Dueling cartographies: science, positivism, art, and critical praxis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since the first uses of the term in the 19th century, cartography has grown into a sprawling, contested discipline and practice. Today, cartography has been described both as dying and as one of the best jobs to pursue in the 21st century. In this article, we deconstruct this dichotomy by describing three common axes along which cartography has been bifurcated -art and science, critical and post-positivist approaches, and research and practice. These dualisms serve as a frame to better understand what cartography has become and how it is no longer necessarily what self-described cartographers do. In response, we argue that, with the rise of prominent humanistic and affective approaches to geovisualization and the burgeoning field of data science and analytics emerging predominantly outside of traditional cartographic praxis and scholarship, what it means to take cartography seriously across these divides provides an inclusive, unique path forward for both the discipline and practitioners. Using examples from recent work, we lay out potential work that prioritizes ideas from nonrepresentational theory as a framework through which cartographers might productively resituate the field.