Radical Cartography

This is it: the full download from a true genius of cartography. Radical Cartography will make you see maps and, indeed, your place on the planet, with fresh eyes – Daniel Immerwahr, author of How to Hide an EmpireA fearless, fascinating examination of how maps shape our worldview. This revolutionary text strips away the myth of cartographic neutrality, revealing the power structures embedded in every contour line and choice of color. By turns charming and fierce, Radical Cartography is essential reading for anyone who’s ever taken a map at face value – Gareth Cook, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former series editor of Best American InfographicsA significant addition to the literature on cartography, William Rankin’s Radical Cartography uses seven parameters—boundaries, people, layers, projections, color, scale, and time—to systematically demonstrate that the graphics of maps are their argument. Readable and engaging, Rankin’s work expands the possibilities of cartographic representation – Johanna Drucker, author of Inventing the AlphabetIn Radical Cartography, Bill Rankin interrogates the very concept of a map, while also showing us how its various elements—such as projection, color, scale, and layers—shape our understanding of reality. Through his attention to both the big picture and consequential details, we see mapmaking in all its complexity: messy, necessary, and full of promise – Susan Schulten, author of A History of America in 100 MapsA groundbreaking and fascinating work that shatters our cartographic illusions about the world. Radical Cartography brings the human back into geography, offering endless possibilities for mapping new kinds of worlds. Vividly illustrated and elegantly written, this is a timely and significant intervention that provides essential tools for challenging authoritative - and authoritarian - voices – Paul Richardson, author of Myths of GeographyAs rigorous as it is accessible, Radical Cartography offers a brilliant and imaginative approach to ‘mapping differently.’ In this landmark achievement, William Rankin establishes that mapping can be urgent and compelling, with the potential to illuminate vexing social and theoretical problems and, ultimately, to save lives – Michael Ralph, author of Forensics of CapitalSince the turn of this computer-generated century, William Rankin has been jolting cartographers out of ruts, inviting them to question defaults and see the world anew. In this essential volume, he gave me a good shake once more – Oliver Uberti, coauthor and designer of Atlas of the InvisibleAn impressive guide to how maps can make a difference in how we see the world, Rankin’s book will appeal to professional and armchair cartographers alike – Professor James Cheshire, author of The Library of Lost MapsA must-read for anyone looking at a map occasionally! Drawing from numerous examples, William Rankin shows that cartographic conventions are by no means universal and neutral, and suggests alternative approaches for including more individual and localised perspectives. This is an important plea for more empathy in cartography – Sandra Rendgen, author of Information Graphics

William Rankin is a historian of science at Yale University, where he specializes in the history of mapping and the geographic sciences. Born and raised outside Chicago, he originally trained as an architect before receiving a dual PhD in the history of science and architecture from Harvard. In addition to his work as a historian, he is also an award-winning cartographer, and his maps have appeared in numerous books, magazines, and exhibits around the world. His work has been published in The Washington Post, Le Monde, The Economist, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Slate and Vox. Radical Cartography is his first trade book.