Community Geography: Addressing Barriers in Public Participation GIS

Abstract

Early advocates of Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) envisioned a future in which members of the public (broadly) and members of marginalized communities (specifically) would utilize geographic information and spatial technologies to affect positive change within their communities. Yet in spite of the emergence and success of PPGIS, open source geospatial tools, and the geoweb, access barriers recognized by proponents of PPGIS in the mid-1990s persist. As a result, PPGIS facilitators continue to be instrumental in addressing access barriers to geospatial technologies among resource poor organizations and marginalized groups. 'Community geography', is a growing area of academic geography that leverages university community partnerships to facilitate access to spatial technology, data, and analysis. Experiences from community geography programmes at three universities (Chicago State University, Syracuse University, and Columbus State University) demonstrate the benefits and challenges of a facilitated model of PPGIS.

Five classes of geospatial data and the barriers to using them

“…Foremost is the knowledge barrier for using GIS and analyzing the results. Robinson, Block, and Rees (2016) found that PPGIS initiatives need to have a person or entity to overcome the GIS knowledge barrier, and Haklay and Tobón (2003) (2012) had similar findings but suggested that this control by technical experts could be prevented if steps were taken to promote participation and good governance. For big data, processing techniques like machine learning are a knowledge barrier to using these data, so analysis is taking place more in the realm of computer science than geography.…”

“…Foremost is the knowledge barrier for using GIS and analyzing the results. Robinson, Block, and Rees () found that PPGIS initiatives need to have a person or entity to overcome the GIS knowledge barrier, and Haklay and Tobón () recommended that this proficient GIS user should also have qualitative research training to help aid in the analysis and interpretation of the collected data. However, they claim it can be difficult to find someone with both GIS and qualitative research skills who is interested enough in the particular project.…”

“…In addition to a lack of knowledge, Robinson et al () note that community groups also often lack the financial resources to implement a PPGIS/PGIS. A lack of money is a particular concern for grassroots groups from low socio‐economic areas.…”

Community geography for precarious researchers: examining the intricacies of mutually beneficial and co-produced knowledge

“…In doing so, community geography works to explicitly highlight and address some of the constraints experienced by community-engaged activist-scholars in geography as well as promote changes to institutional structures in ways that value community-engaged work. This includes conceptualizing and supporting sustainable, reciprocal partnerships in addition to broadening considerations surrounding collaborative knowledge production and shared power (Robinson, Block and Rees 2017 ). While community geography often aligns with the practices of participatory and public participation geographic information systems, such as its commitments to confront existing power structures while addressing community concerns, community geographers face no methodological constraints and employ a multiplicity of quantitative and qualitative methods to address the broad set of research questions that reflect the diverse communities in which community geography work is situated.…”

“…For example, a commonly cited logistical barrier is the way partnerships are impacted by the ebb and flow of the academic calendar. As such, flexible schedules and timelines for both teaching and research are also highly conducive to community-engaged work as the establishment of mutual and reciprocal trust does not necessarily occur on the semester system (Robinson, Block and Rees 2017 ). A broader struggle for community geography is both predicting and measuring quantifiable metrics by which the project can demonstrate effectiveness to traditional modes of university reviews.…”