In fact, neighborhood residents are now backing an effort in the city’s legislature to create their own city and secede from Atlanta, a majority Black city. If this were to happen, it would be financially devastating for Atlanta since the city would lose an estimated 38 percent of its tax revenue.
That would be a power move.
Formerly redlined zones in the Northeast and Midwest are among the most segregated areas in the country. In those regions, a higher proportion of Black Americans live in redlined zones compared with those zones’ surrounding areas — and a higher proportion than can be found in other regions of the country.
Digital mapping seems like a really useful tool for learning about current and historic systemic racism. It would allow you to visualize the shadow of history on the experiences of the present.
These challenges are addressed at least in part through the use of metadata schema which document the characteristics of data (including who collected the data, where, when, why, and how, to the extent that such information is available).
I guess meta data would become incredibly important the larger the volume of data. Being able to sort sort data that already has identifying markers would speed up the the process significantly. You just have to hope that the data was properly labeled when it was uploaded!
Using spatial proxy data to develop information on past climates and environments is one thing; communicating this information to a broader public is another. In the following example, scholars at the University of Minnesota Duluth show how geospatial data (e.g., global annual surface air temperatures
This raises questions about the potential for other interdisciplinary collaborations that could transform data into more accessible and engaging formats,
The Polar Data Catalogue (PDC) also features a PDC Geospatial Search tool, which allows users to search or input Arctic and Antarctic data through a mapping interface. At the time of writing this module, the Geospatial collections included Polar Data and Metadata, RADARSAT Arctic SAR Imagery, RADARSAT Mosaics of the Antarctic, and Canadian Ice Service Sea Ice Charts (Polar Data Catalogue, 2022).
I agree with the integration of diverse datasets in the Polar Data Catalogue as an example of digital humanities’ interdisciplinary potential. It's cool that such platforms can bridge the gap between scientific research and humanities, fostering a more holistic understanding of issues like climate change and enabling a wider audience to engage with complex data.
In Canada, geospatial metadata policies and standards related to “the use, integration, and preservation of spatial data” are primarily set through the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI). For more information on definitions and (inter)national standards for metadata documentation and terminology, see also Natural Resources Canada and the Federal Geographic Data Committee.
I agree with the significance attributed to metadata in enhancing the usability and understanding of digital spatial data. It's cool that this attention to detail supports greater transparency and interoperability in digital humanities projects, which is essential for collaborative research and the democratization of information.
These challenges are addressed at least in part through the use of metadata schema which document the characteristics of data (including who collected the data, where, when, why, and how, to the extent that such information is available).
This part emphasis metadata schema for documenting geographic data which perhaps touches upon the importance of transparency and standardization in digital humanities research. We worked with metadata quite a bit earlier in the semester and witnessed its implications so it is worthwhile to bring up. However, this raises questions about the balance between standardization and the unique, contextual needs of different data sets and research objectives. How do we reconcile the need for universal standards with the diverse, often localized nature of geographical information and historical contexts?
The Thurgood Marshall Institute observed the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 with “The Fight for Fair Housing in the United States”, observing that “housing discrimination and segregation are deeply rooted in the fabric of this nation”, and locating dozens of fair housing legal actions throughout the latter half of the 20th
This is indeed a critical intersection between historical legislation and ongoing social injustices, revealing how digital humanities can reveal and present systemic patterns of discrimination. Moreover, it can also challenge us to consider the role of historical context in contemporary social justice efforts and the potential of digital platforms to bridge that gap.
A less scholarly but perhaps more addictive Story Map was created by novelist Susan Straight, who compiled a list of 737 Novels about the American Experience. Obviously an avid reader, Susan locates each novel’s setting, shows us each book’s dust jacket, and provides eloquent, single-sentence tributes for each volume.
This project seems to show the potential of digital humanities to engage with literature in new, interactive ways. But does the geographical mapping of novels contribute to our understanding of the 'American Experience'? Could this approach be applied to other literary traditions and cultures effectively outside of the presented culture?
Story Maps can provide a voice for groups that have been under-represented in our history books, and help bring their rich cultural heritage to life.
Metis, one of the three indigenous groups in Canada could really benefit from a Story Map of some kind. Many Metis originated from the Red River Settlement, but ended up migrating into areas of Northern, BC and across the homeland. Would be interesting to see the Storymap behind the migration and where folks ended up.
A less scholarly but perhaps more addictive Story Map was created by novelist Susan Straight, who compiled a list of 737 Novels about the American Experience. Obviously an avid reader, Susan locates each novel’s setting, shows us each book’s dust jacket, and provides eloquent, single-sentence tributes for each volume.
The story at this URL has been retired, or the URL is incorrect. :(
How does that apply to us?
Some suggestions in how it applies to us could be the use of medical records to look at the intergenerational differences of how society has changed over time.
Digital Humanities is…
I like to explanation that digital humanities is the use of tools and technologies to answer traditional humanities questions such as who are we? It involves the emergence of new technologies and how they influence us, and society. How it sets us up to the future. Reference: asnhttps://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=digital+humanities&mid=70B1D0AC6F03CD72D45370B1D0AC6F03CD72D453&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
Story Maps can provide a voice for groups that have been under-represented in our history books, and help bring their rich cultural heritage to life.
The freedom and creativity also allow people to share their stories away from the standardized storytelling methods of colonizers.
In “Behind Barbed Wire”, the Library of Congress pays tribute to the resilience of Japanese-Americans forcibly relocated to internment camps during World War II. The story features camp newspapers that covered all aspects of life in the camps.
This is really interesting to me because I grew up in a community to which many Japanese families were forced to move during the second world war. Many families have remained in the community. I have of course learned more about the Canadian history of Japanese internment camps but knew very little about the history of internment camps in the US.
The University of New Brunswick Libraries have created an elegant series of Story Maps called “New Brunswick Loyalist Journeys”. An introductory essay is followed by “carto-biographies” of 10 “York County Loyalists” who fled the fledgling United States after the declaration of independence. Each biography links to footnotes, bibliographies, and illustrations—also presented in the form of Story Maps.
I love the inclusion of images and drawings in this project! This was actually really fun to scroll through. Definitely not as convenient to jump around and find information, but also a fun way of integrating writing and graphics in an engaging space.
And Story Maps can help disseminate those insights to large audiences.
It is interesting how things like 'story maps' are the sort of things I did in elementary school. It seems that for a long time, the academic journey slowly weened students off of creativity. Creativity was unprofessional and childish. I am so happy to see that creative communication and research has become more mainstream. I am sure that this type of research and work has always been around, but as a student, I have generally been conditioned towards more and more formal and uniform expression of ideas and information such as essays and reports.
The democratization of knowledge through the application of digital technologies to the advancement of discourse in the humanities, broadly defined (and not restricted to the academy!).
This is my favourite definition! Of course access to technology and the internet is still a barrier to many, we are moving towards equity. Once someone has those two things though, anything is possible. The internet is an abstract world that overlays and interacts with the physical world. The internet and digital tools allow people to learn about culture, history, science, art, and politics. It connects people and allows people to tell their own stories with their own voice. Digital humanities by this definition allows for people beyond the academic sphere to engage with the the world of data and records and stories in a meaningful and valued manner.
The use of computational techniques in the humanities that would allow research that is otherwise impossible.
It does seem that digital tools are really useful for dealing with either very large or abstract ideas. Using technology to make sense of complex data or to visualize and interact with idea is such a cool use of digital tools.
The creative application of digital technology to humanities questions and data.
From what I have learned in this course, the use of technology in the study of humanities topics is incredibly creative and diverse.
One reason why an area like the Hill District is still so segregated is that redlining created a lack of investment in parts of Pittsburgh that persists today.
It is incredible that after all these years, nearly a century, a couple coloured lines on paper have manage to make this much of a difference to the livlihoods of black americans. People have had the power over the last century to change this trend; the fact that the problem still consists today shows that racism is still a serious problem across the US and the rest of the world.
But parts of the South’s racial makeup are changing, albeit slowly. Since the 1990s, more and more Black Americans have moved to the South — a movement demographers are terming “The New Great Migration.” This has changed cities like Atlanta and Birmingham, which have also seen an influx of Asian Americans and other minorities, but according to Taylor, the Princeton professor, the South’s fixation on white exclusivity in places like Buckhead is still a big problem.
These "best" percentages are absolutely absurd! Such as the case with Birmingham, AL with a staggering 94.1% white demographic.
The large discrepancy is mainly in part to just after the Civil war had ended and the reconstruction era had begun. Although America was beginning to show more equality the south still had racial injustice persisting through to the 1870s. Such as underground ties to the KK even after the "dissolving" of the group in 1869.
Also factors such as wages played a role as people of darker tones were being paid 3 times more in cities in the North than in the South.
This "New Migration" is displays a bright future for America through a lengthy and slow dismantlement of racism. Further proven through "Hazardous" percentages increasing through the years in primarily known as "white" areas.
Check out map 1 of this article: https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-new-great-migration-is-bringing-black-americans-back-to-the-south/
In the South, most formerly redlined areas are also still starkly segregated — 28 of the 31 cities we analyzed.
This is such a shockingly large amount. At this time and age I would think it would have declined more. I attached a link to a piece that discusses segregation in the South. [(https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/02/segregation-invented/517158/)]
And we found that nearly all formerly redlined zones in the country are still disproportionately Black, Latino or Asian compared with their surrounding metropolitan area, while two-thirds of greenlined zones — neighborhoods that HOLC deemed “best” for mortgage lending — are still overwhelmingly white.
I think this really shows how maps are a great way to visualize trends. It is awful that these historic trends in redlining neighborhoods existed in the first place. Mapping these trends allows people to see how these communities are still being affected by prejudice and that there is still major issues with segregation. Being able to see that there is a problem is the first step in trying to resolve it.
redlining was banned under the Fair Housing Act of 1968. But in many ways, HOLC and the Federal Housing Administration had already written the textbook for racist real estate practices.
This reminds me of the Hays code in Hollywood, which in the 1930s banned media from showing explicitly queer people and relationships. Even though the code was dropped in the 60s (I think) it has still taken many many years for queer representation to come to the main stream films and shows. Once these systems have been set up they can become so ingrained in society that simply removing them doesn't easily solve the problems they created.
but the impact of redlining is still felt in cities like Cleveland, where redlined neighborhoods are some of the most starkly segregated in the country.
I am currently discussing a similar topic in another class, analyzing how colonialist tendencies, policies and ideals are still very much present in how we view and deal with our environment. It's a different topic and a different class but basically I am learning in depth in a few classes this semester how racist acts of many years ago still affect the same communities today. Simultaneously fascinating and depressing.
What are the affordances and drawbacks of an open-access mapping platform?
The affordances of an open source mapping program mostly encircle the same idea of extra, more accessible information. While Google is great at showing what they think EVERYONE is interested in, an opensource map might be better for trying to find specific locations nearby (such as an auditorium in a school). Some drawbacks exist in the consistency and reliability of the map; with everyone having access to add to the map and no real verification, it leaves the map prone to misinformation, as well as clutter from too many locations being placed in one area.
deepen their understanding of place and space, and distinguishes between “an abstract realm of space and an experienced and felt world of place”
In my opinion the best way to distinguish a place from a non-place is the level influence of place, how spatiality influences the circulation and consumption of a location. A place with a high influence of place, would be a dynamic active space ever-changing over time, almost an orginism-like.
Figure 1.5. View of MapKibera’s security layer details. Image source: author.
This type of mapping is very cool as it allows for the people of the area to provide and have general access to what is around them! Looking at the map provided, it seems to be very simple and display issues of showing the complexity of society that we are now used to seeing on our maps today. But after checking out the website provided in the text. The map is very detailed towards the point it was almost overwhelming, this however is easily avoided through knowing what you would be looking for. (Ie. If you are looking for the subway, you can ignore most of the other parts from the legend and specifically only find the subway. Essentially eliminating what YOU would consider not important at the moment!)
I can see the advantages to this as it can help with economic empowerment where learning to use/create maps can give rise to employment opportunities, social mobility where not only the top percentage of people know the ins and outs of the system but the whole community does as a whole! And much more!
What do the two visualizations share? Where do they differ?
The two visualizations below both share the general overview of the landscape in contrast to the university however the second map goes more in detail of the campus. I can see how the second map is more appealing to someone who may be new to the area and is need of more detailed visualization but the first is useful in its own right as it allows for a user to quickly identify key areas such as the Kailash Mital Theatre that you wouldn't find to quickly on the second map.
I will also agree with bhanhart that the second map may be more appealing to people with anxiety as it solves a lot of issues that they may face such as wanting to know where parking is or the general walking paths that others may take, etc...
As with my personal experience at UNBC , I would prefer the second map if I were a new resident in the area but as I would get more antiquated with my area I would slowly transition to my memory as a mental image of the mapping would begin to integrate into my head. (Which is something a lot people take for granted!)
To increase security for vulnerable users, the map also identifies bars, dangerous locations, streetlights for safe routes, police presence, and points where users can find support for gender-based violence
This is such a neat idea. This would provide an additional level of safety to those in that area. It would be interesting to investigate how big of a difference these types of maps would make for security. They could do this by measuring the amount of incidents reported in an area before the maps were implemented and then afterwards and compare them.
Figure 1.2. OpenStreetMap view of Carleton Campus.
I really prefer this map. I think especially for students, showing where all the parking lots, picnic tables, recycling bins, and what the names of the buildings are would be super helpful for navigating campus. This would be particularly helpful with very large campuses like ASU. I have tried navigating the ASU campus and it is so large that it is difficult to find anything, and google maps really does not help with navigating at that level. I find that google maps is better for general directions at large distances away from each other. If you want to drive from one side of town to the other, google maps is good for directions, but it is not the best once you are in the complex. I attached the link for a map of the ASU tempe campus but it is not nearly as detailed for studentlife as the openstreetmap example is. [(http://www.mappery.com/Arizona-State-University-Tempe-Camous-Map)]
What is the underlying worldview behind traditional maps – who constructs them? Who are they built for?
I know that back in the day, maps were a sign of status and those who had them either owned land or were wanting to conquer land. I also know that maps are essential still to those who travel, explore, the government, military, etc. We would be very lost without maps.
That way, as the project wiki writes, when and if a natural disaster, conflict, or epidemic does occur “local people, NGOs and other responders can start using the maps and the data immediately, saving valuable time and, potentially, lives”
This is an amazing use of OpenStreetMap that I never thought of! Below is an interesting article more specifically on how OpenStreetMap could save lives or help during a disaster.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/10/how-better-maps-can-save-lives-in-disaster-zones/
Both physical and digital maps can be visualizations of information and a particular view of a space and what’s important.
Physical and digital maps can make a huge difference in a visual learners life. The article below show the importance of visuals for learners, especially in online courses.
What does his critique of the geographer prioritizing “mind and vision” say about a (western) understanding of knowledge, truth, authority, etc.?
I think western knowledge tends to rely on a perennialism or essentialism way of knowing and learning. In a class on education we recently discussed the different philosophies of learning and the First Peoples Principles of Learning was later introduced to us. I think in the latter strategy a more holistic and reflective way is encouraged, rather than the supposedly indisputable "mind and vision" that western (and colonizing) cultures have prioritized.
What kind of users might prefer which tool, and why
The Open Streets Map seems like it would be more useful for actual students or faculty of the school, it has notes of where parking is (both bike and car) and what each building is called, where footpaths are as well as other amenities, and safety resources that the google map does not mention. The shapes of the buildings and even the parking lots differ between the two and, without having personally visited this campus, it seems the OpenStreet map gives a more accurate layout in totality that the google map does. The google map, does show a few businesses, that if you are looking for it may be helpful to use it for. I would be curious how adequate each map's search function is because while google might not initially show you all options through it's search engine you can end up with options or specifics, whatever you want. It has been my experience that that is where other apps or programs lack
Maps in the collection address a wide range of messages: religious, political, military, commercial, moral and social.
Maps hold a much larger power than just being able to help navigate someone from one location to another. It tends to create perceptions of what an area may be like as well being bias if the creator of the map so desire it to be.
This is very clearly seen in times of war where Propaganda is used quite often. Ie. World War II (OTHER WW2 MAPS)
Other great uses of maps are to see percentages of the population that lean to one way or another. Such as the case with votes. Ie. Prime Minister Election where the results can be shown by electoral district's or by province/territory.!
Maps such as these also help with understanding how the voting was done and what factors may have made a location choose one side over the other. Thus helping future campaigns. Ie. Not like this will ever pass if it was proposed but if fishing were to be shut down, you would see a larger vote against that said party in province/territories that fish often compared to those who don't. Which 'helps other future campaigns know that you shouldn't mess with the economic state of fishing that harshly or rallies against the party may ensue.
intended primarily to influence opinions or beliefs - to send a message - rather than to communicate geographic information.
I think this is a really neat use of maps that is not utilized enough. Maps do not only have to be tools for directions, they can be used in many meaningful ways. These maps presented here goes to show how substantial the meaning and purpose behind them can be. It is also an opportunity to be creative in the method of delivering the message.