GIS vs. Geography

Bit of a personal journey, but I've been thinking about what the difference between a geographer (me) and cartographer is.  In essence, cartographer (aka, GIS) is one tool that a geographer can use to understand and articulate spatial distribution of events or phenomena. 


But there is so much more to it.  Other tools I use are critical thinking, analysis, recognition of particular epistemologies, ability to identify and counter popular arguments, the recognition that geographies are actively created through unintentional and unplanned arguments and actions.  For example a pervasive world view of liberalism in the 19th century, that throughout western Europe and ultimately the world, held that humanity might be liberated by the geographical coincidence of nation and state, produced a very unique geography with dominant nations neatly compartmentalised across the globe, and less dominant groups being subject to discrimination, diminished social status, oppression and in extreme cases genocide.

These are tools not often in the toolkit of GIS practioners, although many a professional in most any field these days, might be expected to have these.


Ever since making a monumental shift in my career away from what I thought was a profession in Geography to Librarian, my Librarian colleagues, somewhat misguidedly, as it seems to me now, steered me towards gis or map librarianship.  This is a highly technical skill that certainly isn't beyond me to learn, but a set of skills I was not presented with early on in my career.   My skills and / or training extends beyond this, or at best run parallel to this.  Opportunities to retrain are rare (I've seized many), and yet professional positions elude me.  Is it time to recognize that the divisions set out some time after Humboldt, between cartography (an art) and geography (a scientific or humanistic pursuit) are here to stay, or indeed that GIS has moved away from the realm of Geography.  Its popularity and ease of use, has certainly made it very attractive to a wide variety of applications that should have recognized its value generations ago, but for lack of easy and computer power would hope that somebody else dealt with it.  Then the question I'd like to address in time (another posting perhaps) is what are the origins of the difference between cartography and geography, when did they split, why, and what of it?

Effective Virtual Chat in Libraries

Just saw interesting piece in recentish issue of Feliciter  56(5):202-203 to be exact, regarding librarians 'lurking' in the backroom of chat rooms.  This to me makes so much sense, and I congratulate folks at McMaster Uni for moving forward on this.  Would love to know how this is working for them.  My thinking is that we need more training on new technologies, not more new technologies.  One of things I've learned in other jobs is the value of a quick turn around with an answer, and if one could have at the ready, and I don't mean by phone, an army of knowledgeable experts that as a single point of entry, virtual reference operator.

We are not really adding value to our service if all we are doing is passing on a telephone contact information, information that is readily available already on the web site.  If that number was not available, that would be different.

A link to this article can be found by following the leads here.

How sustainable is the paperless office?

Furniss, Charlie. 2004. "conundrum in the congo." Geographical (Campion Interactive Publishing) 76, no. 7: 55-61. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed December 13, 2010).

Now, a bit dated, and I haven't found time to determine if much has been done since then but something to consider when we try to convince ourselves that online banking is more environmentally sustainable. Trees can be grown, and paper can be produced in an environmentally sustainable way, but the mineral resources used to manufacture computers, plus the environmental costs to dispose are arguably less sustainable.

This piece reveals the politics and destruction behind the world's hunger for a limited supply of all kinds of essential raw materials that are not sustainable.

New Study of Russian Fur Trade

I attended interesting event, courtesy of the Rupertsland Society last week. At issue was a very informal presentation of a scholar's soon to be released study of the Russian Fur Trade in North America. There are some fascinating parallels and some important differences with the British operated concerns. Most notable was the hard slog to get from Moscow to Alaska on the overland route, a turn around time of 2 years compared to a few months from Hudson's Bay to London, once the routes were reasonably well established, and the port was ice free. Also striking is the absence of east-west water routes, unlike large parts of North America, though admittedly not Athabasca, Mackenzie, and points west.

I discussed briefly with Prof. V. the early negotiations between the Bay and the burgeoning state (Britain or Canada).
He was intrigued by the negotiations round the time of Confederation, but I pointed out that there may have been earlier ones in the context of the challenges to the Canada Jurisdiction Act, R v. Mowat, for example. So the more I talk this up, the more the pressure is mounting for me to get on with this study and publish. I need a sabbatical.

I'll have to read the book when it comes out in April to be able to comment more. But there are some important historical geographical issues to be explored. At any rate I look forward to the book when it comes out.

RUSSIAN AMERICA: AN OVERSEAS COLONY OF A CONTINENTAL EMPIRE 1804-1867
By Ilya Vinkovetsky