Share ideas that matter on the social web and experience
the benefits of curating the world's best content.
I don't have a Facebook, a Twitter or a LinkedIn account
 Your new post is loading...
Scoop.it!
"American tragedies occur where middle America frequents every day: airplanes, business offices, marathons. Where there persists a tangible fear that this could happen to any of us. And rightfully so. Deaths and mayhem anywhere are tragic. That should always be the case. The story here is where American tragedies don't occur. American tragedies don't occur on the southside of Chicago or the New Orleans 9th Ward." No comment yet.
Sign up to comment
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
GeoGuessr is a geography game which takes you on a journey around the world and challenges your ability to recognize your surroundings.
Seth Dixon's insight:
When I was a child I used to wonder if woke up somewhere far from home, would I be able to know where I was just by looking at the places around me (I was a geo-geek from way back when). GeoGuessr is the closest thing to finding yourself lost in the world and needing to figure out where you are without being wisked away. GeoGuessr will display 5 locations in GoogleMaps "StreetView" and you have to guess where the images are located. You can pan and zoom in the StreetView to explore the landscape and find more context clues as to where that location is. It is a fantastic exploration exercise. 
Magnus Gustafsson's comment,
May 19, 12:09 PM
Yes, easy to play but not so easy to know where you are.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
If a NYC location got a shout out in some rap lyrics, Jay Shells has probably made a sign out of them and placed it at that specific location for his amazing new project.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Street art has a subtle, but powerful connection with place. How does an art installation alter a neighborhood's sense of place? How does a place alter the meaning(s) of an art installation? Tags: art, mapping, NYC, culture, landscape, place, socioeconomic, neighborhood. 
bancoideas's curator insight,
April 24, 7:59 AM
¿que tal esta idea de arte callejero? Letras de rap y señaléticas de tránsito Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
The current rise or durability of the economies of the Global South do not signal that economic geography does not matter, but that current investment has simply shifted.
Seth Dixon's insight:
In an era where globalization has rendered distances a minor barrier to diffusion, some have erroneously concluded that geography is no longer relevant to economic development and urban planning. Nothing could be farther from the truth, but that doesn't mean that the 'old rules' of space and place aren't be re-written. This is a nice article that discusses the continued importance of spatial thinking and geography for urban planning. Tags: urban, planning, economic, urbanism, globalization, unit 7 cities. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
I Have a Dream Speech Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963. Washington, D.C. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring fro...
Seth Dixon's insight:
There is much to glean from Martin Luther King's famous I Have a Dream speech as a fantastic rhetorical device. This speech has a profound impact on the the psyche of the America culture and it has endured as a pivotal moment in history. As we celebrate his life and legacy this Monday, it is an appropriate time to contemplate that the ending of segregation (a spatial division of races) has reshaped the United States. Many streets in the United States bear the name "Martin Luther King Jr." to memorialize both the man and the Civil Rights movement. This streets, as this YouTube video suggests, are often in poor, crime-ridden and violent neighborhoods. This video highlights the irony between the historical memory of Martin Luther King Jr. and places of memorialization that bear his name. This video echoes much of what the authors of the fantastic book "Civil Rights Memorials and the Geography of Memory" say (in fact one of the authors is shown in this video). Questions to ponder: If Martin Luther King Jr. represents non-violence, then why are streets bearing his name often in 'violent' neighborhoods? Where should Martin Luther King be memorialized in the United States? Only in the South? Only in predominantly African-American communities? What does the geography of the spaces where he is memorialized say something about the United States?
Tags: historical, culture, landscape, place, race, unit 3 culture, USA, urban, poverty, unit 7 cities, book review. 
Cindy Riley Klages's curator insight,
January 20, 10:38 AM
Teachers: How great would it be to use the actual speech? Can you say, "primary source?" Here's an idea: Print it out and let students close read this important speech, too. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
The Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali, is a magnet for tourists, but it is increasingly difficult for locals to live a normal life around it.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This New York Times short video is an intriguing glimpse into some of the cultural pressures behind having the designation of being an official world heritage site. The grerat mosque combined with the traditional mud-brick feel to the whole city draws in tourists and is a source of communal pride, but many homeowners want to modernize and feel locked into traditional architecture by outside organizations that want them to preserve an 'authentic' cultural legacy. Tags: Islam, tourism, place, religion, culture, historical, community, Mali, Africa. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Wal-Mart de Mexico was an aggressive and creative corrupter, offering large payoffs to get what the law otherwise prohibited, an examination by The New York Times found.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Wal-Mart officials worked hard to ensure that zoning regulations were changed so that they could bring a store to a coveted location. They built a Wal-Mart in the shadows of arguably Mexico's most important world heritage site--the pyramids of Teotihuacán. This investigative report uncovers the illegal steps that Wal-Mart took to force through their agenda. Questions to Ponder: Why would Wal-Mart be so keen on this particular location? Why would some in Mexico oppose this project so fiercely? Would Wal-Mart behave in such a manner in the United States? 
Sam Capron's curator insight,
February 13, 10:35 PM
I knew that Wal-Mart was rather devious in its uses of force, using both bribery and elbow rubbing to get exactly what they want. That being said the extent of the misdoings in Mexico was shocking. In my opinion Wal-Mart is ruining a national landmark and a great tourist attraction. The question I ask myself is, is there any chance that Egypt would ever allow a Wal-Mart to be built next to their Great Pyramids? Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
This is more for the teachers than the students since this is most certainly not a current pop culture reference. Still, what's better than an interactive map displaying the locations where Johnny Cash has been while listening to him sing "I've Been Everywhere?" (Tech support: Use Google Chrome or Safari to play and ignore the finger). 
Zoe Alexander's comment,
December 4, 2012 12:06 AM
The map is missing Baranquilla, it's a city in Colombia
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
USA Route 66 Cross Country Road Trip Map, Data, Summary, Photos, Equipment Used: http://www.defreesproductions.com/road-trip-route-66-cross-country-usa-2012 ... I saw this video on an Atlantic Cities article and was struck by the rural and "off-the-beaten path" feel that timelapse of the Mother Road manages to capture. Route 66 looms large in Americana, in part because it represents a bygone era, a time when the automobile was new and exciting. This empowered many to make a cross-country road trip, but during this time the car was not so ubiquitous that it was the overwhelming force that is so visually prominent in urban landscapes as it is today. The historical and cultural critique of the U.S. automobile culture in the Pixar movie Cars may be fictional and for a child audience, but it is quite accurate in noting that cities disconnected from the interstate system sharply declined and were never the same. These places represent for many people then, a classic pop culture landscape of yesteryear.
Tags: transportation, landscape, place, culture, timelapse. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
"Why would they want to pull down these walls?” asks William Boyd mildly as he offers me a cup of tea in his home at Cluan Place, a predominantly Loyalist area of east Belfast. These walls, orginally installed in the late 60s to protect Belfast residents during "the Troubles." Today, some argue that these walls are now barriers to the peace process as they continue defacto segregation. Walls, as barriers to diffusion, stifle communication, cooperation and interaction. Still, these walls are symbols of communal identity and icons in the cultural landscape. For more academic work on this, see Peter Shirlow's Belfast: Segregation, Violence and the City.
Questions to Consider: How would a wall through an already culturally and politically divided city impact both sides of the wall? Today, are the walls beneficial to peace in Northern Ireland? Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
This website is an incredibly humorous parody of Eurocentric charitable organizations that, while well-intentioned, propogate many negative stereotypes about Africa.
Questions to Ponder: What do you think the 'point' of Radi-Aid is? Do you agree with their point? How does the media influence our idea of places? Tags: Africa, development, NGOs, Norway. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
For over 1400 years, Mecca has been one of the most important cities in the Arabian Peninsula. By the middle of the 6th century, there were three major settl... As the heart of Islam, Mecca brings in pilgrims from around the world. This documentary gives a great overview of the historical, spiritual and cultural reasons why this is sacred space to over one billion Muslims. Additionally, this documentary contains an analysis of the logistics that are a part of the Hajj. Tags: Islam, tourism, place, transportation, religion, Middle East, culture. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Roads? Religion? Accent? Food? Which factor dictates where the North ends? This is a great intellectual expercise to help student think about regions and how we define them. The article can help also inform some of their thinking since one of the main problems for students in drawing regional boundaries is a lack of place-based knowledge. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
|
Scoop.it!
Humanist geography, a movement within the field of human geography (itself a sub-field of geography) arose in the 1970s as a way to counter what humanists saw as a tendency to treat places as mere sites or locations. Instead, a humanist geographer would argue, the places we inhabit have as many personalities as those whose lives have intersected with them. And the stories we tell about places often say as much about who we are, as about where our feet are planted.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Anytime a geographer uses the phrase "sense of place," they owe an intellectual debt of gratitude to Yi-Fu Tuan. This article is an introduction to the man and his work that is accessible to all audiences. Tags: place, unit 1 GeoPrinciples. 
Romana Quintel's curator insight,
May 14, 12:05 AM
An interesting way to view Aboriginal people's link to country. 
Leoncio Lopez-Ocon's curator insight,
May 14, 9:38 AM
Articulo que introduce a la obra del geógrafo humanista Yi-Fu Tuan, uno de los 21 historiadores para el siglo XXI que José Enrique Ruiz-Domènec seleccionó en su libro Rostros para la historia Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Oakland, Calif., was a hub of African-American life on the West Coast. Today, it's one of the most diverse cities in the country. How has that shift affected its culture?
Seth Dixon's insight:
The NPR blog Code Switch focuses on issues of race, culture and ethnicity. In this podcast they explore the changing demographics of Oakland due to gentrification and the cultural impact that it has had. In the 80s, African-Americans represented nearly half of Oakland's population, but today is now 34 percent white, 28 percent black, 25 percent Latino and 17 percent Asian. The music scene, night life and sense of communal identity has consequently shifted, and that causes some to yearn for what once was. Tags: neighborhood, gentrification, urban, place, culture, economic. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Tags: transportation, mapping, place.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This comic strip would be funnier if it weren't so true. Studies have shown that children who are driven everywhere do not have as fully developed mental maps as children who walk through their neighborhoods or ride their bikes. For some lesson plans on mental maps, click here. 
Ken Halpern's comment,
March 1, 1:10 PM
Even as an adult and have been in different parts of the world driving, I still remember how to get around in my home town. It's amazing how the mind can retain that type of information. I still remember the neighborhoods I use to bike through and walk in.
Gary Pascoa's comment,
March 1, 9:53 PM
Certainly guilty of this growing up. I have a photogenic memory when it comes to directions and getting around. I think it will only get worse in the future for kids with the advent of GPS who might not take the time to build up a solid understanding of their surroundings.
Conor McCloskey's comment,
March 4, 8:37 PM
Proud to say my mental maps are pretty accurate and so are my brothers, however I have two siblings that cannot say the same... I would definitely support the theory that walking through neighborhoods and riding bikes really helped to give me and my brother strong mental maps and geospatial awareness. Also, being a runner has also influenced my mental map making.
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Seth Dixon's insight:
I've posted on this topic now, so regular readers will know that I love a good flashmob that changes our perception of public places. This flashmob from Quebec makes me wonder, "if there were a bottle on the ground, would I pick it up and recycle it?" I'd like to think that I would, but the numbers show that most people would just walk right on by. For more of my favorite flashmobs in public places, see http://geographyeducation.org/whats-new/articles/place-and-flash-mobs/ Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Flashmob en Madrid (España) organizado por el programa de radio CARNE CRUDA 2.0 Martes y jueves, 16:00, http://www.carnecruda20.es Lunes, miércoles y viernes...
Seth Dixon's insight:
I have previously posted on how successful flashmobs often times use public places in a way that symbolically merges the meaning of that space with the message of the that place. This is a fabulous example of that and I find it incredibly moving and poignant, given the recent economic woes of southern Europe. As Jordan Weismmann said about this flashmob in the Atlantic, "I'm not sure if this video is more heartbreaking or heartwarming, but it pretty well captures what's going on in Europe's economy right now. While the day-to-day drama of the continent's debt crisis has subsided, painful austerity measures have helped leave huge swaths of the population jobless. In Spain, unemployment is at 25 percent." 
Trisha Klancar's curator insight,
January 13, 2:15 PM
We never know when we will make a difference in people's lives. Spain has undergone a very difficult time the last couple years...this is short video reminds us we all need to smile and enjoy no matter what! 
plerudulier's curator insight,
February 17, 8:21 AM
Big fan of flashmob here.
I guess those who attended that day had a bit of sun. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
The idea of flash mobs has spread quickly, diffusing at a time when online video sharing can immortalize the moment in time and social media can amplify the audience beyond just one place.
Seth Dixon's insight:
I LOVE this particular flashmob (as a bonus, 'read' the cultural landscape to try to identify where this took place). While there are many types of successful flash mobs, all share one characteristic: place matters. The place where a flash mob performs is not simply a stage; place is a crucial part of the meaning of the flash mob. An incredibly prominent place with open spaces and many sight lines is a prime location for a flash mob. Beyond these tangible characteristics, if a site has some importance cultural significance, those qualities can be meshed with the meanings of the flash mob. For more of my musings on flashmobs (and extra clips) you can continue reading here: http://geographyeducation.org/whats-new/articles/place-and-flash-mobs/ Tags: place, space, diffusion, popular culture. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Nielsen Prizm is a tool used by companies to analyze their customers spending habits, lifestyle choices and spatial patterns. Using their Zip Code Look Up feature, you can search any zip code to g... This is an interesting glimpse into how market research analysts view neighborhoods, geography and spatial analysis. This economic and cultural data has a wide range of uses (albeit with some serious limitations). Tags: socioeconomic, neighborhood, place, economic, consumption, spatial, mapping. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Although these were designed specifically for GIS day during Geography Awareness Week, these 2 excellent map-based treasure hunts from ESRI are great any time of year. The answer to the question will only pop up in you are zoomed in the the right region (SHIFT + Make a box = Zoom to area). These links will take you to the World Cities quiz and also to the Mountains quiz. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
Neighborhoods that are perceived by outsiders as economically successful have created a cultural niche that draws in visitors with a mixture of shops and amenities that appeal to a particular demog... A vibrant cultural ambiance is not just a backdrop for selling commodities in shopping districts. The feel of a neighborhood and a sense of place can be the commodity as Air BnB is artfully demonstrating. Tags: neighborhood, place, culture, economic, planning. 
Don Brown Jr's comment,
November 20, 2012 11:34 AM
This is an interesting website but I can’t help but wonder what characteristics of a neighborhood is included or excluded when property is advertised to a specific audience. Does this advertisement reflect the values of the tourist or the residence and common people who already live in the community?
Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
ESPN Video: With the FIFA World Cup two years away, will Brazil be ready to host soccers premiere event? This short sports documentary (12 minutes) looks at some of the socioeconomic and urban planning issues that are a part of the logistics for a country to prepare for a sporting event on the magnitude of the World Cup. The discussion of demolitions in the favelas (squatter settlements) is especially intriguing. Major sporting events of this magnitude that last for two weeks can reshape local geographic patterns for decades.
Sam Capron's curator insight,
February 20, 9:19 PM
There is a massive amount of prep work that is going to hosting the FIFA world cup and the next Olympic games. I wonder what will happen to these beautiful stadiums after the games are over. My bet would be a slowly worsening level of disrepair. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
"This map-based site contains hundreds of images of downtown Los Angeles, Displaying its tremendous architectural, cultural, and economic diversity. Maps of seven downtown subregions are accessible either by clicking on this map or on the list of subregion names to the left. Each regional map provides access to specific places in downtown in the same way." This is a great example of a neighborhood project than shows the economic and cultural differences between places. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
Scoop.it!
THERE WAS SOMETHING odd about the black car at the junction of Sutter and Hyde Streets. It was an ordinary saloon. Its windows were clear, and it looked in good... Technologies today have allowed us to be digitally connected from anywhere. This impacts geographic patterns from outsourcing to local businesses that rely on interpersonal communications to connect potential demand with resources. Some may see this as geography becoming less of a barrier, and consequently, less relevant. This article in the Economist argues that as these technologies have rendered location more important than ever since they rely on geospatial technologies. "The reports of the death of distance have been much exaggerated." Tags: technology, globalization, location, place. Delete the scoop?
Are you sure you want to delete this scoop?
Yes
|
This is a controversial Op-Ed article that discusses how place and the major axes of identity (race, class and gender) shape and intersect with the the national memory of violence and the media portrayal of violence. According the David Dennis, "The media seems to forget about New Orleans and any place that the middle class can't easily relate to."
Tags: race, class, gender, place.