Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
Location, Location, Location: An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Instructor(s): Robert Jones, Economics
Do you think that the people of New Orleans think that location matters? Location
does matter, and throughout history people have devised ever more complex and innovative
ways of mapping their location. In this seminar, we examine the various historical
modes that people have used to map the world around them, including the most important
contemporary mapping technology, GIS (Geographic Information Systems). All forms of
mapping, including GIS, draw from sociology, economics, business, political science,
history, biology, environmental science and geosciences. Students will explore the
theory behind and the applied applications of GIS and other mapping systems within
and across these different fields of study. We will end the course with an examination
of the role GIS and other mapping technologies played in predicting and tracing the
path of Hurricane Katrina, and how it may help in the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast.
Course Offered