Maps are projections. They project the surface of the Earth and displaying useful information like geographic locations and borders.
But these projections are not neutral. From the choice of projection method to translate spherical information into a plane and its resulting distortions, to the choice of information to be included, maps are tools of power that have helped shape nations, naturalise borders and territory. Therefore, instead of a representation of reality, maps project the intention of those who create them.
They are typically seen as a definitive piece of information, but we often forget that countries are fictions, and every border was once a disputed one.
How can mapping, or counter-mapping, interfere in this power dynamics? Can it show the nuances and reveal new knowledge behind apparently objective data?
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