Introduction to "Spatial Explorer of Religion”

Shuming BaoChina Data Center

The University of Michigan

Background: “Spatial Study of Religion and Society” Supported by the Henry Luce Foundation

The project aims: promoting research, teaching, learning, and training on the spatial studies of religions and society in China.

Features:1. Accessibility2. Usability3. Expandability

4. Free for academic users

Plans:1. Research References Collection2. Research System Development3. Research Training

Participants:

• Purdue University• The University of Michigan• Purdue University Calumet• Renmin University• East China Normal University• Wuhan University• Central University of Finance and Economics• Xiamen University• Fudan University• Shanghai University• Henan University• Nanjing University of Forestry• Lanzhou University• Pioneer High School

Spatial Explorer of ReligionSpatial Intelligence for Space-Time Data Integration and Analysis

Statistics Charts

GIS

Census

Maps

Tables

Reports

PySAL StatGeo

Modeling

Data Sources: Authoritative, Unique, Comprehensive

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Government Statistics o Provincial Statistics (1949 - )o City Statistics (1996 - )o County Statistics (1997 - ) Population Censuso Census 1953 (GRID)o Census 1964 (GRID)o Census 1982 (GRID)o Census 1990 (GRID)o Census 2000 (province, city, county, township, GRID) Economic Censuso Industrial Census 1995 (province, city, county, ZIP)o Basic Unit Census 2001 (province, city, county, ZIP)o Economic Census 2004 (province, city, county, ZIP) Establishments (individual companies and organizations)o Industrial Census(1995)o Basic Unit Census (2001)o Economic Census (2004) Geography and Environmento Land Use data (GRID)o Night-Time data (GRID)o Transportation (railway, highway, roads) o Rivers and Lakeso More layers to be added …

ZIP

Featured Functions Data Selection

By administrative units (province, city, county, township) By groups By location (X&Y) and spatial range (km or miles) By time-series statistics (province, city and county) By establishments (province, city, county and ZIP)

Reporting Summary report Comparison report Original data report

Spatial Analysis Graphic analysis ESDA spatial statistics OLS regression Spatial Regression

Export 输出 Data tables (Excel) Reports (Excel, Word, PDF) GIS files (Shape) Maps (PDF)

What We Can Do with RGE?

Exploratory – Modeling - Simulation

Identify the spatial patterns of religious distribution

Identify the spatial trends of religious development over the time

Identify the spatial interactions between different religions

Identify the spatial interactions between religions and other aspects of the society over the time and space (such as demographic and socioeconomic development)

Evaluate possible policy impacts on local religious development

Look forward to the future: scenario analysis

Building A Global Network for Spatial Study of Religion and Society

http://religioninchina.orgInvolvement – interaction - international