Ask any two people what they are looking for in a map, and you are likely to get two different answers. For some, the map provides a visual representation of quantitative information, and, in the contemporary world of computational geoprocessing, a form of comprehending “big data.” For others, the map offers a more narrative or affective pathway into understanding space and place. In this talk, I will argue for a plural attitude towards the argumentative and rhetorical power of maps, one which takes into account the many forms of evidence which may be consolidated together in cartographic form.

Garrett Dash Nelson is a historical geographer whose work explores landscape, politics, territory, and spatial design. He currently serves as President and Head Curator at the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library. He holds an AB in Social Studies and Visual & Environmental Studies from Harvard College, an MA in Landscape & Culture from the University of Nottingham, and a PhD in Geography from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is also a Faculty Affiliate in the Department of History at Northeastern University. 

At the Leventhal Map & Education Center, Nelson leads research and interpretive programs which combine history, collections, data visualization, and civic study to foster public engagement on topics ranging from urbanism to visual culture. His forthcoming book project investigates historical debates about the appropriate scales for urban and regional planning and the implications of defining geographic “units.” In addition to his scholarly work, he has developed digital geohumanities and urban science projects, including the Leventhal Center’s Atlascope tool for urban historical study, and a computational network science approach to identifying economic megaregions, co-authored with Alasdair Rae.