Mapping Religion Webinar 5 — Mapping the Southeast Asia
The Nanyang Sites GIS Data project is a comprehensive initiative dedicated to mapping and analyzing religious sites across Southeast Asia. Spearheaded by scholars Kenneth Dean and Marcus Bingenheimer, along with a team of graduate students from the National University of Singapore, the project meticulously geo-references sites from various legacy datasets (like Wolfgang Franke’s seminal works on Chinese epigraphy). This endeavor has resulted in the creation of detailed datasets that catalog hundreds of sites, providing valuable insights into the distribution and historical significance of Chinese religious landmarks in the region. The datasets are made publicly accessible through an interactive platform, facilitating further research and exploration. In our upcoming talk, Bingenheimer and Dean will delve into the research methodologies employed in this project, including the processes of data collection, validation, and geo-referencing. We will also discuss the data structures utilized to organize and present this information effectively, highlighting the challenges encountered and the solutions devised to ensure data accuracy and usability. This presentation aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the project’s approach and its contributions to the study of Chinese religious heritage in Southeast Asia.
