Maps & Power
About This Blog
The common assumption is that maps are neutral devices that merely describe reality, but nothing could be further from the truth. All maps come with decisions about what to show and what not to, how to define borders, and other issues. Such decisions affect our perception of inequality and sometimes completely distort the issue, while on the other hand allowing us to uncover patterns that would otherwise be hidden.
Maps & Power is a personal research blog analyzing how maps are able both to reveal and conceal inequality, either through deliberate choices and biases or unintentionally. Through examples from history, I demonstrate how the process of mapping had often served as a tool for exclusionary politics and propaganda. At the same time, using contemporary mapping technologies and geographic data, one may be able to uncover inequalities that remain hidden from view.
Through a critical approach to maps coupled with geographical analysis, this blog aims to investigate maps in their role as both representation and argument. In addition to examining maps of the past, GIS-based visualization offers ways to uncover the inequalities in our contemporary world.
The Political History of Maps
From Ptolemy to Google Maps, cartography has always served power. I trace how maps have been used to claim territory, justify colonialism, and shape national identity.
GIS and Spatial Analysis
Using open-source GIS tools and public datasets, I build original analyses that make spatial inequality visible — from school access to environmental hazards.
Borders and Territory
The lines on maps are not natural features. They are political decisions, often made by people far from the places they divided. I examine how borders are made and what they do.
Projections and Perception
Every flat map distorts the globe. The choice of projection is never neutral — it reflects and reinforces assumptions about which places matter and which are peripheral.
Get in Touch
Have a question about a post, a collaboration idea, or just want to talk about maps? I'd love to hear from you.