GIS and Mapping Global Issues

Catalog description

Geographic information systems (GIS) involve creating, storing, retrieving, analyzing, and visualizing spatial data. This course examines the global impact on social, political, economic, and environmental dynamics when using geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and other geospatial technologies in daily life. Readings and discussions will focus on global affairs, such as critical cartography, GIS integration with social theories, implications for crime, urban planning, scientific research, health, environmental justice, feminist perspectives, and the intersection of economic development with environmental shifts. This course will also introduce students to foundational concepts and skills in working with spatial data, including finding and creating data, spatial analysis, and GIS-based map production. Specific global affairs topics will be analyzed using ESRIs ArcGIS. Students will gather GIS data, analyze global affairs topics using GIS, and produce their own data projects.