what is prioritized.
Mapping is not neutral. It raises important questions:
• Who gets to decide what land is mapped and how it’s labeled?
• Could mapping be used as a tool for justice, or would it just reinforce power struggles?
In reflecting on the performances of William Pope.L and Mark McGowan, I realized how physical endurance can serve both as a spectacle and as a means of evoking empathy to raise awareness about pressing social issues. Their work demonstrates how the physical body can be used as a powerful artistic tool to convey ideas and provoke thought. What I find particularly interesting is how these performances disrupt ordinary life, capturing attention precisely because they are unexpected and unconventional. This element of shock not only engages the public but also draws media attention, further amplifying their message.
Another compelling aspect of their work is their ability to transform everyday spaces into performance stages. By using public spaces as their canvas, they redefine the purpose and meaning of these environments, turning familiar locations into sites of artistic intervention. This approach challenges how we perceive space and invites people to reconsider their surroundings in new and thought-provoking ways. I find this strategy incredibly creative, as it allows their performances to reach audiences who might not typically engage with art in traditional settings.
Understanding how others see you and realizing that your identity is not just how you see yourself, but also how you are viewed by different people in different situations.
When you experience a new culture or interact with people from different backgrounds, you may start to see yourself in a new way, sometimes as an “outsider” or someone different from the majority.
In Unit 2 assignment, I tried to experience being “other” when I think what kind of gift should choose to her. I realise that when you see yourself through someone else’s perspective, you start to notice things about your own culture, habits, and identity that you may not have thought about before.
When I am writing a script or telling a story to others, I am role playing to present the story or idea better. When I experience being “other,” I learn what it feels like to be different. This helps me to respect and understand people from different cultures.
I think mapping is important because it’s not just about geography—it’s about visualizing power, cultural identities, and relationships. Maps are often created by those in power, which means they shape how we perceive the world. They can highlight certain aspects while concealing others, influencing what we see and what remains hidden. This makes mapping a tool not just for navigation, but also for understanding the structures and forces that shape our reality.
That’s concept also related to my Unit 1 assignment, how the power control our daily life without any awareness.
Mapping can reveal social and economic inequalities by showing how different groups of people are distributed across a city or region. In Hong Kong, for example, maps can highlight the relationship between wealth and geography, where high-income individuals tend to live in areas like Central, Mid-Levels, or Repulse Bay, while lower-income communities are more concentrated in New Territories or older public housing estates.
This reflects power dynamics in urban planning. Wealthier areas have more expensive properties, better infrastructure, and exclusive facilities, while lower-income neighborhoods may have fewer public services and more densely packed housing. By looking at a map of housing prices, public services, or even transportation routes, you can visualize how power and privilege shape the city.
So 3Cs is really important idea. They want to challenge that—they use maps to tell alternative stories, highlight hidden injustices, and give power back to the people.
We all know that it is so difficult to do that but we should realise that mapping is not just about geography; it’s about telling stories and giving people the tools to fight for their rights.
“A Consideration of Its Influence and Place in Qualitative Research” by Andrew Gary Darwin Holmes & “Social Identity Map: A Reflexivity Tool for Practicing Explicit Positionality in Critical Qualitative Research” by Danielle Jacobson & Nida Mustafa.
Both readings are so interesting to think about reflection.
I believe it is crucial for researchers to be transparent about their own identities and perspectives because research is never fully objective. While we often strive for objectivity, the reality is that all research is shaped by human experiences, identities, and biases. The way we formulate questions, interpret answers, and engage with participants is influenced by our backgrounds, making it impossible to be completely neutral.
This is why research positionality is important—it helps us reflect on our own identities and biases, making our research more honest and transparent. By acknowledging our positionality, we create a balance between ourselves as researchers and our participants, ensuring that we are aware of power dynamics and potential biases.
As insiders, researchers may find it easier to gain trust and build relationships with participants because they share a similar background or lived experience. As outsiders, researchers can bring a fresh perspective, ask “dumb” questions, and maintain curiosity—which helps ensure that the research findings are accessible and meaningful to a wider audience.
Both perspectives have their advantages and challenges, so it is important for researchers to be aware of their positionality and find a balance between building trust and maintaining critical distance. That’s why Social Identity Map is important.
Personally, I love using visual tools like MindMaps and brainstorming, as they help me organize my thoughts, visualize ideas, and solve problems. Before starting any project, I often create a MindMap to clarify my ideas.
Similarly, I find the Social Identity Map to be a valuable tool for researchers. As I mentioned earlier, research is never fully objective—we all have biases, whether we are aware of them or not. This map helps researchers reflect on their own identities, ensuring that they acknowledge personal biases and maintain transparency throughout the research process.
Using the Social Identity Map can help researchers:
• Recognize their own biases that might influence their research.
• Ensure balance in their work, avoiding one-sided perspectives.
• Increase transparency, making their positionality clear to themselves and their audience.
• Identify gaps and challenges in their research by reflecting on how their background shapes their questions and assumptions.
I believe this is a powerful self-reflection tool, allowing researchers to be more aware of their positionality and ethical responsibilities. Just like how MindMapping helps me organize my thoughts, the Social Identity Map helps researchers visualize their own identities and power relations in research.
Intersectionality is a concept developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw to explain how different forms of discrimination—like racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and homophobia—overlap and create unique barriers for marginalized people. And “Say Her Name,” and it was created to raise awareness about police violence against Black women, whose stories are often ignored.
Issues, such as sexism and racism, that individuals can experience simultaneously, leading to unique forms of discrimination.
Today, it is easy to recognize these overlapping issues because discrimination is rarely isolated to just one factor. People often encounter multiple forms of oppression at once, which is why it is essential to study social problems through an intersectional lens rather than looking at gender, race, or class separately.
Transculture refers to the phenomenon of cultural merging and transformation that occurs when different cultures interact and influence each other. It goes beyond the simple coexistence of cultures (multiculturalism) or their direct exchange (interculturalism) and instead focuses on how cultures adapt, blend, and evolve to form new cultural identities or expressions. It highlights fluidity, hybridity, and the breaking down of cultural boundaries.
Example: Hong Kong-style Cafés (Cha Chaan Tengs): These cafés are a prime example of transculture. They combine British colonial influences (e.g., milk tea and toast) with traditional Chinese cuisine (e.g., wonton noodles and rice dishes). The result is a unique hybrid culture that reflects both Western and Chinese traditions
K-Pop: K-Pop incorporates Western pop music influences, such as hip-hop and R&B, while combining them with distinctly Korean elements like language, storytelling, and aesthetics.
Interculture refers to the interaction and dialogue between different cultures. It emphasizes understanding, mutual exchange, and collaboration while maintaining the distinctiveness of each culture involved. Intercultural practices aim to bridge gaps, reduce misunderstandings, and foster respect between diverse cultural groups.
Example: Festivals: Events like the Hong Kong’s Chinese New Year celebrations invite people from various cultural backgrounds to experience and appreciate specific cultural traditions.
Comparison:
• Transculture involves blending and creating something entirely new, like a hybrid cultural identity.
• Interculture involves interaction and dialogue, focusing on understanding and preserving the uniqueness of each culture.
In Realia as Carriers of National and Historical Overtones, the concept of Realia discussed in the article is fascinating because it shows that translation is not just about finding one-to-one equivalents for words but about bridging cultural differences. In translation, Realia serves as a cultural bridge, helping to convey the unique aspects of one culture to another. I completely agree with this perspective, as I’ve experienced it personally while learning Japanese. For example, in Japanese, there’s a term called Satoyamaさとやま. It refers to rural communities that live in harmony with nature, embodying a relationship between people and the environment. Translating Satoyama into English or Chinese is incredibly challenging because it’s not just a literal concept—it carries cultural, historical, and philosophical significance. To truly understand Satoyama, you need to explore how Japanese people value nature and integrate it into their way of life. A simple word-for-word translation cannot capture this depth. This reflects the idea that translation is more than linguistic conversion—it’s about understanding and conveying the cultural background and worldview behind the terms. As someone learning Japanese, I’ve realized that to fully grasp these cultural terms, I need to immerse myself in their context and history. This is why Realia is so important in translation; it not only preserves the meaning of words but also fosters cross-cultural understanding.
“Getting Personal: Reflexivity, Positionality, and Feminist Research” by Kim England.
Kim England’s article emphasizes that research is not purely objective—it is inherently subjective, and this subjectivity is essential for building trust between the researcher and participants. She highlights the importance of the relationship between the two parties, especially in sensitive or controversial topics. I think this idea is incredibly relevant because trust is a cornerstone of ethical and effective research.
For example, I once conducted a project on online romance scams, where victims were cheated out of money in fake relationships. This was a very sensitive topic because many participants felt embarrassed or feared being recognized by others. As a result, they were hesitant to share their stories. Building trust in these situations was critical. I had to ensure that my approach was empathetic and nonjudgmental to create a safe space for them to open up.
England also emphasizes the importance of avoiding bias as a researcher. I completely agree. If I had approached the topic with preconceived notions about the participants—perhaps thinking of them as gullible or careless—I would not have been able to conduct the research effectively. Bias not only damages the relationship with participants but also distorts the data and compromises the integrity of the research.
Kim England states that “The researcher is not a neutral machine collecting facts but is an integral part of the research setting.” For instance, in her failed project on Toronto’s lesbian community, she acknowledges how her own identity as a white, heterosexual academic created barriers: “My biography and positionality influenced how participants viewed me and what they shared, ultimately shaping the project’s trajectory.”
Building trust between the researcher and participants
