Understanding the Human Condition: Worldmapper

How do we teach about the human condition?

As an accompaniment to powerful first-hand stories, Worldmapper offers a vivid visual resource. Produced by folks at the University of Michigan and University of Sheffield, Worldmapper is a collection of nearly 700 maps in which territories are re-sized according to the subject of interest in what is know as "equal area cartograms" or "density-equalizing maps."

Take this fairly standard-looking world map, showing land area...

http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=1

...and "re-size" it to display available water resources...

http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=102

...or the distribution of the Human Development Index combining health, wealth and education measures to represent quality of life...

http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=173

...or the world population of illiterate young women, ages 15-24...

http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=197

...or any of 692 other variables. The Worldmapper website includes maps in PDF poster format for sharing in print form.

Thanks to Christian Harth of both St. Andrew's School (MS) and the Global Studies Foundation for sharing this resource in his 2010 NAES Biennial Conference presentation.

Claudia

Map use is permitted by Worldmapper under a Creative Commons license, © Copyright SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan).