Honors Theses
Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Croft Institute for International Studies
First Advisor
Matthew Murray
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
It is an inherent part of human nature to seek knowledge of the world around us. As knowledge of the world grew, so did the need for its visual representation — thus came the introduction of the map into society. The map is a technology that allows us to see an expansive view of the world around us and to understand our own place in the world. In the past, displaying a full view of the world was more of a challenge — many regions remained unexplored or undiscovered. The mapmaker was given the task of representing both known and unknown lands. The representation of the world that resulted reflected the most current knowledge of the world, but also created a worldview for its spectators. In essence, this is where the idea of critical cartography, a field focused on viewing maps as powerful tools that influence culture, comes into play. My thesis serves as a critical cartographic analysis of the varying ways that maps represent known and unknown space. Furthermore, it shows how cartographic representations of the world serve not only to reflect worldviews, but also to create realities. Four maps throughout history, the Vercelli map, the Catalan Atlas, the Mercator map, and Google Earth, are analyzed using a critical cartography framework in order to draw conclusions about the map's place in society.
Recommended Citation
Wicks, Elizabeth E., "Windows Into Changing Worldviews: A Critical Cartographic Analysis of Four Influential World Maps from the 13th to the 21st Century" (2015). Honors Theses. 296.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/296
Accessibility Status
Searchable text
Comments
A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for completion of the Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from the Croft Institute for International Studies and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.