Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
Mapping the Social World
Instructor(s): Andrew Lindner, Sociology
Whether treasure maps or Google Maps, maps symbolize adventure and discovery in the popular imagination. But maps are not merely a tool for navigation. We can map demographic characteristics, election results, traffic collisions, preferences in TV shows, Google searches, smells, and even where the night sky is the darkest. Maps offer a tool for understanding geography, history, politics, and society spatially. This course will examine maps as a tool for thinking spatially about society. Students will learn about the visual metaphors employed in maps, the art and science of map creation, and “deep maps, ” which bring multiple “layers into critical conversation with one another. ” With these ideas in mind, students will encounter a number of pressing social issues associated with the use of space, including racial segregation, gerrymandering, and suburban sprawl.
Course Offered: