Kartographische Vokabulare und ihre Redeskription zwischen theoretischer Reflexion und Anforderungen der praktischen Weltbewältigung

Abstract

Since the 1980 s, positivist traditional cartography has come under fire. Critical cartography attested to its strong ties to power, its failure to take full account of the socially constructed nature of maps and the practice of government agencies not releasing geodata. In a first phase, cartographic representations were largely rejected. In a second phase, the aim was to create an alternative to positivist cartography by means of participatory counter-mapping. We argue from a neopragmatist perspective that both cartographic approaches to the world, large parts of the traditional as well as large parts of the critical approach, are useful for dealing with the world. This is ultimately based on philosophical considerations on the mutual unsubstitutability of idealism and realism. Traditional cartography provides orientation in the (especially material) world, critical cartography with regard to questions of the cartographic production of the world. From a neopragmatist perspective, the usefulness of traditional cartography is recognized, but its claim to simply represent the world is rejected. Critical cartography follows the understanding of the socially constructed nature of cartographic representations, but does not consider an overly narrow restriction of the forms of mapping to be expedient. If the concepts of neopragmatist cartography are followed, the contingency of the world moves to the center of the considerations and the question of how (ironically) new contingent interpretations of the world can be generated. The concepts of contingent and inverse landscapes serve as tools for this. The focus on usefulness for solving specific problems and the inclusion of large sections of the population (such as those with disabilities) also guides the use of virtual and augmented reality, as well as artificial intelligence. On the one hand, these make it possible to expand the contingency of cartographic interpretations of the world. On the other hand, they also offer the possibility of low-threshold, inclusive access to (carto)graphic representations (although they also tend to reproduce spatial stereotypes).

Topics & Concepts