Cartographic Perspectives (E-Journal - North American Cartographic Information Society, NACIS)
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Design Principles of Kashida Justification: A Unique Technique in Arabic and Persian Mapping
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Regrets
No full textCreative fields such as ours thrive on critique. For many of us, being part of a network of cartographic professionals means exchanging advice and feedback with colleagues, including suggestions for improvement. It can also mean silently observing the maps of others and pondering, consciously or otherwise, how we might do things differently. This process of thinking critically about other people’s maps, by and large, helps us all grow our skills. But, the reality of human nature means that the urge to critique can sometimes lead to toxic outcomes that harm our community. This I know from personal experience, for I was once a source of such negativity
The “AfterMap” of the February 2023 Earthquakes in Türkiye
No full textIn this first-person narrative, I explore the ethical challenges encountered while providing mapping support in the aftermath of the February 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye, a disaster that impacted 2.65 million people across several major cities. This crisis underscored the essential role of geospatial data in disaster response, while also exposing the disparities in data access and representation globally. Many vulnerable communities lack the resources needed to benefit equally from these efforts, leaving a critical gap often addressed by volunteer organizations.
Through our collaboration with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, my students and I engaged in digitizing essential map data, witnessing firsthand its transformative effect on disaster response. Despite the inherent challenges and uncertainties in volunteer mapping, each contribution plays a vital role in bridging spatial data gaps and enhancing resilience against natural disasters. This collective effort, following in the footprints of former collaborative mapping efforts, highlights the importance of collaborative action in crisis mapping.
By sharing this experience, I aim to shed light on the inequalities present in disaster situations and advocate for more equitable and inclusive approaches to disaster relief. Providing accurate information about unmapped areas and their needs can help pave the way for fairer distribution of aid. As environmental hazards grow more frequent and severe, the insights from this reflection on our mapping journey offer valuable perspectives on equity in digital cartography, with the potential for significant societal benefits
Better Than Good Enough for Government Work
No full textThree episodes in the 34-year career of a cartographer at the US State Department illustrate how ethics can inform, or intrude on, mapping for foreign policy. While US federal government cartography is guided by international law, political disputes and how they are handled put the cartographer in a position to inform and possibly influence an ethical policy. Or not. This article will explore instances in which mapping ethics get discussed, tested, and resolved in a foreign policy environment
Ethical Dilemmas in Early Career: Reflections on a GIS Internship Experience and its Echo in Geospatial Teaching
No full textDuring an internship in an Irish local authority council, I was asked to complete an ethically questionable task. I completed the task without conscious consideration of its impacts. Although I gained valuable skills from the process, I failed to critically engage with the task and reflect on whether or not it should have been done, as well as my role in its completion. Based on my internship, other personal experiences, and conversations with colleagues, I now create space in my geospatial courses for practical conversation about ethics and argue the importance of critically considering and then reflecting on tasks. These conversations sit beside discussion of broader ethical issues, such as data availability and sovereignty.
I advocate here for the importance of practical ethics in geospatial education—a focus on the small and the individual, as well as the wider ethical issues facing cartography and the broader geospatial industry. For professionals in the industry, I also believe it’s essential to create space for open discussion and reflecting on our specific experiences can be beneficial in thinking about the broader role we play in the spatial profession