There is a list hosted by Dgroups that may be of interest - PPGIS (for public participatory GIS). There are a number of people and projects doing interesting work in this area and the list is active. See: http://www.ppgis.net (though I had trouble accessing just now; probably unrelated, but the list administrators are apparently all going to the Mapping for Change conference in Nairobi).
Companion low-tech mapping approaches (such as 3-D mapping) have also been developed. See: http://www.iapad.org which has a lot of resources. The potential for use of overhead images and maps with rural communities, even the poorest and least formally educated, is great. Don Osborn Bisharat.net Quoting Chris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Hello good people, > > I am beginning research into ways in which mapping technologies like GIS (1) > > are being used (and can potentially be used) to help avert or cope with > humanitarian disasters. > > The tragedy of New Orleans has given me some insight into the potential and > limitations for this use of geospatial technologies. Thanks to Andy Carvin > for applying his blogging/networking skills to this problem and prompting > this line of thinking. Recent discussion of geocoded pictures has also been > stimulating. > > GIS is a sophisticated, robust technology that is being used to map and > analyze data in numerous fields, especially environmental studies and public > > health. One of the most compelling features of GIS research is that it takes > > advantage of the contemporary wealth of data that is collected by all kinds > of environmental monitors. (eg: weather is monitored constantly, and > existing datasets can be mapped geospatially to discover, for example, > patterns in flooding or to predict the best time to plant crops.) > > New Orleans has for some time been the subject of extensive GIS research > because of it precarious position below sea level. The availability of this > technology has, I feel certain, prevented or alleviated numerous problems > created by the hurricane. I am interested in discovering similar, existing > applications for GIS in poorer parts of the world. I would also like to find > > discussion/research of _potential_ uses, especially, again, in the context > of poverty. > > The center for New Orleans GIS research is at Louisiana State University; > they have an excellent website(2) that distributes their GIS data. I doubt > that there is any much more sophisticated model of GIS research. What > fascinates me is that, although I am new to GIS, it appears that there is a > strong "open source sensibility" about their work -- the information is > provided free and intended for extended use. How can this be expanded and > reproduced? > > Thanks for any leads in this subject, > > Chris Blow > http://www.pictr.org > > > (1) Definition of GIS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gis > (2) Louisiana state GIS research: http://www.publichealth.hurricane.lsu.edu > _______________________________________________ > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org > http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with > the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. > _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
