Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Context
Materialisation
Production
Use
Figure 2.3 Söderström's 'visual circuit'
Source: Söderström (2000: 120), author's translation (original in French)
representation is put. The requirements of different user groups affect the design
and the complexity of the cartographic representations, which for 'lay people' in
particular should be clear and of limited complexity (Lutterbach, 1998). Visual instru-
ments can effectively support consensus-building and the collective elaboration of
knowledge in planning and decision-making processes. The last field for analysis as
suggested by Söderström (2000) is concerned with the 'materialisation' or imple-
mentation of a plan, and focuses on the social, economic and cultural effects of the
strategy in visually organising the territory.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Few approaches in the 'disciplinary theories' that were discussed in this chapter
explicitly consider the role of cartographic representations in spatial planning
processes, yet several ideas emerge that are of relevance to the topic. The review
of theoretical approaches on planning and policy-making showed that the ideas of
analysts following the rational planning approach conceive of planning as a
process of rational choice, with decision-makers using information in an attempt to
select the best or optimum course of action among a range of alternatives.
Although the role of cartographic representations in the planning process is not
especially mentioned, it can be assumed that spatial analysis maps (and possibly
even policy maps) were also seen as providing an objective, scientific and quantifi-
able instrument to support the decision-making process. The same understanding
of the infallible, reliable and objective representation of the territory has dominated
cartographic science for several decades, and - one could argue - still persists in
the minds of planners, decision-makers, GIS experts and cartographers today. This
implicit assumption of trustworthy cartographic representation then might hinder
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