DIG 360 - Digital Maps, Space, and Place

Space and place - visualized by maps - condition nearly every aspect of our lived experience. Our lives would be very difficult without geospatial markers, (and is very difficult when they’re a challenge to decipher - think the numbering system in Chambers!). It’s almost impossible to imagine everyday experiences, like driving to the store, going for a run on the river run trail, or even locating the best local coffee shop without access to maps. These activities are made all the more easy by the dynamic, interactive digital maps that track our positions relative to the sites that matter to us.

This is a methodology class designed to introduce students to the theories and practices of digital mapping. We will explore space, place and geography through the physical space of Davidson College, using maps of the campus produced throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, contemporary images of campus, and cartographic imaginaries of what the campus could be. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with the reasons for studying maps, the tools needed for geospatial analysis, how to embed and analyze geographical information, and how to link historical maps to modern day geographies.

Students entering 2012 and after: satisfies Social-Scientific Thought distribution requirement.

Students entering before 2012: satisfies Social Science distribution requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
(Not offered 2015-16.)