Digital Maps and Activism

Digital Maps and Activism AMCULT 301, Winter 2015 Department of American Culture, Digital Studies, University of Michigan Tuesday & Thursday, 10:00am—11:30am, G168 AH Jean-Christophe Plantin jplantin@umich.edu 615-8868 3651 Haven Hall Office Hours: Tuesday 11:30am—01:00pm Updated syllabus – February 24th Course Description This course invites undergraduate students to analyze the technical, political, cultural and aesthetic dimensions of digital maps with a multi-disciplinary approach, using digital culture, human geography, and critical theory concepts. It analyzes how digital mapping applications sustain grassroots initiatives and collective actions in an age of networked knowledge and large online databases. It directly focuses on the field of critical mapping, which provides concepts and case studies to address how spatial representations, power relations, and social justice are constantly negotiated. This course is open to any student with interests in digital culture, visual culture, human geography, critical theory, and design. No prerequisite. Learning objectives Students in this course will learn to: • Identify and describe technical, social, and cultural characteristics of web-based mapping applications; • Explain how web-based maps are produced, where data come from, how they are structured, and how maps circulate online; • Critically address how knowledge is created and disseminated through maps, identifying potentially conflicting views and objectives of mapmakers; • Articulate mapping tools and critical concepts with other digital objects, with the example of large scale databases; • Conduct a research project involving the investigation or the design of an online mapping project, by using the appropriate methods and web-based tools. 1 Class Requirements 1. BYOM: Bring Your Own Map — 10% Each student signs up for a class to present a web-based map illustrating a concept seen in the course. 5 minutes presentation + 5 minutes Q&A. The hyperlink/file has to be sent 24 hours in advance. It is then posted within 24 hours on a dedicated website with a short description (1-2 sentences + the source). 2. Weekly essay based on the readings – 10% Each student is expected to read all the weekly materials, and to send a 500-word essay each Monday by email (cf address above), presenting the different authors, the context of publication, summarizing the main rationale of the readings, and a series of 3-4 questions that these texts raise. 3. Three pop quizzes during the semester, 15 minutes each, 5% each – 15% 4. Discussion section – 25% (group grade) The course will include one to two discussion sections every week. Each of them will follow this configuration: the class is divided in groups of 3 students, each having a specific role: the discussion leader, the note taker, and the presenter: • The discussion leader briefly summarizes the weekly readings to the group, and have a series of 3-4 questions ready to drive discussion of the texts in the group; • The note taker participates in the discussion but simultaneously takes note of the main points of debates, to summarize results of the discussion; • The presenter makes a short presentation of the results to the class (2-3 minutes). S.he is able to answer questions and to take part in further debates. 5. Final project: Midterm Project Talks + Research Paper + Oral Presentation — 40% Students are expected to individually investigate a topic, a technology, or a case study involving mapping technologies, big data, and social justice. They will have to choose the topic, to design a research question, to find the appropriate method to answer it, and to present the results of this investigation in a final paper + an oral presentation in the class. A topic fair is scheduled for week 5. Groups of two students are possible, but have to be justified. Midterm project talks: 2 • 500-word describing the topic, the sources and the methods for the final research paper. Proposals to be sent before at least 24 hours before the week-7 session. Presentation in the class (5 minutes presentation + 5 minutes Q&A) Final project: • Either: Research paper only (3000-3500-word) or: designing an online mapping project + short research paper (1500-1750-word) • For both: Oral presentation during the last two classes of the semester (10 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Q&A) 6. Attendance — minus 5% each absence I will control the attendance at every classes: 5% of the final grade will be removed every time a student is missing, unless justified in advance. Course Schedule PART 1. REPRESENTATION, POWER, AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY JAN 13/15: Week 1. – Mapping (for) the State: A Political Economy of Cartography Readings • Headrick, Daniel R., 2002, When Information Came of Age: Technologies of Knowledge in the Age of Reason and Revolution, 1700-1850. Oxford University Press. Chapter 4: “Displaying information: maps and graphs”, 96-141. • Wood, Denis, 2010, Rethinking the power of maps, Guilford press, Chapter 1: “Maps blossom in the springtime of the state”, 15-38. JAN 20/22: Week 2. – Western and Indigenous Cartography Readings • Tufte, Edwards, 1990, Envisioning Information, Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press. Chapter 2: “Micro/Macro Readings”, 37-52, Chapter 3: “Layering and Separation”, 53-66. • Johnson, Jay T., Pualani, Louis Renee, Hadi, Albertus Pramono, 2005, “Facing the Future: Encouraging Critical Cartographic Literacies In Indigenous Communities,” ACME: An International E-Journal for Critical Geographies, Volume 4, issue 1, 2005, 80-98. JAN 27/29: Week 3. – The Role of Technology: Geographic Information Systems 3 (GIS) Readings • Pickles, John, 1995. “Representations in an Electronic Age: Geography, GIS, and Democracy”, Ground Truth: The Social Implications of Geographic Information Systems. New York: The Guilford Press, 1-30. Workshop January 27th: Room 4041, Shapiro Undergraduate Library • Introduction to data manipulation & mapping with GIS -- with Justin Joque, Visualization Librarian, University of Michigan Library FEB 3/5: Week 4. – Mapping Mashups: How Maps Entered Participatory Culture Reading • Crampton, Jeremy W., 2010, Mapping: A Critical Introduction to Cartography and GIS. Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 3: Maps 2.0: Map mashups and new spatial media Workshop February 5th: Room 4041, Shapiro Undergraduate Library • Introduction to data manipulation & mapping with web-based maps -- with Justin Joque, Visualization Librarian, University of Michigan Library PART 2. DIGITAL CARTOGRAPHY FOR SPATIAL JUSTICE FEB 10/12: Week 5. – Critical Cartography and Citizen Mapping Readings • Harley, John B., 1989, “Deconstructing the Map.” Cartographica: The International Journal for Geographic Information and Geovisualization, 26, n° 2, 120 • Corburn, Jason, 2005, Street Science: Community Knowledge and Environmental Health Justice. MIT Press. “Chapter 6 : the mapping of local knowledge”, 173-200 Final Project Topics Fair FEB 17/19: Week 6. – Before the Maps: Alternative Data Collection for Crisis Mapping Readings • Liboiron, Max, 2015, “Disaster Data, Data Activism: Grassroots Representations of Hurricane Sandy,” Extreme Weather and Global Media. Eds. Diane Negra and 4 Julia Leyda. Routledge, (pre-print) Workshop – Introduction to controversy analysis • Venturini, Tommaso, 2010, “Diving in Magma: How to Explore Controversies with Actor-Network Theory.” Public Understanding of Science ,19, no. 3, 258–73. FEB 24/26: Week 7. – Midterm Project Talks and Discussion Week 8. – Winter Break March 10/12: Week 9. – Where is the Body on the Map? Locative Media, Games and Networked Mobilities Readings • Gordon, Eric, and Adriana de Souza e Silva. 2011, Net Locality Why Location Matters in a Networked World. Wiley-Blackwell, Chapter 2: “Mobile annotation”, 40-58. • Farman, Jason, 2012, Mobile Interface Theory: Embodied Space and Locative Media. New York: Routledge. Chapter 3: “Locative interfaces and social media”, 56-75. PART 3. FROM CRITICAL MAPPING TO CRITICAL BIG DATA STUDIES March 17/19: Week 10. – Uncovering Hidden Labor in Cartographic Work: Google Maps vs. Openstreetmap Readings • Perkins, Chris, Dodge, Martin, 2008, “The potential of user-generated cartography: a case study of the OpenStreetMap project and Mapchester mapping party”. North West Geography, vol. 8, n° 1, 19-32. • Haklay, Muki. 2010, “How Good Is Volunteered Geographical Information? A Comparative Study of OpenStreetMap and Ordnance Survey Datasets.” Environment and Planning B vol. 37, 682–703. Workshop • Mapping Party with OpenStreetMap March 24/26: Week. 11 – Deconstructing Big Data with Maps – The Case Study of Smart Cities Readings 5 • Goodspeed, Robert, 2014, “Smart Cities: Moving beyond Urban Cybernetics to Tackle Wicked Problems.” Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, doi:10.1093/cjres/rsu013 • Hollands, R.G., 2008, “Will the real smart city please stand up?” City 12 (3):303320. • Vanolo, Alberto, 2013, “Smartmentality: The Smart City as Disciplinary Strategy.” Urban Studies. 883-898 Invited Speaker (March 24th) – Class exceptionally rescheduled for 11-12:30— Room 3521 HH • Prof. Robert Goodspeed, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan March 31/April 2: Week 12. – Big Data, Big Infrastructure: Spatialities of LargeScale Networks Readings • Dodge Martin, Kitchin Rob, 2001, Atlas of Cyberspace, Chapter 2: “Mapping infrastructures and traffic”, 9-72 (full book available here: http://www.kitchin.org/atlas/) • Sandra González-Bailón, “Big data and the fabric of human geography,” Dialogues in Human Geography 2013 3: 292 • Mark Graham and Taylor Shelton, “Geography and the future of big data, big data and the future of geography,” Dialogues in Human Geography 2013 3: 255 Fieldtrip • Map collection, Clark library, University of Michigan April 7/9: Week 13. – Projects Presentations April 14/16: Week 14. – Projects Presentations and Conclusion Final paper: April 23rd, Midnight Disabilities 6 If you think you need an accommodation for a disability, please let me know at your earliest convenience. The assignments, the in-class activities, and the way I teach can be modified to facilitate your participation and progress. As soon as you make me aware of your needs, I can work with the SI Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) to help me determine appropriate accommodations. SSD (734-763-3000; http://www.umich.edu/ sswd/) typically recommends accommodations through a Verified Individualized Services and Accommodations (VISA) form. I will treat any information you provide as private and confidential to the extent possible. Statement on academic integrity Unless otherwise specified in an assignment, all submitted work must be your own, original work. You may incorporate selected excerpts from publications by other authors, but they must be clearly marked as quotations and must be attributed. If you build on the ideas of prior authors, you must cite their work. You may obtain copy-editing assistance, and you may discuss your ideas with others, but all substantive writing and ideas must be your own, or be explicitly attributed to another. See the Rackham Graduate policy on Academic and Professional Integrity http://www.rackham.umich.edu/policies/gsh/appb/ for the definition of plagiarism and associated consequences. Failure to comply may lead to no grade for the assignment, partial grade for a resubmission, and/or additional assignments. 7