Tweeted Places as Topological Spaces: An Urban Plaza as Case Study | Les lieux gazouillés comme espaces topologiques : étude de cas d’une place urbaine Presenter: Emory Shaw, Concordia University Copresenter: Sebastien Caquard, Concordia University We increasingly witness and engage in geographies mediated by social media, which is changing how we experience and produce places. This raises questions about how place is conceived as well as the politics underlying its images. I present a case study of Place Émilie-Gamelin in Montreal: a plaza located atop the city's busiest transport hub. Despite its geographic centrality, it is a liminal space appropriated by marginalized groups and contentious political movements. Recently, it has been subject to a city-led revitalization program with intentions of attracting party-goers and tourists. I explore these evolving and conflicting representations by articulating how their aggregation by theme and function can inform us about complex places. I aim to untangle the relationships between virtual representation and physical witness by showing how they anticipate and follow key events and arise from distinct mobilities and geographies, providing more nuanced and relational cartographic representations of places.
Mapping the History of North Carolina's Bull City | Cartographier l’histoire de la Bull City de Caroline du Nord Presenter: Tim Stallmann, Independent Cartographer In this presentation, I'll share on-going work to map 150 years of housing history in Durham for a large public history exhibit. We're developing a range of innovative approaches to historical maps, including 3D-printed maps of areas destroyed by urban renewal, using city directories to reconstruct the daily lives of oral history interviewees, and reconstructing detailed demographics using the long-form census releases. The presentation will include sharing these techniques, some practical lessons learned as well as telling some of the Bull City's story.
