Empowerment, Marginalization, and “Community-integrated” GIS Trevor Harris and Daniel Weiner Presented by Paris Edwards and Maria Stefanovich October 1, 2007 Trevor Harris and Daniel Weiner Presented by Paris Edwards and Maria Stefanovich October 1, 2007

What is GIS? / jtzxXTpN0

Public Participation GIS is an interdisciplinary research, community development and environmental stewardship tool grounded in value and ethical frameworks that promote social justice, ecological sustainability, improvement of quality of life, redistributive justice, nurturing of civil society, etc; (By Doug Aberley and Renee Sieber) is an interdisciplinary research, community development and environmental stewardship tool grounded in value and ethical frameworks that promote social justice, ecological sustainability, improvement of quality of life, redistributive justice, nurturing of civil society, etc; (By Doug Aberley and Renee Sieber)

Hypothesis / GIS is a contradictory technology that simultaneously empowers and marginalizes people and communities. Therefore, the societal impacts of GIS are dependent on particular configurations of place-based / historical, / socio-economic, / political and / technical conditions / GIS is a contradictory technology that simultaneously empowers and marginalizes people and communities. Therefore, the societal impacts of GIS are dependent on particular configurations of place-based / historical, / socio-economic, / political and / technical conditions

National Research Council Predictions / Wide-spread use of GIS by 2010 / increased [citizen] involvement / better and more rapid access to public data / the ability to present data more persuasively / improved communications and technologies to support collaboration / power of the Internet and the WWW for rapid publication and dissemination of ideas and data / Wide-spread use of GIS by 2010 / increased [citizen] involvement / better and more rapid access to public data / the ability to present data more persuasively / improved communications and technologies to support collaboration / power of the Internet and the WWW for rapid publication and dissemination of ideas and data

National Research Council Predictions (cont.) / Possible restrictions on public access to data and increasing privatization of spatial data  Concern for citizen preparedness to deal with spatial data and think spatially / Possible restrictions on public access to data and increasing privatization of spatial data  Concern for citizen preparedness to deal with spatial data and think spatially

GIS and Society / “quiet revolution” / Use of GIS widening- need for demonstration projects / Issues arise concerning the interpretation of alternative data / “quiet revolution” / Use of GIS widening- need for demonstration projects / Issues arise concerning the interpretation of alternative data

GIS and Society / Top-down, elitist, technicist / GIS’s dualistic nature - using data to both empower and marginalize / Examples: “red-lining” and “gerrymandering” / Top-down, elitist, technicist / GIS’s dualistic nature - using data to both empower and marginalize / Examples: “red-lining” and “gerrymandering”

The anti-geography / Breakdown between knowledge and data / Can GIS be value-neutral? / Is GIS a tool or a science? / Breakdown between knowledge and data / Can GIS be value-neutral? / Is GIS a tool or a science?

Access to Data / Commodification of data / Privacy and use of geodemographic data / Commodification of data / Privacy and use of geodemographic data

Challenges / Knowledge distortion / Democratic involvement as an antidote / Agencies’ bias / Accountability / Knowledge distortion / Democratic involvement as an antidote / Agencies’ bias / Accountability

Attempts to overcome GIS challenges / Initiative 19 / Democratizing access - how can GIS be modified for that purpose? / Initiative 19 / Democratizing access - how can GIS be modified for that purpose?

PPGIS CASE STUDIES - The Eagle Project (environmental health and risk assessment) - Peruvian Amazon (economic development strategies) - The Eagle Project (environmental health and risk assessment) - Peruvian Amazon (economic development strategies)

Patterns / Control, Access, Results / Two central themes in the success of PPGIS projects are accountability and sustainability. / Control, Access, Results / Two central themes in the success of PPGIS projects are accountability and sustainability.

Interactive Online Mapping - How accessible is it? - How accessible is it?

Community Use of GIS Hutchison and Toledano “demand driven” vs. “technology driven” Is it possible to avoid the “top down” approach to introducing technology? Hutchison and Toledano “demand driven” vs. “technology driven” Is it possible to avoid the “top down” approach to introducing technology?

GIS and Society “…[T]he integration of local knowledge and the representation of non-hegemonic epistemologies of space, environment, and territory are complex and potentially contradictory aspects of alternative GIS production and use”. Can GIS accurately translate non-empirical data? (Rundstrom) “…[T]he integration of local knowledge and the representation of non-hegemonic epistemologies of space, environment, and territory are complex and potentially contradictory aspects of alternative GIS production and use”. Can GIS accurately translate non-empirical data? (Rundstrom)

Technological Repercussions / Disenfranchizing indigenous populations and the knowledge they provide by replacing the traditional methods with technology / What is lost in “translation”? / Disenfranchizing indigenous populations and the knowledge they provide by replacing the traditional methods with technology / What is lost in “translation”?

Community Integrated GIS Opens up involvement to those outside of the community Integrates spatial and non-spatial data to incorporate alternative local knowledge Displays information in forms alternative to maps for diversity in representation Allows inclusion of data that cannot be easily translated to map form Does the production process seem feasible? Opens up involvement to those outside of the community Integrates spatial and non-spatial data to incorporate alternative local knowledge Displays information in forms alternative to maps for diversity in representation Allows inclusion of data that cannot be easily translated to map form Does the production process seem feasible?

Project Scope Accessibility to GIS on the internet Could telecommunication be the key to increasing access to GIS? Accessibility to GIS on the internet Could telecommunication be the key to increasing access to GIS?

Conclusion Skepticism about empowerment given the dualistic nature of GIS to both marginalize and empower Place-based approach to the use of GIS Relevance of GIS information is temporary and dependent upon power configurations Skepticism about empowerment given the dualistic nature of GIS to both marginalize and empower Place-based approach to the use of GIS Relevance of GIS information is temporary and dependent upon power configurations

Points to Ponder Issues of hegemony, democracy, privacy – are they really avoidable? Is cultural heritage at risk? Do risks outnumber the benefits? What about the age of the article? Are these issues still relevant nine years later? Have the predictions of widespread use of GIS come true? Issues of hegemony, democracy, privacy – are they really avoidable? Is cultural heritage at risk? Do risks outnumber the benefits? What about the age of the article? Are these issues still relevant nine years later? Have the predictions of widespread use of GIS come true?