Space, Place, and Geographic Thinking in the Humanities

2016 CGA Conference: Space, Place, and Geographic Thinking in the Humanities

Center for Geographic Analysis (CGA), Harvard University, April 28-29, 2016

Conference Website

Geographic thinking and reasoning, empowered by the rapidly developing geospatial technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing (RS), global positioning systems (GPS), and more recently, collaborative online mapping, spatial data exploration in social media, cyberGIS, spatiotemporal computing and more, has been embraced by a wide range of disciplines, becoming an integral part of the digital inquiry and quantitative research toolkit. This is particularly evident in the humanities in recent years, attested by the “geo” and/or “spatial” branded new publications, new interest groups, and new research platforms.

How have the concepts of space, place, and geographic thinking, been contributing to the academic findings of the humanities? What are the recent breakthroughs in both the technologies and their applications? What are the stumbling blocks? Where are the missed opportunities? What will the future look like, and how to shape it?

This conference is aimed at bringing humanists together with geospatial technologists and theorists, reviewing current status, achievements, lessons learned, unmet needs, challenges, potentials and perspectives of applying geographic analysis in the humanities. Invited speakers will present their on-going explorations, inspiring cases, and expert views across a range of domains and disciplines, and engage with each other and the audience in discussion and debate.

This event is free and open to the public.
Co-hosts: 
Arts and Humanities Research Computing, Harvard University
The Association of American Geographers (AAG)
Harvard Library
Harvard Map Collection
Arts and Humanities Division, Harvard University
Humanities Center, Northeastern University