Maps & Atlases

Almost universally, newly independent states seek to affirm their independence and identity by making the production of new maps and atlases a top priority. For formerly colonized peoples, however, this process neither begins nor ends with independence, and it is rarely straightforward. Mapping their own land is fraught with a fresh set of issues: how to define and administer their territories, develop their national identity, establish their role in the community of nations, and more. The contributors to Decolonizing the Map explore this complicated relationship between mapping and decolonization while engaging with recent theoretical debates about the nature of decolonization itself.   These essays, originally delivered as the 2010 Kenneth Nebenzahl, Jr., Lectures in the History of Cartography at the Newberry Library, encompass more than two centuries and three continents--Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Ranging from the late eighteenth century through the mid-twentieth, contributors study topics from mapping and national identity in late colonial Mexico to the enduring complications created by the partition of British India and the racialized organization of space in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. A vital contribution to studies of both colonization and cartography, Decolonizing the Map is the first book to systematically and comprehensively examine the engagement of mapping in the long--and clearly unfinished--parallel processes of decolonization and nation building in the modern world.

Classic cartographic textbook updated to reflect what's going on with cartography today. New information on designing web maps, using cartography-related web concepts, and updating data sources with imagery and remote sensing.

This new Handbook unites cartographic theory and praxis with the principles of cartographic design and their application. It offers a critical appraisal of the current state of the art, science, and technology of map-making in a convenient and well-illustrated guide that will appeal to an international and multi-disciplinary audience. No single-volume work in the field is comparable in terms of its accessibility, currency, and scope. The Routledge Handbook of Mapping and Cartography draws on the wealth of new scholarship and practice in this emerging field, from the latest conceptual developments in mapping and advances in map-making technology to reflections on the role of maps in society. It brings together 43 engaging chapters on a diverse range of topics, including the history of cartography, map use and user issues, cartographic design, remote sensing, volunteered geographic information (VGI), and map art. The title's expert contributions are drawn from an international base of influential academics and leading practitioners, with a view to informing theoretical development and best practice. This new volume will provide the reader with an exceptionally wide-ranging introduction to mapping and cartography and aim to inspire further engagement within this dynamic and exciting field. The Routledge Handbook of Mapping and Cartography offers a unique reference point that will be of great interest and practical use to all map-makers and students of geographic information science, geography, cultural studies, and a range of related disciplines.

This book gathers various perspectives on modern map production. Its primary focus is on the new paradigm of "sharing and reuse," which is based on decentralized, service-oriented access to spatial data sources.  Service-Oriented Mapping is one of the main paradigms used to embed big data and distributed sources in modern map production, without the need to own the sources. To be stable and reliable, this architecture requires specific frameworks, tools and procedures. In addition to the technological structures, organizational aspects and geographic information system (GIS) capabilities provide powerful tools to make modern geoinformation management successful.  Addressing a range of aspects, including the implementation of the semantic web in geoinformatics, using big data for geospatial visualization, standardization initiatives, and the European spatial data infrastructure, the book offers a comprehensive introduction to decentralized map production. .

Addresses the fundamental principles of visual perception and map symbolism and critically examines the assumptions behind the theories of psychophysical testing and cartographic communication. This revised and expanded edition includes new sections on the relationship between cartography and art, and the distinction between knowledge and skill.