North by North
[Extract] Seven centuries of cartographic convention has placed north at the top of maps, and by logical extension at the top of the world. This convention has been closely aligned with another, known as the Mercator projection. Devised by the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1659, this sys...
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ftjamescook:oai:researchonline.jcu.edu.au:53842 2023-10-01T03:51:43+02:00 North by North Harding, Sandra Nile, Richard 2017 application/pdf https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/53842/1/53842_Harding%20and%20Nile_2017.pdf unknown Queensland University of Technology http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/1391 https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/53842/ https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/53842/1/53842_Harding%20and%20Nile_2017.pdf Harding, Sandra, and Nile, Richard (2017) North by North. M/C Journal, 20 (6). open Article PeerReviewed 2017 ftjamescook 2023-09-04T22:45:39Z [Extract] Seven centuries of cartographic convention has placed north at the top of maps, and by logical extension at the top of the world. This convention has been closely aligned with another, known as the Mercator projection. Devised by the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1659, this system of map-making has been uncritically handed down through the centuries to the present time and continues to be the cartographic standard in many parts of the world. Mercator’s projection not only points northward but exaggerates northern landmasses at the expense of the south. For example, it magnifies Greenland to be approximately the same size as Africa, which is actually fourteen times larger. The Greenland example is one of many northern amplifications and conceits that belittle the south. The specific contrast with Africa was presented with deadpan humour and devastating effect in a 2012 episode of Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing. Cartographers for Social Equity lobby President Bartlet’s White House to withdraw all Mercator maps from US schools and replace them with Gall-Peters maps. The Gall-Peters projection represents with greater fidelity and accuracy the relative proportions of the world’s landmasses. The Cartographers for Social Equity fail in their representation but, coincidental or not, five years after the screening of The West Wing episode Gall-Peters maps began to be phased in at schools in two American states. North and south are cardinal directions and polar opposites that refer to exact locations at either end of the globe. Within ice-bound regions, the North Pole defines the Arctic, an old term derived from Latin and Greek to mean north. By contrast, its antithesis—the Antarctic—is a negative term that means opposite to north. It is defined by the South Pole. This linguistic preference suggests that north is the one while south is the other. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Arctic Greenland North Pole South pole South pole James Cook University, Australia: ResearchOnline@JCU Antarctic Arctic Greenland North Pole South Pole The Antarctic |
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James Cook University, Australia: ResearchOnline@JCU |
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ftjamescook |
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description |
[Extract] Seven centuries of cartographic convention has placed north at the top of maps, and by logical extension at the top of the world. This convention has been closely aligned with another, known as the Mercator projection. Devised by the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1659, this system of map-making has been uncritically handed down through the centuries to the present time and continues to be the cartographic standard in many parts of the world. Mercator’s projection not only points northward but exaggerates northern landmasses at the expense of the south. For example, it magnifies Greenland to be approximately the same size as Africa, which is actually fourteen times larger. The Greenland example is one of many northern amplifications and conceits that belittle the south. The specific contrast with Africa was presented with deadpan humour and devastating effect in a 2012 episode of Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing. Cartographers for Social Equity lobby President Bartlet’s White House to withdraw all Mercator maps from US schools and replace them with Gall-Peters maps. The Gall-Peters projection represents with greater fidelity and accuracy the relative proportions of the world’s landmasses. The Cartographers for Social Equity fail in their representation but, coincidental or not, five years after the screening of The West Wing episode Gall-Peters maps began to be phased in at schools in two American states. North and south are cardinal directions and polar opposites that refer to exact locations at either end of the globe. Within ice-bound regions, the North Pole defines the Arctic, an old term derived from Latin and Greek to mean north. By contrast, its antithesis—the Antarctic—is a negative term that means opposite to north. It is defined by the South Pole. This linguistic preference suggests that north is the one while south is the other. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Harding, Sandra Nile, Richard |
spellingShingle |
Harding, Sandra Nile, Richard North by North |
author_facet |
Harding, Sandra Nile, Richard |
author_sort |
Harding, Sandra |
title |
North by North |
title_short |
North by North |
title_full |
North by North |
title_fullStr |
North by North |
title_full_unstemmed |
North by North |
title_sort |
north by north |
publisher |
Queensland University of Technology |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/53842/1/53842_Harding%20and%20Nile_2017.pdf |
geographic |
Antarctic Arctic Greenland North Pole South Pole The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Arctic Greenland North Pole South Pole The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic Greenland North Pole South pole South pole |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic Greenland North Pole South pole South pole |
op_relation |
http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/1391 https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/53842/ https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/53842/1/53842_Harding%20and%20Nile_2017.pdf Harding, Sandra, and Nile, Richard (2017) North by North. M/C Journal, 20 (6). |
op_rights |
open |
_version_ |
1778516935974060032 |