GIS and Society (P01239)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : GEO-P-GISSOC

This module will examine the interrelationships between GIS and the structures of modern society. Through case studies related to private and public organizations as well as the general public, the broader social implications of GIS will be examined. How GIS systems and spatial data are embedded in particular economic, political, social and legal structures create social barriers affecting the wider use of GIS, such barriers will be debated throughout the module. The way in which GIS is employed in society has the ability to influence values, perceptions and knowledge, this representation of knowledge in GIS will be discussed with particular reference to how information held by marginalized groups of society is represented. Other areas of importance include the impact of internet mapping, public participation and GIS, gender and representation in GIS, ethics and privacy and the use and misuse of GIS.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences), (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Block 2 only

? Contact Teaching Time : 4 hour(s) per week for 5 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
23/10/2007	14:00	16:00	Room G.1, Clasp Building	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	14:00	15:50	Central

? Additional Class Information : Tutorials are held on Tuesday afternoons from 4.00pm till 6.00pm

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should have achieved and demonstrated, or be able to achieve and demonstrate, the ability to:
-understand how GIS technology is being used to represent information about society
-acknowledge the profound effect that the use and misuse of GIS will have on the directions and outcomes of future projects
-understand the ethical and regulatory issues, particularly related to privacy and social exclusion, that are raised by the wider applications of GIS in society
-understand how different societal perspectives have shaped the availability and management of spatial data and GI technologies
-locate, read and summarise relevant literature, from both traditional and electronic media, to extend your understanding of the topic
-develop reasoned arguments, firmly grounded in the available literature
-plan and write assignments, within the specified parameters and to a professional standard
-take responsibility for your own learning through reading and the preparation of assignments, and reflect upon your learning experience