Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
PLACE
SPACE
an instantane-
ous configura-
tion of positions
stable and not
affected by
changes or the
dynamics of
everyday life
intersections of
mobile ele-
ments
dynamic / con-
tinually-
changing con-
glomerate en-
tity
exists in any
point in time
a 'practiced
place'
Harrison's De-
scription of
England (1877)
9
9
Beck's London
Underground
map
9
9
New Simplified
Map of London
9
9
The Earth at
night
9
Star Alliance
network map
9
9
Visualising
Friendships
9
9
Real-time Rome
9
9
Table 1
.
Relationships to relate to de Certeau's Space and Place concepts
What can be seen is that the maps show Place and the maps with dynamic
content and self-generated maps show Space. However, each of the maps
with dynamic content and self-generated maps does not illustrate each of
the elements of Space about which de Certeau wrote.
So, can it be assumed that maps - those products designed and produced as
representations of the Earth - are used to show Place, that more stable, less
changeable concept? And, that maps with dynamic content and self-
generated maps - products generated from 'feeds' from sensors, data relat-
ing to communication system use, the virtual links between friends using
Web resources like Facebook - are more likely to show Space?
It is argued therefore that the depiction of space using maps, albeit inaccu-
rate and lacking an integral view of the world, can provide much valuable
information to users who have not or do not undertake data collection or
who are not actively participating in information exchange via social soft-
ware sites or actively using telecommunications devices. But, as individual
cartographers drew these maps, their interpretations of reality differed and
also the content of the maps were changed to achieve particular informa-
tion communication requirements. Maps weren't just maps, they were
