Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
A complex allegory from the early
20th century showing the Russian bear and the Rus-
sian army held back from by a stout barricade from
the culture, farms, and industry of Finland.
From Kosonen (2000). Reprinted by permission of
Katariina Kosonen.
legal and institutional decisions hinge very much on cultural conceptions of
geographic representation and cartographic representation of individuals.
New surveillance technologies are pervasive and subtle. From drone air-
craft that can stay aloft for extended periods to small computer chips the size
of a grain of rice, the development of surveillance technologies is making it
easier to record information about individual movements without the knowl-
edge of the person under surveillance. Combined with GPS technology, it is
becoming possible for many people to assemble data into a study of how
individuals spend their time.
The first of these technologies in terms of relevance for recording indi-
vidual movements and situations is satellite remote sensing. High-resolution
remote sensing technologies offer resolutions of 61 cm, allowing for the
detection of the presence of individuals in clear situations—for example,
while standing on a concrete parking lot. Satellite remote sensing can be
complemented and enhanced by ground-based remote sensing technologies.
Britain has over 2.5 million surveillance cameras installed, offering many
possibilities to record the movements of an individual. These technologies,
which offer direct observations, can be easily combined with data from tech-
nologies that routinely collect information about the location and move-
ments of people. The users of cellphones can be readily localized and phone
records can be used to ascertain the general movements of a cellphone user,
whether they are making calls or not. Other means arise from the increased
use of electronic payment systems.
These technologies can be combined to create detailed profiles of indi-
Search WWH ::
Custom Search