Topic 8: Visualizations – Maps

Historically, maps were 2D, printed, sometimes wildly inaccurate representations of space. Today, maps can still be wildly inaccurate, but digital tools provide a way to apply more data to a spatial representation. Digital maps can add an interesting, spatial dimension to your humanities or social science research. People respond well to visuals, and maps provide a way to display a visual that corresponds to real-life space.  

Data visualization encompasses a wide range of practices focused on the transformation of quantitative or otherwise segmented information into visual forms to convey information and sometimes provide interactive engagement with data sources.  During this topic we we’ll explore digital humanities mapping techniques and create an online map. 

Reading

Story Maps and the Digital Humanities https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/story-maps/sharing-collaboration/story-maps-and-the-digital-humanities/

Managing and Using Digital Spatial Archives https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/spatialhumanities/chapter/managing-and-using-digital-spatial-archives/

The Lasting Legacy Of Redlining https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/redliningA powerful example illustrating how maps can tell a story

Persuasive Cartography https://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/

Media

Mapping and the Humanities https://youtu.be/pcqX8EBsC-M

Exercises

Use Storymap to create a map containing 4-5 items dealing with a topic of your choice. Share this map in a post at your website.