EA101 PO - Just ! GIS: Introduction to an Ecological and Social Oriented Geographic Information Systems

When Offered: Spring 2025.
Instructor(s): Staff
Credit: 1

Maps have the power to reveal the hidden and uneven impacts of COVID- 19, global climate change, environmental pollution, and more. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) act as the unseen infrastructures for gathering, managing, and analyzing data that is or can be mapped; guiding policymakers, businesses, communities, and individuals to make important decisions. These sophisticated tools for modeling complex socio-spatial relationships are continually simplified with easy- to-follow drop-down menus and of-the-shelf plug-ins for mobile and desktop applications, expanding the user-base of map-makers. Yet, how do we ensure that these tools are (re)oriented toward the ends of creating a more ecologically and socially just world? In this course, you will develop a solid foundation on the commonly used processes for creating static and interactive maps to reveal hidden inequalities and disparities; as well as highlight hopeful imaginations of a more just world. We will critically engage with ESRI WebGIS and ArcGIS mapping software – to demonstrate the basic analysis of spatial data for those interested in answering questions about the spatial significance of environmental justice, racial inequality, hazard exposure, and health equity.
This course takes a student-centered approach, grounded in critical pedagogies and anti-racist frameworks where students will work with the instructor and their peers to develop a collective model of engagement valuing the contributions of all classroom participants and allowing for an individualized assessment of growth in developing fluency of the complex mix of technological tools and theoretical understandings that undergird GIS. Prerequisites: EA 010 PO and EA 030 PO.

Satisfies the following General Education Requirement(s), subject to conditions explained in the Degree Requirements section of this Catalog:
Area 2