NACIS 2018

What we call ourselves and the maps we make. Or, is critical cartography real?
Presenter: Jim Thatcher, University of Washington Tacoma
Cartography has developed a host of sub-fields meant to demarcate something about the act of map-making. Critical, feminist, web, analytical, and other terms each signal a specific set of epistemological commitments. While these commitments play out in critique and topical focus, it is less clear to what degree map-making practice differs. This talk presents a visual-analytic survey of actually-existing maps created by self-identified critical, analytical, and web cartographers. It does not make the argument that all maps are the same, rather it demonstrates underlying similarities in map making practices. It suggests spaces of shared ontological ground and opportunities for collaborations.

...And how does that work?
Presenter: Mark Denil, sui generis
Demosthenes said the prime considerations in human communication were: 1.delivery; 2.delivery; 3.delivery. For over twenty years the speaker has been saying the same thing about maps. Maps stand between proposed facts and accepted truths, and are, often, the only way of getting from the one to the other. Still, many people see the investigation of theory as frivolus: What advantages accrue from thinking about how and why? This talk will center upon a rationale for careful and un-dogmatic scrutiny of cartographic theory by exploring how the speaker came to the study, and of the value of sound theory to practice.

Affective Mapping: Designing for Behavior Change
Presenter: Brandyn Friedly,
Humans are not rational beings. Cognitive psychology and neuroscience show that people's decisions and worldview stem from emotion. The potential of maps to shape place-based narratives on global and local scales is profound. In this talk, I will introduce research on behavioral change used in political science and connect it to the visual language of design and cartography to suggest ways we can design maps for positive change.

Advancing Cartography by Embracing the Spatial Voice of the Untrained Mapper
Presenter: Sarah Bell, Esri
Every person’s livelihood is impacted by the space in which they exist, but few of us have been formally trained in spatial communication. Yet artists, students, scientists, activists, and many more untrained mappers are lending their spatial voices to the world via map-making. Rather than hoard the power of spatial communication, we cartographers can foster an open atmosphere for all spatial visualists. This talk presents a conversation on enriching the field of cartography by embracing and learning from the untrained mapper. Applying socio-spatial theory and semiotics, this discussion uses real-world examples to explore what we cartographers can gain from novices.