URL: GIS, mental mapping, spatial statistics

[virtualme]

Sorin Matei is an Assistant Professor at Purdue University. From his website:
"Professor Matei has a variety of research and instructional interests, including socio-spatial shaping of communication technology, on-line social interaction and communities, spatial analysis (Geographic Information Systems) applied to communication systems and international communication processes and flows."

For example, one of his maps displays a mental map of fear of Los Angeles. It is really pretty cool, sort of like the video that Mei-Po showed us. He has other GIS projects, stuff on spatial statistics, cultural sociology, and network analysis, and his projects and publications (in prestigious Communication journals) will give you an idea of what a spatial perspective on Communication can look like. I believe many of you will find this helpful whether you're in Communication or not.
Ulla
http://www.matei.org/

[Guest]

We will post this with the resources on the SPACE site. Mental mapping is a significant area of research and one that usually attracts the interest of students. One of the classics in this area is the Kevin Lynch book on The Image of the CIty (also featured as a CSISS Classic). Also, see Roger Downs and David Stea, Maps in Minds: Reflections on Cognitive Mapping (Haper and Row, 1977)