GTECH 385.02/GTECH 785.02/EES 799.03
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Instructor: |
Dr. Marianna Pavlovskaya |
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Office location: |
HN 1003F |
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Office hours: |
W 14-15 (Hunter), TH 16-17 (Graduate Center) and by
appointment |
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Email: |
mpavlovAThunter.cuny.edu (See Email
rules) |
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BlackBoard login page: |
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Course webpage: |
http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~mpavlov/Courses/GisSG/GisSGHome.html |
Welcome to the GIS Applications in Social Geography Home page. See BB for up
to date information about the course.
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
This is a 3-credit course. GTECH 385.02 counts for undergraduate Geography and/or ES majors. GTECH 785.02 counts as an elective for our GIS certificate program.
The GIS Applications in Social Geography examines how GIS can be used for critical analysis of social power including economic, racial, gender, and cultural inequalities. It also explores how GIS can assist in imagining social alternatives and creating social spaces that aspire to social justice. After reviewing some basic GIS analytical techniques, we will work on team projects in close contact with a grass-roots organization, NGO, or research group concerned with issues of social justice. The precise content of the projects will be determined in the first two weeks of the semester. Hands-on GIS experience will be combined with readings, class discussions, and invited speakers.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course students will (1) learn about the role of GIS as a tool for grassroots advocacy and social change; (2) understand the power-laden and socially constructed nature of geo-spatial technologies including GIS; (3) gain first-hand experience of being a GIS expert working with a community organization or an NGO in order to address their GIS research and representational needs. In addition, the students will acquire skills for (4) teamwork GIS project, (5) designing and implementing a GIS project; (6) disseminating the results of a GIS project.
COURSE CONTENT
Optional competency exercises will guide you step by step through the problem to a solution. Complementary to the lectures, these exercises will review the spatial analysis concepts and the software tools needed for Mastery exercises and the projects. Not included in the
Mastery exercises are designed to develop your ability to conduct the GIS analysis independently. They will build upon the concepts covered in class as well as the tools acquired through the competency exercises. Each mastery exercise consists of a data set and a problem to be solved. The steps to solving the problem will not be given but should be developed by each student. A cartographic model, a screenshot of the final output, and a brief report detailing the procedures used to solve the problem will be required for each mastery exercise.
Reports on assigned readings will be 1-2 page long and are not intended to summarize but demonstrate your engagement with the content.
Internet research assignments will include, for example, a critique of a map you found on the internet. Due dates will be posted in GIS SG course schedule (see BB).
Project is a team project that a group of students will complete in a close cooperation with a grassroots organization, a group of community researchers, or an NGO working on social justice issues. Together, we will formulate a research problem, define the tasks, data collection strategies, analytical techniques, and write a report. In the end of the semester, each team will present the results to the class and to its partner organization. See project details here.
Graduate students will also write an essay about the social impacts of GIS technologies and make a brief presentation to the class. The essay should discuss at least three articles on the topic that we agree upon (see links to Critical cartography and GIS bibliographies at GIS links and resources.
BOOKS, TUTORIALS, AND SOFTWARE
Since the class assumes basic familiarity with GIS software and analysis, the texts below are recommended. The required class readings will be available on e-reserve. They review certain analytical techniques and include articles/book chapters with case-studies for class discussions. Tutorial exercises are available digitally in the lab and on BB.
Recommended textbooks:
An Introduction to Geographical Information Systems by Heywood
et al., 2007 (A hardcopy is in the library on reserve).
IDRISI Andes Guide to GIS and Image Processing, April 2006, by J. Ronald Eastman. Clark Labs, Clark University. Available digitally on lab computers and BB.
See links to Critical cartography and GIS bibliography at GIS links and resources.
Most tutorial exercises are available digitally on lab computers and course blackboard (BB). Information about what is assigned and when it is due is posted on GIS SG course schedule. See BB for details.
Two software packages will be used in class: Idrisi (developed by Clark Labs at Clark University, Worcester, MA) and ArcGIS (developed by ESRI). Both software packages are available on all lab computers at the department. As part of the course, we will explore recently made available public GIS software. Low cost student versions of Idrisi Taiga are available from Clark Labs. Visit http://www.clarklabs.org/ or call Clark Labs at (508) 793-7526 for details.
STUDENT EVALUATION
The final grade is based upon your grades for exercises (e.g., competency
(optional for extra-credit) and mastery exercises, reports on the readings, and
internet research assignments), class participation, and the project. Grades will
be assigned on a fixed scale following Hunter College Guidelines. Competency exercises can be done individually
or in groups for the same credit. In the latter case please hand in one copy
signed by all group members. Mastery exercises must be done individually.
Undergraduate
students
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Exercises and assignments |
40% |
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Class participation |
10% |
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Project |
50% |
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Total |
100% |
Graduate students
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Exercises and assignments |
35% |
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Essay |
10% |
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Class participation |
10% |
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Project |
45% |
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Total |
100% |
LATE ASSIGNMENTS will be marked down. Exercises will not be accepted after the answers were handed out.
NO LATE ARRIVALS PLEASE. Three late arrivals or two missed classes result in one point less from your class participation grade.
EMAIL RULES
Email is a major way to get in touch outside my office hours. The rules for contacting me via email are as follows: (1) please include GISSG in your subject line; (2) please sign your full name, I will not answer unsigned email messages or (3) I usually answer within one or two days except for the weekends.
Hunter
College statement on Academic Integrity
LAB RULES
Please read carefully Lab Rules and regulations http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/techsupport/rules.html.
General info about lab accounts and the labs http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/techsupport/spars.html. On-line technical help http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/techsupport/index.html.
With questions about assignments and other course content please contact me. For problems with operating systems, logins, and all applications but GIS software contact Department's Windows systems administrator Nguyen Ngoc Nguyen (nngoc@hunter.cuny.edu). For problems with swiping cards, GIS software, and printing contact our College Laboratory Technician (CLT) Amy Jeu (ajeu@hunter.cuny.edu).
BlackBoard (BB) logins
All communication regarding the course including the assignments, grades, and due dates as well as group emails will be via BlackBoard. In order to log in on BB you must have a CUNY portal account. All students enrolled in Hunter courses can establish this account by following the instructions on BB page (bb.hunter.cuny.edu). If you cannot see this class in your BB account, contact BB help (see its webpage).
ACADEMIC CALENDAR FOR Fall 2011 AND WEEKLY TOPICS
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W, Aug 31 W, Sep 28 W, Dec 7 Finals week |
First class meeting No class Last class Project presentations |
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Weeks |
Topics |
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1 |
Introduction and logistics |
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2 |
GIS tools and means |
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3 |
GIS tools and means |
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4 |
Critical GIS: Debates and issues |
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5 |
GIS tools and means. Finalization of project
teams and community partners |
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6 |
Cartography, GIS, surveillance, and empire |
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7 |
Critical cartography and counter-mapping |
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8 |
Qualitative and quantitative GIS |
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9 |
Feminism and GIS |
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10 |
Internet cartography, GIS, and power |
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11 |
Project updates |
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12 |
Project updates |
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13 |
Project updates |
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14 |
Project presentations |
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Finals week |
Project
presentations |
Please see BB for detailed Class Schedule. This schedule is subject to change.