| We are undergoing a geospatial revolution with the rapid advances in technologies such as web 2.0, GIS, GPS, smart phones, and cloud computing, etc. The phenomenon of volunteered geographic information (VGI) is part of this revolution and has changed the traditional ways of how geographic data, information, and knowledge are produced and circulated. This dissertation presents a synoptic overview on how VGI, especially data from location-based social media, could be used as new data source for geographic research to better understand our world. Specifically, we argue that the emergence of VGI in geographic information science and technologies are revolutionizing basic and applied science by allowing integrated holistic approaches to reassessing the domain of GIScience by linking three themes together -- space, place and people. Three interrelated case studies covering different conceptual linkages of VGI are presented as the urban dynamic in space and place, people's food choice and their exposed environment, and children beggars in China. We believe the ubiquity of volunteered geographic information has the potential to fundamentally widen the angle for geographers to better understand our world. In the coming data-driven era, we need to develop new conceptual framework, methodology and application to synthesize VGI with other geographic information.. |
