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Departmental Research Seminar Series
Humanistic Rewire of GIS: Theories, Care Ethics, and Practices
Date: 11 MAR 2024 (Monday)
Time: 15:00 - 16:30 (HKT)
Venue: CLL, Department of Geography, 10F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU
Registration Link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=93042
Abstract:
This seminar explores the newly proposed Humanistic GIS framework, an innovative approach that integrates humanism and post-phenomenology to redefine the use and development of GIS. This framework is designed to encompass the latest technological advancements and address current challenges in the field. It provides an epistemological method for categorizing GIS, focusing on its interactions with humans and their environments, and offers a structure for analyzing the complex outcomes of specific GIS applications. A key aspect of Humanistic GIS is the incorporation of care ethics, highlighting the need for humanistic consideration in the application and development of GIS technologies. The seminar will showcase practical examples, such as 'LGBTQ+ Life Spaces' and 'Archiving the CHOP,' to illustrate the application of this framework. These case studies will demonstrate the framework's capacity to tackle the intricate challenges in modern GIS practices with humanistic values and ethical considerations.
Dr Bo Zhao
Associate Professor, Department of Geography, University of Washington, Seattle
Bo Zhao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington, Seattle, where he directs the Humanistic GIS Lab. Dr. Zhao's research focuses on the intersection of GISciences and Human Geography, critically examining the social impacts and ethical values of emerging GIS technologies. In recent years, his work has utilized GIS technology to promote social inclusion and spatial justice for marginalized communities, with a particular focus on refugees displaced by climate change, LGBTQ+ communities in repressive environments, and Black communities severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, his current research on 'deepfake geography' urges GIScientists to develop more effective strategies to address the complex social impact of GeoAI in the 'post-truth' era.
