Technological Transition in Cartography

Last updated
Technological Transition in Cartography
Author Mark Monmonier
LanguageEnglish
Subject Cartography
PublisherUniversity of Wisconsin Press
Publication date
1985
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint
Pages304
ISBN 9780299100704
Text Technological Transition in Cartography online

Technological Transition in Cartography is a seminal book by Mark Monmonier, first published in 1985. [1] [2] [3] The book explores the impact of technological advancements on the evolution of the field of cartography, examining how innovations in technology have transformed the methods and practices of mapmaking. [4] The book was created to target cartography students of the time, and sought to demonstrate the importance of viewing cartography as a method of delivering geographic information, rather than using the technology. [5]

Contents

Overview

Technological Transition in Cartography was published in 1984 by the University of Wisconsin Press. [5] In Technological Transition in Cartography, Monmonier provides an analysis of the technological changes that have occurred in cartography from the 19th to the late 20th century. It is not a textbook and does not offer a comprehensive overview of cartography, its history, or a review of the technology, but instead focuses on explaining the impact of technological change on cartography. [1] One reviewer noted that Monmonier described the book as "in part a cursory technological history and in part a philosophical essay on the evolution of maps, map information, and map use." [6]

The book has seven chapters, an introduction and conclusion, and the remaining five broken into five sections: "location and navigation", "boundaries and surveys", "aerial reconnaissance and land cover inventories", "decision support systems", and "map publishing and the digital map." [7] [8] [9] [10] In addition to these, the text has a short preference, notes, a bibliography, and glossary. [4] [10] [8] The book has eighty seven figures. [8]

Author

Mark Monmonier is a geography professor at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. [11] He has published several books on cartography and maps aimed at professionals and the general public. In 1985, the year Technological Transition in Cartography was published, Monmonier resigned as Editor of The American Cartographer due to disagreements regarding, "the importance to the profession of federal personnel qualifications standards which recognize the value of a comprehensive cartographic education to those accepting the title and responsibilities of Cartographer." [12] The American Association of Geographers awarded him a lifetime achievement award in 2023, noting his significant contributions to geographic communication and cartography. [13]

Impact and Reception

In a later talk and publication discussing Technological Transition in Cartography Monmonoier stated that the book would likely be considered a "commercial failure" by publishers, having sold less than 1,200 copies in addition to 200 publications that were given away by the publisher by 1995. [5] Despite this, upon its release, Technological Transition in Cartography mainly received positive reviews regarding its coverage of technological advancements in cartography. [5] Reviewers praised Monmonier's ability to contextualize complex technological changes within the broader history of cartography. John P. Snyder stated in his review "the book is highly recommended as a well-written, concise, accurate, and pertinent story of a complicated field in clearly described terms for both lay and professional individuals and organizations." Michael Goodchild stated the book was well written and recommended it for professional cartographers and students. [1] Alan MacEachren stated that the book "belongs in every cartographer's library." [14]

Multiple reviewers noted that the book had an emphasis on military technology. [8] [15] One reviewer noted that military funding drives a lot of cartographic innovation regardless of if we "like it or not," [15] and Michael Goodchild's echoed this sentiment in his review. [1] Snyder stated in his review that Monmonier may have overemphasized military contributions to cartography over commercial. [9] Goodchild's review states that Monmonier noted a manuscript reviewer believed his coverage of military innovation was "uncomfortably enthusiastic," and while he believes that Monmonier handled this issue well, it resulted in an "awkward compromise." [1]

Snyder pointed out minor errors, including the temporal resolution of Landsat and an equation on one page. [9] Valerian Noronha criticized the book's visual presentation, specifically noting the "dull Tektronix-green dustjacket," illustrations, and lack of color. [4] The lack of content on specific topics was noted by reviewers, with one pointing out it lacked discussion on "map perception, psychophysics, cognition, or models of communication." [8] Noronha criticized the book's lack of coverage in theoretical cartography, specifically "smoothing, Fourier analysis, and fractal geometry." [4] C. Peter Keller stated that Monmoneier's argument for emphasizing computer cartography over pen and paper drafting in coursework was poorly explained. [2] Goodchild pointed out that the subject matter was risky, as novel technology in mapping could quickly become irrelevant. [1]

The book struggled partly because it lacked a specific traditional niche, with Noronha stating it could be seen as an advertisement for cartography, targeting clients. [4] Reviewers noted that the book was not a traditional textbook, lacking a comprehensive review of the technology, and was too broad for introduction to cartography courses while being targeted towards undergraduate students. [1] [4] Geographers Keller, Terry Slocum, and James Carter all stated the book could be used in an advanced cartography course or to inspire research, but believed students in introductory courses might not appreciate the content. [2] [8]

An excerpt from the book was published in 1996, and later included as a chapter in the book The Map Reader: Theories of Mapping Practice and Cartographic Representation, which published texts and excerpts considered to be "significant" to cartography that had appeared in peer-reviewed journals and scholarly monographs. [16] [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cartography</span> Study and practice of making maps

Cartography is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gall–Peters projection</span> Cylindrical equal-area map projection

The Gall–Peters projection is a rectangular, equal-area map projection. Like all equal-area projections, it distorts most shapes. It is a cylindrical equal-area projection with latitudes 45° north and south as the regions on the map that have no distortion. The projection is named after James Gall and Arno Peters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldo R. Tobler</span> American geographer

Waldo Rudolph Tobler was an American-Swiss geographer and cartographer. Tobler is regarded as one of the most influential geographers and cartographers of the late 20th century and early 21st century. He is most well known for coining what has come to be referred to as Tobler's first law of geography. He also coined what has come to be referred to as Tobler's second law of geography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thematic map</span> Type of map that visualizes data

A thematic map is a type of map that portrays the geographic pattern of a particular subject matter (theme) in a geographic area. This usually involves the use of map symbols to visualize selected properties of geographic features that are not naturally visible, such as temperature, language, or population. In this, they contrast with general reference maps, which focus on the location of a diverse set of physical features, such as rivers, roads, and buildings. Alternative names have been suggested for this class, such as special-subject or special-purpose maps, statistical maps, or distribution maps, but these have generally fallen out of common usage. Thematic mapping is closely allied with the field of Geovisualization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of cartography</span>

The history of cartography refers to the development and consequences of cartography, or mapmaking technology, throughout human history. Maps have been one of the most important human inventions for millennia, allowing humans to explain and navigate their way through the world.

Mark Stephen Monmonier is a Distinguished Professor of Geography and the Environment at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University. He specializes in geography, geographic information systems, toponymy, and the history of cartography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John P. Snyder</span>

John Parr Snyder was an American cartographer most known for his work on map projections for the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Educated at Purdue and MIT as a chemical engineer, he had a lifetime interest in map projections as a hobby, but found the calculations tedious without the benefit of expensive calculators or computers. At a cartography conference in 1976, he learned of the need for a map projection that would suit the special needs of Landsat satellite imagery. He had recently been able to purchase a pocket calculator (TI-59) of his own and set to work creating what became known as the space-oblique mercator projection, which he provided to the USGS at no charge. Library of Congress historian John Hessler stated it is "perhaps the most complex map projection".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography</span> Study of lands and inhabitants of Earth

Geography is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding of Earth and its human and natural complexities—not merely where objects are, but also how they have changed and come to be. While geography is specific to Earth, many concepts can be applied more broadly to other celestial bodies in the field of planetary science. Geography has been called "a bridge between natural science and social science disciplines."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer cartography</span> Compiling data to create a visual image

Computer cartography is the art, science, and technology of making and using maps with a computer. This technology represents a paradigm shift in how maps are produced, but is still fundamentally a subset of traditional cartography. The primary function of this technology is to produce maps, including creation of accurate representations of a particular area such as, detailing major road arteries and other points of interest for navigation, and in the creation of thematic maps. Computer cartography is one of the main functions of geographic information systems (GIS), however, GIS is not necessary to facilitate computer cartography and has functions beyond just making maps. The first peer-reviewed publications on using computers to help in the cartographic process predate the introduction of full GIS by several years.

Borden D. Dent (1938–2000) was an American geographer and cartographer who served as professor emeritus and chairman of the Department of Geography and Anthropology at Georgia State University. His textbook, Cartography: Thematic Map Design, is one of the seminal texts in the field, and its sixth edition was reissued in 2009.

Cartographic propaganda is a map created with the goal of achieving a result similar to traditional propaganda. The map can be outright falsified, or created using subjectivity with the goal of persuasion. The idea that maps are subjective is not new; cartographers refer to maps as a human-subjective product and some view cartography as an "industry, which packages and markets spatial knowledge" or as a communicative device distorted by human subjectivity. However, cartographic propaganda is widely successful because maps are often presented as a miniature model of reality, and it is a rare occurrence that a map is referred to as a distorted model, which sometimes can "lie" and contain items that are completely different from reality. Because the word propaganda has become a pejorative, it has been suggested that mapmaking of this kind should be described as "persuasive cartography", defined as maps intended primarily to influence opinions or beliefs – to send a message – rather than to communicate geographic information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Map symbol</span> Graphic depiction of a geographic phenomenon

A map symbol or cartographic symbol is a graphical device used to visually represent a real-world feature on a map, working in the same fashion as other forms of symbols. Map symbols may include point markers, lines, regions, continuous fields, or text; these can be designed visually in their shape, size, color, pattern, and other graphic variables to represent a variety of information about each phenomenon being represented.

Cynthia Ann Brewer is an American cartographer, author, and professor of geography at Pennsylvania State University. Brewer's specialty relates to visibility and color theory in cartography. In 2023, she was awarded the International Cartographic Society's highest honor, the Carl Mannerfelt Gold Medal, for her distinguished contribution to the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technical geography</span> Study of using and creating tools to manage spatial information

Technical geography is the branch of geography that involves using, studying, and creating tools to obtain, analyze, interpret, understand, and communicate spatial information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet GIS</span> Internet technologies regarding spatial data

Internet GIS, or Internet geographic information system (GIS), is a term that refers to a broad set of technologies and applications that employ the Internet to access, analyze, visualize, and distribute spatial data. Internet GIS is an outgrowth of traditional GIS, and represents a shift from conducting GIS on an individual computer to working with remotely distributed data and functions. Two major issues in GIS are accessing and distributing spatial data and GIS outputs. Internet GIS helps to solve that problem by allowing users to access vast databases impossible to store on a single desktop computer, and by allowing rapid dissemination of both maps and raw data to others. These methods include both file sharing and email. This has enabled the general public to participate in map creation and make use of GIS technology.

George Frederick Jenks (1916–1996) was an American geographer known for his significant contributions to cartography and geographic information systems (GIS). With a career spanning over three decades, Jenks played a vital role in advancing map-making technologies, was instrumental in enhancing the visualization of spatial data, and played foundational roles in developing modern cartographic curricula. The Jenks natural breaks optimization, based on his work, is still widely used in the creation of thematic maps, such as choropleth maps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldo Tobler bibliography</span> Geographer Waldo Toblers publications

Waldo Tobler's publications span between 1957 and 2017, with his most productive year being 1973. Despite retirement in 1994, he continued to be involved with research for the remainder of his life. Most of his publications consist of peer-reviewed journals, without single-issue textbooks or monographs, and the quantity of publications is noted as being unremarkable compared to modern geographers. Many of his works are foundational to modern geography and cartography, and still frequently cited in modern publications, including the first paper on using computers in cartography, the establishment of analytical cartography, and coining Tobler's first and second laws of geography. His work covered a wide range of topics, with many of his papers considered to be "cartographic classics", that serve as required reading for both graduate and undergraduate students.

<i>How to Lie with Maps</i> 1991 book by Mark Monmonier

How to Lie with Maps is a nonfiction book written by Mark Monmonier detailing issues with cartographic representation and targeted at the general public. First published in 1991 by the University of Chicago Press, it explores the various ways in which maps can be manipulated and how these distortions influence the general public's perceptions and understanding of the world. The book highlights the subjectivity involved in map-making and the potential for misuse of cartographic techniques, with a goal to "promote a healthy skepticism about maps."

Mark Monmonier is a geographer with a long track record of publications that have been influential to the discipline. In 2023, the American Association of Geographers awarded Monmonier a lifetime achievement award, with prominent mention of his publication track record, specifically stating, "Monmonier’s works are timeless and have transformed how people see, analyze, and interact with maps." Monmonier stands out from other academics in that he published several books aimed at the general population. His most famous book, How to Lie with Maps has been referred to as the "bible for cartographers" by Steven Bernard of the Financial Times and ""the closest thing to a religious text we have in cartography" in Spatial Literacy in Public Health: Faculty-Librarian Teaching Collaborations. His publication Maximum-Difference Barriers : An Alternative Numerical Regiodization Method lead to what is now referred to as the "Monmonier Algorithm."

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Goodchild, Michael F. (1987). "Technological Transition in Cartography". Cartographica. 24 (3): 91–124. doi:10.3138/1236-0286-3035-3520 . Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Keller, C. P. (1986). "Reviews: Technological Transitions in Cartography". Canadian Geographies. 30 (4): 290–381. doi:10.1111/j.1541-0064.1986.tb01232.x . Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  3. ↑ Smith, Linda C.; Gluck, Myke (1995). "Introduction". In Smith, Linda C.; Gluck, Myke (eds.). Geographic information systems and libraries: patrons, maps, and spatial information. Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. ISBN   0-87845-097-1 . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Noronha, V. T. (1986). "Book Reviews: Technological Transition in Cartography". The Professional Geographer. 38 (3): 308–309. doi:10.1111/j.0033-0124.1986.00295.x . Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Monmonier, Mark (1996). "Mapping Technology in Transition". In Smith, Linda C.; Gluck, Myke (eds.). Geographic information systems and libraries: patrons, maps, and spatial information. Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. ISBN   0-87845-097-1 . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  6. ↑ Hollwey, John (1986). "Reviewed Work(s): Technological Transition in Cartography". Geography. 71 (1): 92. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Slocum, Terry A. (1986). "Book Reviews: Technological Transition in Cartography". Journal of Geography. 85 (1). doi:10.1080/00221348608979005 . Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Carter, James R. (1986). "Reviewed Work(s): Technological Transition in Cartography". Geographical Review. 76 (1): 112–113. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Snyder, John P. (1987). "Reviewed Work(s): Technological Transition in Cartography". Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 77 (1): 148–150. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  10. 1 2 Karroway Jr., Robert W. (1987). "Reviewed Work(s): Technological Transition in Cartography". Technology and Culture. 28 (1): 181–183. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  11. ↑ "On the Eve of Retirement, Mark Monmonier Receives Lifetime Achievement Award". Syracuse University Media, Law & Policy. May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  12. ↑ Monmonier, Mark (1985). "Former Editor Protests Censorship". The American Cartographer. 12 (1): 69–70. doi:10.1559/152304085783914695 . Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  13. ↑ "Lifetime Achievement Honors: Mark Monmonier". American Association of Geographers. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  14. ↑ MacEachren, Alan (1986). "Review of the book Technological Transition in Cartography". The American Cartographer. 13 (4): 276–277. doi:10.1559/152304086783887190.
  15. 1 2 Blakemore, M. (1986). "Reviews: Technological Transition in Cartography". Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space. 18 (2): 283. doi:10.1068/a180277 . Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  16. ↑ Dodge, Martin; Kitchin, Rob; Perkins, Chris (2011). "Preface". In Dodge, Martin; Kitchin, Rob; Perkins, Chris (eds.). The Map Reader: Theories of Mapping Practice and Cartographic Representation (1 ed.). John Wiley & Sons. pp. ixx. ISBN   9780470979587 . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  17. ↑ Monmonier, Mark S. (2011). "A Century of Cartographic Change, from Technological Transition in Cartography". In Martin, Dodge; Kitchin, Rob; Perkins, Chris (eds.). The Map Reader: Theories of Mapping Practice and Cartographic Representation. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   9780470979587 . Retrieved 25 July 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.