1. Reading Images
Map exercise

2. Perspectives on the World
People have been drawing maps for centuries and this practice corresponded with their understanding of the world
Cartography – the scientific drawing of maps
There are two important issues:
1) Technical: how to represent a spherical three-dimensional object on a flat surface
2) Cultural: the worldviews being represented
For a similar discussion of maps in their relationship to culture see Konrad Kottak…

3. Cartography - Tabula Peutingeriana
What do you see?

4. Cartography - Tabula Peutingeriana
Map of Roman roads, representing distances in the Roman Empire
Dated 100 CE; not a modern map but shows mapping practice from more earlier times
Also explain dating – to what does CE and BCE refer? What signifies year 0? Explain that there are different calendars and different notions of time (linear, cyclical). Explain that recent scientific thinking has shifted to the use of Common Era and Before Common Era in order to avoid reference only to Christian tradition (year 0 as birth of Christ). This is an example of how critical thinking has lead science to reflect on social and political norms.

5. Cartography - Karl B. Mollweide (1805)

6. Cartography - Karl B. Mollweide (1805)
Was one of the first equal area projects of the earth
Correct relative size, but compresses and warps lands in higher altitudes and vertically stretches land masses close to the equator

7. Maritime maps
Served for navigation and continue to have the same usage (not only use of stars)
Problematic: exaggerates the size of land masses in higher altitudes
Two-thirds (2/3) of the map surface belong to the northern hemisphere.
North America with 19 million km² appears twice the size of Africa which has 30 million km².
Europe is show equal in size with South America, which actually has nearly twice the land mass of Europe

8. Cartography - Robinson (1988)

9. Cartography - Robinson (1988)
Map of the “National Geographic Society”
Although an improvement this map also represents northern land masses as proportionally larger that those in the south
As other maps this one also depicts Europe in the center, with the Atlantic Ocean and the Americas to the left, emphasizing the proximity of Europe and America, diminishing the proximity of North America and Asia.

10. Asia in center and world “upside down”

11. Cartography - Peters (UNESCO)

12. Cartography– Peters (UNESCO)
Official UNESCO map
Although it distorts shapes, the land masses are presented in accurate relative size
Europe is centrally positioned, but is not shown as larger then “third world” countries

13. Group exercise
Working alone or in a group have a discussion of the images you have just seen and the explanations provided.
a) Do maps reflect or shape our perceptions of the world, or both
b) What evidence was collected to draw these maps?
c) Do these images carry cultural, political, economic meanings and relations? Refereeing to either the maps or other examples have participants identify these meanings.
d) Discuss the relevance of positioning and difference associated with top, down, north, south, rich, poor, east, west, etc.
e) What has been the position of science in producing these maps and how was it effected by social and cultural norms and values?