Mapping the End of the World Technology and Antarctic Cartography

Maps are used either as a way to communicate knowledge or, in the display of data, as a way to synthesize knowledge. Throughout history cartography has been used for both of these purposes and the result is that maps have become objects that tell a story, not only of the geography of a place but the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hawkey, Josie
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:English
Published: University of Canterbury 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10092/13874
Description
Summary:Maps are used either as a way to communicate knowledge or, in the display of data, as a way to synthesize knowledge. Throughout history cartography has been used for both of these purposes and the result is that maps have become objects that tell a story, not only of the geography of a place but the also politics and power of that era. Antarctic cartography is an excellent example of this as the exploration of the continent has been confined to a period of rapid technological change. The interplay between technology and the use of cartography as a means of communicating or synthesizing knowledge is reflected in the literature that describes these events. The following study reviews a range of literature and discusses how the interaction between technology, cartography and knowledge in the history of Antarctica is represented in these texts.