HIST 219 - Deceptive Maps and Where to Find Them

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

Maps in various formats and mediums are not only tools for navigation and positioning but also shape people’s spatial and geographical imagination. While maps serve many practical functions, they can also be malleable, deceptive, and misleading. This intensive takes a closer look at the multiple forms and visual representations of maps, as well as the hidden messages and ideologies behind different approaches to map-making. The course draws on selected maps from Asia, Europe, and the United States to explore the concepts and practices of cartography. We trace how the development of cartography has transformed ideas about boundaries and nation-states. We also explore how the functions of maps were expanded, at times transforming into tools of destruction during WWII. Students visit Vassar Library’s Special Collections to examine historical maps and become familiar with using primary sources in research. We analyze prevalent cartographic ideas in map-making practices and engage with critical perspectives and debates surrounding them. Each student conducts a mapping project on themes related to the construction of spatial and geographical understanding, the uses of maps in different contexts, and the relationship between maps and history. Yu-chi Chang.

One 2-hour period.

Course Format: INT